Netflix asserts its presence in the podcasting space

2026 promises change for the podcast industry as Netflix moves to add more than thirty video podcasts to its service, beginning in January. Last year the company signed distribution agreements with the US’ biggest audio company, iHeartMedia, alongside The Ringer and Barstool. These deals will bring some of the most popular podcasts onto the platform, including The Bill Simmons Podcast and The Breakfast Club. 

Approximately 584 million people worldwide listened to podcasts in 2025, which is a 6.83% increase from the 546 million listeners in 2024.

Netflix’s interest in podcasts seems only natural. Approximately 584 million people worldwide listened to podcasts in 2025, which is a 6.83% increase from the 546 million listeners in 2024. Yet you do not need to look at the statistics to see that podcasts are an industry worth investing in. With the Golden Globes giving their first “Best Podcast” award to Amy Poehler, it is more obvious than ever that podcasts have entered mainstream media and are here to stay, competing against films and series for the attention of the everyday viewer. Moreover, the low production costs required for podcasts make them a financially appealing medium for Netflix to acquire.  

For those working within the industry, Netflix’s involvement in podcasting will bring more pathways for monetisation and increased investment. Spotify is part of the mix too. The streaming giant’s partnership with Netflix will mean greater marketing support, allowing some podcasts to reach wider audiences that once felt out of reach. Roman Wasenmüller, VP, Head of Podcasts at Spotify, emphasises the benefits these deals will have on creators, telling Variety that it “offers more choice to creators and unlocks a completely new distribution opportunity”. 

However, there is still an air of uncertainty around the success of Netflix’s new venture. Bloomberg calls it Netflix’s “Grand Podcast Experiment”. The phrase captures the potential for great failure and reward. Matthew Dysart, former Head of Podcast Business Affairs at Spotify, suggests that short form content, such as TikToks and Instagram reels, “might present a long-term competitive threat to Netflix”. Therefore, Netflix is jumping ahead of the curve, trying to capture audiences as their attention shifts to more short-form and low-cost content that can play in the background, during a commute, exercising, or cooking, for example.  

Netflix is not just adding podcasts; they are shaping the terrain of the industry.

However, it remains unclear whether podcasts, which are primarily audio-based, can thrive inside a platform whose business model has historically been built around bingeable and visual content. While Netflix has experimented with weekly episode releases, its business model and brand identity are still centred on the binge watch, not the drip feed associated with podcasts. Netflix will now have to find out whether its users actually want podcasts. 

We have heard all too well from Netflix and Spotify that these deals create wins for both themselves and podcast creators. However, how true is this really? Podcasting has flourished as an open and decentralised ecosystem. Anyone could produce a podcast, publish an RSS feed, and distribute it across platforms. This openness has enabled independent creators to experiment freely and thus produce content with that personal and authentic touch that makes podcasts so uniquely attractive to audiences. As Netflix enters the space, there is a growing concern that the podcast landscape could become more centralised and commercialised, which strips podcasts of their unique selling point of authenticity. 

It stands out that Netflix has chosen to add well-established, yet non-controversial, podcasts to their platform, steering away from political content. This may signal a shift toward a polished and risk-managed podcast scene away from its distinctive intimacy and weirdness.  

Platform exclusive shows may also create barriers for smaller creators and reduce cross-platform discoverability, as audiences may find themselves less inclined to juggle multiple subscriptions just to follow the podcasts they love. 

Netflix is not just adding podcasts; they are shaping the terrain of the industry. The hope is for bigger budgets, bigger audiences, and even bigger ambitions. As the year unravels, we will have to see whether any of this comes into fruition. But, there is a bigger overarching worry if Netflix does succeed with their ‘experiment’. The worry is that podcasts may lose their unique selling points as big corporations and streaming services enter the industry.