Video Might be Podcasting’s New Front Door
New data from Edison Research suggests video is increasingly acting as the front door to podcasting, especially for newer audiences. Their latest findings, show first year listeners are more likely to watch video podcasts than rely on audio alone, signaling a shift in how the medium is being introduced.
Crucially, platforms like YouTube should be understood as a game of reach rather than depth, measuring success by the number of viewers instead of total time spent listening.
Even so, discovery through video often converts into audio habits, with large majorities of both new and longtime listeners reporting they later subscribe to the audio versions.
For producers, the takeaway is clear: consumption is expanding, behaviours are fragmenting, and strategies must account for visibility as much as engagement.
The Quill State of Podcast Agencies Report
CoHost’s 2026 State of Podcast Agencies report is based on a survey of 50 agencies worldwide and shows the space is still lean but influential, with 76% operating with under 10 employees while supporting clients from startups to Fortune 500 brands.
CoHost CEO Fatima Zaidi notes that podcasting is no longer a side experiment, and agencies are now being pushed to prove measurable ROI through data-led strategy, smarter repurposing, and closer integration with the broader marketing mix.
This year’s edition also includes my commentary again, and highlights that full-service delivery is now the norm, audio-only can still outperform video (35% report stronger results), and agencies continue to want better attribution and listener metrics beyond the download.
Metadata benchmarks from the Top 50 US Podcasts
Ausha and Edison Research analyzed the Edison Research Top 50 U.S. podcasts. They found the average show title is about 21 characters. The average episode title is about 57 characters. The average show description is about 473 characters.
Release day timing
Monday shows up as the heaviest release day among some of the largest podcasts. Take note, because that likely means a red ocean for listener time and attention.
Episode length
The study shows top podcasts often run long, around two hours or more on average. Don’t treat that as growth advice, because these shows have earned the audience trust that makes long episodes work. They aren’t successful because they go that long… they go that long because they are successful.
First Japanese Podcast Festival
It will be March 14 and 15 in Akasaka in Tokyo. 30k people are expected… Wow
Podcast Stat of the Week
December’s Nielsen distributor rankings are a reminder that holiday viewing is split between two magnets: appointment football that spikes whoever has the rights, and background comfort movies that keep cable brands like Hallmark sticky for hours. And even with Disney, WBD, Netflix, and Amazon all jumping on holiday boosts, YouTube still sat in the pole position as the biggest distributor in December, a quiet but massive signal about where everyday “default TV time” is going
Listening Stats in Castro
You can now get listening stats if you use the Castro podcast app. In a January 27, 2026 update, Castro says it’s added “full listening stats” that show listening totals by day, week, month, or year, plus a drill-down view to the exact episodes playing at a specific time, with an option to share. The company also says it fixed recent data bugs and improved performance by updating older code in its data layer.
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