It’s great to be back! After a bit of a break, we reflect on why this year’s been a challenging one—most notably the loss of our good friend, Todd Cochran, which really sucked the energy out of both of us. It’s felt strange attending podcast conferences and not seeing Todd. At one recent event, his absence sparked memories and stories among all the old-timers.Other LossesWe recognized some other major changes and losses in the podcasting community, including Neil Galarte’s passing and the impact of Charlie Kirk’s assassination and martyrdom, which had waves in the podcasting world.ConferencesConferences have seen big shifts. Podcast Movement, once growing rapidly, is now feeling smaller and more intimate and seems to be returning to its roots. I shared my thoughts on the move to New York City, which might benefit big name podcasters and networks, but I wonder if it’s pricing out independent podcasters. On the other hand, PodFest feels like it’s holding onto that independent creator vibe.Evolutions is now co-locating with South by Southwest, which is another smart move for reaching broader media attention, even if affordability remains a concern. We talked about past conferences co-locating with bigger events (like New Media Expo merging with other conventions) and the community getting lost—hoping Podcast Movement avoids those mistakes.For creators weighing which events to attend, we think Evolutions at South by Southwest could be a more fun opportunity if you can afford it—there’s energy from all kinds of independent creators.We discussed how post-Covid realities and inflation have changed conference dynamics, from higher travel and hotel costs to more people realizing they don’t need conferences to learn about podcasting. Knowledge is now much more decentralized and accessible through online platforms, AI, Facebook groups, Reddit, and YouTube.The Tech Side of ThingsOn the tech side, we shared frustrations over the video-first focus and the pressure to be on YouTube, even for podcasters who love audio. I’m recording video but not finding time or motivation to edit and post it. There might be a resurgence of love for audio-only content as people seek flexibility and less bandwidth consumption.We also reflected on the rise of audiobooks and Kindle reading, how books are often more focused than podcasts, and how my own listening habits have shifted—I’m now consuming more audiobooks than podcasts.Show RetirementsSome big podcasters ended their shows, like Marc Maron. As podcasting passes the 20-year mark, retirement and shifting priorities for veteran podcasters are becoming more common. Rob Greenlee isn’t bringing back New Media Show, and Libsyn’s The Feed was quietly shut down, prompting Rob Walsh to revive Podcast 411.Got Feedback?We invited listeners to let us know if you’d like this show to take on topics the New Media Show used to discuss, covering more present-day podcast issues, not just future trends.Streaming Sats...Streaming Satoshi payments and Podcasting 2.0 have hit bumps, and Adam Curry says mass adoption could take another decade—so our expectations needed realignment. We covered the technical challenges with payment metadata and discussed building future-proof solutions. Daniel suggested payments should be sent after an episode is finished rather than streaming constantly, and Daniel mentioned separating metadata and payment channels for better flexibility.Podchapters ROCKS!On the tool front, I praised Daniel’s new tool, PodChapters.com, which uses AI to generate podcast chapters—I found it genuinely superior for long, messy episodes with lots of topics.Apple NewsWe celebrated the news that Apple will support Podcasting 2.0’s chapter spec in the next iOS release (26.2), a move that promises better compatibility and optional chaptering, not just auto-generation inside Apple Podcasts.We wrapped up with a reminder to send in your feedback and support:- Try PodChapters.com- Reach us at https://futurepodcasting.net/contact- Send a voicemail via futureofpodcasting.net/voicemail (from Podpage).- Check out http://podcastsaboutpodcasting.comHappy to be back—and remember, together, we can make the future of podcasting today!Your HostsDave Jackson, host and educator at School of Podcasting™Daniel J. Lewis, host and educator at The Audacity to Podcast® and creator of Podgagement®