Even podcasts can’t hold our attention

👉 This is part of The Pervasive Now

Podcasting has gone from leaps to bounds in the last 5 years - with a proliferation of content across every conceivable genre. 

But as we know nothing stays the same for long, and podcasting is undergoing a visual transformation. YouTube has become the new king/Queenmaker, transforming what was once a singular audio experience into a visual experience.

Today's podcasts are a sit-back-and-watch cinematic experience—complete with studio setups, multi-camera angles, and performances that turn conversations into interviews more akin to TV talk shows. Creators like Joe Rogan have pioneered this shift, turning long-form discussions into shareable, watchable events - some lasting many hours. 

This shift is driven by younger audiences who crave authenticity, backstage moments, and the unfiltered energy of live conversation. For the hosts, =smartphones, affordable cameras, and editing tools have made production much more accessible, and open their casting to a broader audience on platforms like YouTube.

Most interesting because..

But this visual revolution isn't just about technology or format. It’s reimagining how we consume media—fragmented, immediate, and shareable. The podcast isn't dead. It's just your rabbit hole upgraded.

https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/how-podcasting-became-the-new-tv.html