Topic: Podcast One

The hosts revealed they were recently approached by "Podcast One," a network representing Adam Carolla and Jordan Harbinger, to join their slate. They rejected the offer, citing the "lack of dependency" provided by their current producer-funded model. The hosts argued that being part of a network would subject them to corporate "notes" and advertiser pressure from companies like Unilever, which would limit their editorial freedom.

The hosts critique an episode of NPR's "On the Media" for allegedly rewriting the history of podcasting. They discuss the financial struggles of public radio podcasting and the resentment felt toward independent personalities like Joe Rogan and Dan Bongino. Adam Curry recalls his own past appearance on the program during the early days of the medium.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Spotify's $1 billion podcasting bet has struggled, with some episodes costing $250,000 to produce. The hosts discuss the failure of the advertising-based model and promote the "Value for Value" system used by modern podcast apps.

Hannah Nicholas from Oklahoma City, a millennial producer, shared her experience using the "One Wheel" electric skateboard and clipping the show via Podcasting 2.0 apps. The segment also features Millennial Mel, a Berklee-trained musician who produced a professional-grade "Jab Me Baby" song for the show. The hosts note an increasing influx of talented millennial women into the producer base.

Former Navy cryptographer Malcolm Nance appeared on a Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) podcast to discuss Russian "information cruise missiles." Nance argued that the 2016 election involved hacking the mindset of the American voter through the spread of digital misinformation. The podcast's production style and the hosts' vocal characteristics were noted as typical of modern Brooklyn-based media.

Former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer spoke at the Commonwealth Club about his post-government career. Spicer announced the launch of his own podcast, a move the hosts mock as a predictable step for former political figures looking to remain relevant in the media landscape.

Norman Pattis, a prominent radio executive and UC Regent, is under fire for making inappropriate comments to podcaster Heather McDonald during a recording session. Audio from McDonald's "Juicy Scoop" podcast captures Pattis joking about holding her breasts while she recorded an advertisement for a bra. The hosts discuss Pattis's history in the radio industry and the subsequent protests by UC Berkeley students.

Radio legend Norm Pattis and his network, Podcast One, are facing lawsuits from a former employee alleging unethical business practices. The employee claims Pattis brandished a firearm while demanding that download numbers be "doctored" to inflate advertising rates. The incident highlights the ongoing struggle to monetize podcast networks and the prevalence of fraudulent metrics in the industry.

Comedian Adam Carolla announced he will produce "clean" shows twice a week to attract high-end advertisers like Cadillac. The hosts discuss this as a move toward "brand safety," which they argue inevitably leads to self-censorship of controversial topics. They contrast this with the No Agenda "Value-for-Value" model which avoids advertiser influence.

The advertising industry held a "podcast upfront" to present listener data to brands, claiming the median age of listeners is 30. The study suggested that "night" is prime time for podcasts and that most listening happens at home. The hosts dispute these findings, arguing that commuters remain the primary audience for the medium.

The hosts analyze the 10th Annual Podcast Awards and the involvement of Podcast One, led by Westwood One founder Norm Pattis. Curry argues that the podcast network model is fundamentally flawed, citing his own experience with Podshow as evidence that centralized networks struggle with measurement and creator relations. They discuss the lack of a central authority like Nielsen or Arbitron in the podcasting space and the difficulties of scaling advertising across diverse shows.

NPR is moving toward a proprietary digital platform called "NPR One" to better monetize its content and protect local station interests. The hosts predict this will lead to the "death" of traditional open podcasts for shows like "This American Life," as the network seeks to control user data and advertising metrics through an encrypted app experience.

The evolution of podcasting is predicted to move toward ubiquitous on-demand streaming as bandwidth infrastructure improves. The ideal future involves seamless integration into car dashboards via WiFi, allowing users to subscribe to and update content with a single click rather than relying on manual downloads or physical media.