The State of Audio Ads: Podcasthon, Wondery Goes FAST, YouTube Premium Lite, and Untouchable Ad Budgets

The Media Roundtable is back with our very special Podcasthon episode supporting the Koala Corps. Plus, a blockbuster industry edition with a round-up of last week’s biggest audio industry moves.

Fearless host James Ingrassia, (EVP of Client Services, Oxford Road) welcomes fellow audio all-stars:

🤩 James Cridland, (Editor, Podnews and Podcast Business Journal)

🤩 Neal Lucey, (EVP of Strategy & Product, Oxford Road)

🤩 Spencer Semonson, (Media Supervisor, Oxford Road)

🤩 Courtney O’Connor, (Director of Podcast Media, Veritone One)

The team is talking: Podcasting for Good, YouTube Lite, Wondery’s FAST moves, Tariffs vs Ad Budgets, and more. Let’s jump in.

“ If you cut your advertising, fewer people will buy your stuff.”

1500+ Podcasts for Good 🙌 - This week’s MRT is part of the 3rd annual Podcasthon, where shows dedicate an episode to charitable causes. Our incredibly worthy cause? The Koala Corps, which trains and provides volunteer cuddlers to hold the babies in need at Children's Hospital of Los Angeles. Over the years, Koala Corps has helped nurture hundreds of babies, making a lasting difference to so many lives. Oxford Road has been supporting The Koala Corps mission for several years now, and it’s truly one of the most impactful and important things we do. If you’d like to be a part of this beautiful endeavor for the babies, please consider donating here.

YouTube Premium Lite 👀 - YouTube’s testing a cheaper, ad-free subscription for just $8 for those who don’t want YT ads with their video podcasts but also don’t need YouTube’s music service. One interesting effect: baked-in live reads would still play, creating an unheard-of share of voice opportunity for some advertisers. Of course, as Lite also offers a 4x speed option, even those live reads will feel pretty short.

Wondery Moves FAST 💨 - Wondery’s taking the opposite approach of YouTube Premium Lite to offer a free ad-supported streaming TV channel (FAST) on Amazon’s Prime Video Live TV. Wondery has a history of successful experimentation, being the first to move from podcast to TV with Dirty John. Also notable: Wondery’s pushing genre boundaries with animated visuals, as in Declassified Mysteries. Add in opportunities for product placement and takeovers,and you have a lot of ad levers to pull. We’ll see which ones pay off.

Tariff-Proof Ad Budgets? 💸 - An IAB survey shows 94% of U.S. advertising decision-makers are concerned about the impact of tariffs on ad spending (per Podcast News Daily’s reporting). Ad budget cuts would vary though. Traditional media is expected to see the biggest cuts, while digital audio, including podcast ads, is better positioned, with only 16% of buyers predicting a reduction. In times of uncertainty, marketers rely on proven performance channels – and that’s absolutely audio.


For insights into the cutting edge of audio you won’t find anywhere else, tune into the full episode below.

Bianca Gorodinsky