The rise of podcasts as the new television phenomenon

Gary Lineker’s podcast, The Rest is Football, set a significant new benchmark in the media landscape when it acquired rights to broadcast FIFA Club World Cup highlights. This bold move signals the transformation of podcasts from an audio-only format into a multimedia powerhouse. According to Tony Pastor, co-founder of Goalhanger with Lineker, the programme’s reach is now multifaceted, engaging audiences on Spotify, YouTube, TikTok, X and Instagram. Podcasts are being watched, shared, and discussed in ways that fundamentally alter how audiences consume their favourite shows.

The media industry is in the midst of major change. Popular podcasts such as The Rest is Politics and The Rest is History now feature video content, typically showing hosts in studio environments. Distribution is no longer limited to audio platforms like Apple Podcasts. Visual sharing on Instagram and TikTok, along with YouTube’s rise as the world’s leading podcast platform boasting more than one billion monthly views, has forced Spotify to adapt by automatically accompanying audio with video. This strategic shift is also influencing traditional broadcasters as Channel 4 partners with Spotify on video-centric content, while the BBC invests in special programming for YouTube and TikTok and uploads podcasts to iPlayer as well as BBC Sounds.

Clear evidence of the influence of podcasting on television emerged when The Traitors, a hit reality series, launched its own companion podcast and video series. Uncloaked, hosted by comedian Ed Gamble, blurred the distinction between podcast and television talk show. The ongoing evolution of presentation styles leads viewers to encounter the same content in multiple forms across platforms, removing the historic divide between radio, podcast, and TV.

There is a direct financial incentive for the industry. Ofcom reports that over a fifth of UK adults now listen to a podcast each week, compared to just four per cent in 2008. The appeal of video podcasting is partly attributed to falling costs of video production and the audience’s appetite for multi-platform entertainment. Sponsorship and product placements have also become more lucrative as creators reach broader audiences. As an example, Steven Bartlett frequently integrates products into his Diary of a CEO show, giving brands unmatched exposure across channels.

Podcasters are designing their programmes to thrive anywhere audiences might be. The most successful formats are now determined by their content and presentation style rather than their delivery medium. Young consumers in particular make little distinction between audio and video, a trend that underscores the need for legacy broadcasters to innovate or risk irrelevance.

Piers Morgan’s decision to leave TalkTV for his own YouTube programme typifies the challenges traditional media faces. With YouTube users logging more than four hundred million viewing hours of podcasts on televisions last year, broadcasters must compete in a new era where everyone, from high-profile presenters to independent podcasters, battles for the same audience share. Concerns linger that cost-cutting could lead to a race to the bottom in production values, but the evidence suggests the momentum behind podcasts as a rival to TV is only growing.

British broadcasters are starting to accept the reality of rapidly shifting consumer habits. Investment in podcast-inspired formats is now seen as necessary to maintain relevance. As audiences fragment and the lines between formats blur, the rise of the podcast as the new television is reshaping the future of broadcasting and advertising alike.