The Future of Podcasting with James Cridland - Editor of Podnews

Podcasting has exploded over the last decade, but few voices have been as influential in this space as James Cridland. In a recent episode of "The Pod Files" with host Bogdan Bratis, James Cridland opened up about his journey, his take on the future of podcasting, and the challenges and opportunities facing both newcomers and established players. If you’re interested in the nuts and bolts of podcasting or just want insider tips from one of the best in the podcasting business, keep reading.

Who is James Cridland?

For anyone in the podcasting world, the name James Cridland rings a bell. He’s been at the forefront of audio innovation for years. James Cridland is the editor of Podnews (the go-to daily newsletter for podcasting updates), and he wears many hats: radio futurologist, advisor to the likes of the BBC and ABC Australia, and winner of the inaugural Ambi’s International Impact Award in 2025.

James Cridland has witnessed podcasting since its early days, getting into podcasting back in 2005 when working at Virgin Radio, launching one of the UK’s first daily radio podcasts. Fast forward to now, he’s still pioneering and helping shape the industry’s direction.

What Makes Podcasting Unique (According to James Cridland)

So, what’s so special about podcasting? James Cridland puts it simply:

“It’s something for your ears when your eyes are busy.”

James Cridland (2025)

That’s the heart of why audio content feels so powerful and personal. Unlike video, which requires you to phisically look into screen, podcasting it's a passive activity that can be done while you take care of something else.

James Cridland has seen podcasting grow from niche hobbyist shows to a global industry, but he still believes its greatest strength is accessibility. Anyone can start a podcast. There’s no gatekeeper, and you don’t need a big budget or Hollywood connections. "There's no program director... making a decision on whether or not to carry your show or not. At the end of the day, everyone can be in the same podcast app as Joe Rogan or... the Kelsey Brothers."

Podnews: How James Cridland Became an Industry Leader

Ever wondered how a daily podcasting newsletter got started? James Cridland’s answer is refreshingly honest, pure opportunity. While at a radio conference in LA (the "Worldwide Radio Summit"), a friend asked James Cridland where he got his podcasting news. That simple question turned into a lightbulb moment. Realising there was no single news resource dedicated to podcasting, James Cridland launched Podnews in May 2017.

Since then, Podnews has become an essential read for thousands of podcasters and industry professionals. What’s even more impressive: James Cridland runs Podnews himself, from web development (it’s all PHP and JavaScript—“very old-fashioned,” as he jokes) to editorial decisions and daily story selection. He also credits a small team for ad sales and accounts, but the content, tech, and tone? All James Cridland.

The State of Podcasting: Growth, Competition, and Openness

There are a lot of big numbers tossed around in podcasting; Spotify boasts 7 million podcasts, for instance. But James Cridland cuts through the hype: “The more important number is how many are active.” According to James Cridland, only about 300,000 shows are truly active and competing in any given month.

This is some great news for creators, it is not as big as many think, and you can definitely dominate a niche easily.

A recurring theme in James Cridland’s philosophy is the openness of podcasting. Unlike radio or TV, podcasting doesn’t belong to any one company. RSS feeds let creators control their content and distribution, and that freedom fuels creativity and innovation.

But there are also challenges. As James Cridland explains, growing platforms like Spotify and YouTube are trying to “gate” content. For smaller podcast hosting services, this can mean losing access to valuable analytics or being shut out from features unless you’re a big player. It’s an ongoing battle to keep podcasting open and accessible: “We just need to be careful... If we give control of podcasting to YouTube or to Spotify, Podcasting means the world to us. It doesn’t to YouTube.”

Advocacy for open standards, like Podcasting 2.0, or Podcast Standards is one of James Cridland’s main focuses. He’s a driving force behind efforts to ensure podcasting doesn’t become just another walled garden dominated by tech giants.

Podcasting vs. Radio: Who’s Winning and Why It Matters

Is traditional radio dead? James Cridland doesn’t think so, not yet, anyway. “If you look at radio... 89% of people in the UK listen to the radio once a week. It’s a tremendous figure. It’s way, way higher than podcasting.”

But here’s the catch: radio’s audience is ageing, and the move to on-demand is slow but inevitable. Younger listeners prefer podcasts and streaming. Still, radio’s reach dwarfs podcasting (over a billion hours a week in the UK, compared to podcasting’s 111 million hours). For podcasters, that means there’s enormous potential for growth a “tremendous good news story,” in James Cridland’s words.

International Trends: How Does Podcasting Stack Up Worldwide?

Globally, the US is the podcasting powerhouse, but James Cridland says the UK and Australia aren’t far behind in terms of monthly podcast consumption. What differs most is monetisation. UK podcasters earn about a fifth of what their US counterparts earn from advertising. James Cridland attributes this partly to the slower uptake of podcast advertising in non-US markets, and strong public broadcasters like the BBC that don’t run ads.

The pandemic created a temporary spike in new podcasts, as celebrities and bored creatives alike discovered the medium from home. But James Cridland notes the trend has settled to a “nice, steady growth”, not a wild rollercoaster. That’s a good sign for long-term sustainability in the industry.

Why Should Businesses Start a Podcast? (James Cridland’s Take)

James Cridland nails the business case for podcasting in three points:

1. Brand Personality: A podcast gives brands a platform to show their values, tone, and personality, far beyond what a quick ad or a social post can do.
2. Access to Big Names: Podcasts are an excuse to invite customers, partners, and celebrities for a chat, something you’d rarely pull off with a cold email or sales pitch.
3. Thought Leadership: Podcasting positions businesses as subject matter experts. If you want to be known for intellectual property law, for instance, "run a podcast, because people will find you there and will understand that you know more about this area than anyone else."

The intimacy and extended time listeners spend with podcasts make them a unique vehicle for engagement, one that James Cridland insists businesses shouldn’t ignore.

Video vs. Audio: Should Every Podcast Be on YouTube?

With video podcasting on the rise, is audio-only old news? Not according to James Cridland. He’s quick to warn against adding video just for the sake of it. Producing good video is expensive and complicated, and importantly, it changes the nature of how people engage. Podcasting is mostly consumed alone via headphones, often while multitasking. “As soon as we require people to look at the screen all the time... then it breaks everything that podcasting is so good at.”

James Cridland does see value in sharing shows on YouTube, but he cautions against letting video overtake the core of podcasting: portable, passive, easy listening.

How to Avoid "Podfade" (Starting and Stopping a Podcast)

Podfade, the tale as old as podcasting, where a show launches with excitement, then fizzles after a handful of episodes. How can podcasters beat the odds? James Cridland’s advice is all about workflow and consistency:

• Optimise your workflow: Make it as easy as possible to produce your show. If it’s a struggle to put an episode together, you’ll lose steam.
• Be consistent: Release at the same time, same day, every week if possible.
• Invite audience feedback: Hearing from listeners (through emails or tipping tools) keeps motivation high.
• Community building matters: Podcasts with an active, engaged audience are the least likely to podfade.

Is AI the Future of Podcasting? (Friend or Foe?)

AI is everywhere, and podcasting isn’t immune. James Cridland sees great value in AI for menial or technical tasks—like audio clean-up, generating transcriptions, or drafting show descriptions. But he’s not sold on AI hosts or fully automated shows: “At the end of the day, AI is just an autocorrect tool... not coming up with any interesting ideas.”

The lesson? Use AI for the boring stuff, so you can put your creative energy into making a great show.

Discoverability: James Cridland’s Secret Weapons

How do you get found as a new podcast? James Cridland is all about clear, detailed show descriptions. Too many podcasts have vague blurbs,“Real talk from Bogdan” doesn’t tell search engines (or listeners) much. Fill out your show and episode descriptions with rich detail, keywords, and context.

And don’t forget the new features offered by Podcasting 2.0, add your podcast host, guest tags, location metadata, and more. Anything that helps listeners discover your content is worth the extra effort.

Closing Thoughts

James Cridland’s passion and advocacy for open podcasting comes through in every answer. His message to new creators and businesses: podcasting is still growing, and there’s room for everyone, but don’t give away control to massive platforms. Focus on your content, leverage community tools, and keep things accessible.

If you want to learn from the best, follow James Cridland’s daily updates at Podnews, and keep an ear on "The Pod Files" for more insights from industry leaders.

Want more podcasting tips straight from James Cridland? Check out his website at james.cridland.net, or sign up for Podnews to get the latest stories in your inbox every day!