The New Titans of Audio
The future of media isn’t just on the page — it’s in our ears. Podcasters have become the new cultural gatekeepers, capturing trust, attention, and influence in a way legacy media can no longer match.
Over the past decade, podcasting has evolved from a scrappy, niche format into one of the most influential distribution channels in the world. It has replaced morning news shows, talk radio, blog posts, and even parts of academia.
For millions of people, the most trusted voice in their life isn’t a journalist, an anchor, or an editor anymore — it’s a creator, whether a podcaster or a newsletter writer. And that shift is reshaping how people consume information, how stories are told, and who ultimately gets to influence culture.
We recently published a semi-viral edition on The New Titans of Media, spotlighting the most promising newsletters on Substack. This time, we’re turning our attention to the voices and faces shaping the future of media through audio and video.
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Why new media is an important trend
In the next few years, it’s unclear whether people will keep reading newsletters at today’s pace or rely more on AI-generated summaries.
What’s clearer is that audio and video will remain strong: because they’re casual, low-effort ways to consume content, they fit naturally into multitasking and daily routines.
From our coverage on the creator economy, we’ve seen clear shifts as creators invest in audio and video channels to build closer relationships, diversify revenue, and reach new audiences.
Podcasts, YouTube, and short-form video have become central to creators building their media empires — suggesting that while newsletters may evolve alongside AI, audio and video will remain essential formats for connection and growth.
Brands are also increasingly willing to pay for ad placements throughout creators’ podcasts and videos — and in some cases, lesser-known brands are paying simply to be featured alongside more notable companies.
If you’re a creator who’s relied only on written content, now is the time to expand into audio and video.
How podcasters make money — and why it’s more powerful than traditional media
Creators have something legacy media never had: monetization flexibility.
Subscriptions
Brand deals
Ads
Affiliates
Courses
UGC
Royalties
Instead of depending on a single revenue stream, creators can experiment quickly, double down on what works, and drop what doesn’t. Agility is their superpower.
Legacy media still leans heavily on ads and subscriptions — slow, rigid models that limit innovation.
This is why creators are becoming the new media power players. Their business models simply scale better.
Meet the most promising podcasters and creators focusing on video
In our previous edition on The New Titans of Media, we highlighted leading newsletter writers.
This time, we’re focusing on the other side of the movement: creators building for audio and video, the formats shaping the next era of media.
To help you navigate what’s ahead, we curated a list of 90+ standout podcast shows across core technology categories:
Startups & Venture Capital
Climate
Crypto
Careers
Software
FinTech
Marketing
Product
Money
Business
AI
Comment “Podcasts” and we’ll send you the full list featured in the infographic.
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Podcasts
Everyone's got their favorite host they trust more than the nightly news.