Maybe Podcasting Doesn’t Need More Trends

During the 2026 Podcast Movement, keynote speakers , , and shared a video of where they spoke with participants about podcasting (duh, what else?).

One of their questions was about some of the most overhyped trends in podcasting right now.

>AI-produced episodes were a big one.

Yes, AI can do a lot. And yes, I’m sure someone somewhere is going to tell me it can produce a podcast while I sleep.

But I’m not sure I want a podcast that sounds like nobody was actually there.

>Then there’s the whole “longer is better” thing.

Three hours? Great.

Thirty minutes? Also great.

If the conversation needs three hours, give me three hours. If you’ve said everything you need to say in 28 minutes, please, for the love of microphones, stop.

>And then we have clips.

Every podcast seems to need video clips now.

But here’s the thing: a great clip doesn’t automatically make a great podcast.

As one interviewee said, “it’s about how you tell the story,” not about a click-bait video clip.

>Which brings me to video as its own overhyped trend.

I understand why everyone is jumping on the video podcast train. But if you’re going to do video, do it properly. Otherwise, why are we pretending we’re suddenly producing television?

A lot of podcasts are doing perfectly well as audio.

That’s why I’ve been experimenting with adding things to Safe Passages around the moments where it actually makes sense, rather than turning the whole thing into “look at me, I have cameras.”

Lindsay gave great advice: do what you want. Experiment. Figure out what feels right.

She’s been doing exactly that as an independent, audio-based podcaster with Who Weekly?

And maybe that’s the thing we podcasters need to hear.

You don’t have to chase every trend.

You don’t have to copy the podcast next door.

You can simply make the show you actually want to make.