Redefining Podcasts: Audio, Video, and the Future of the Channel with Larry Rosin (Edison Research)

The Media Roundtable limited series: “What’s a Podcast? – The Extended Interviews” continues with this crucial debate. This week's episode is sponsored by Fairing.

Dan Granger (CEO, Oxford Road and Veritone One) teams up with Larry Rosin (President, Edison Research) for our extensive qualitative and quantitative journey to define what a ‘podcast’ is in 2025. This episode is a culmination of all that work: a debate to finally forge one definition to rule them all.

Together we're talking: Consumers vs the Industry, the Spirit of Podcasting, Video Inclusion, and more. Let's dig in.

“ It's such an American idea, this democratization of voices–this fact that now there is actually representation of interests that were underserved for so long.”

The Pod Stays in the Picture 🫛 - Going back at least a decade, parts of the industry have grumbled about changing the name ‘podcast.’ (After all, we don’t carry around iPods anymore.) But consumers are fine with the name. And just as important, the biggest industry players (Google, Spotify, Apple, etc.) are happy to keep Podcast’s connection to its roots of origin.

Open Airwaves 🌊 - To understand what’s needed in a comprehensive podcast definition, Larry and Dan go back to the defining characteristics of the medium from day one. A low barrier to entry, where anyone’s voice can be heard. Plus, the intimacy that comes with an audio-first connection. Though the specifics might change, the open conversations, accessible by all, are part of the very DNA of this medium we all know and love.

The Jeopardy Test 🙋 - Consumers and our experts agree: Video podcasts are podcasts. But where exactly is the line drawn that cuts out just plain videos? Our rule of thumb: If it works with your eyes closed, it’s a podcast. Larry remembers living in Philadelphia when TV channels were simulcast on FM radio. Jeopardy worked as an audio-only show. Wheel of Fortune didn’t. Video podcasts are enhanced with visuals, but they’re not always needed to make the show work.

For a deep dive to pressure test every single word of a definition with huge implications, tune into the full episode by clicking the link below.

Bianca Gorodinsky