Russ: The California Attorney General... and twelve states... are reportedly ready to stand down.
Nadia: This is Nadia.
Russ: And I'm Russ.
Nadia: It's Saturday, September 19th, 2026, and this is Feed Drop, where we cover the deals, shows, and charts of the podcast industry.
Russ: We're tracking three big stories for you.
Nadia: Are podcasts even discoverable anymore? We're digging into the 'front of the store' problem.
Russ: Acast just poached a big name from TikTok. Is this the future of podcasting, or just… more influencers?
Nadia: And that mega-merger between Paramount and Warner Brothers Discovery? It might be back on, thanks to a potential settlement.
Nadia: Let's start with discoverability. James Cridland over at Podnews asked a great question this week: are podcasts really at the 'front of the store'?
Russ: Okay, but are they? I feel like I only ever get shown the same five shows on every app. It’s like the store only has one aisle.
Nadia: And that's the heart of it. If you're not on the homepage of Spotify or Apple Podcasts, you're basically invisible. You're in the dusty back corner.
Russ: So it's impossible. If you're a new show, you have no shot unless you get anointed by a platform.
Nadia: Not impossible, just... incredibly hard. It means creators have to build their own buzz. And that, by the way, is exactly what our sponsor The Podglomerate focuses on. Their Ultimate Guide to Podcast Production is all about making a show that can get found.
Russ: Does any of that SEO and cross-promotion stuff actually move the needle, though? Or is it just screaming into the void?
Nadia: It does, but it's a grind. You're not going to top the charts overnight. You build your audience piece by piece—newsletters, social media, guest spots. You have to create your own front of the store.
Russ: [sighs] It just sounds exhausting. I just want to find a good new show without having to join a mailing list.
Nadia: And for listeners, that's the takeaway. You have to be willing to look past the homepage. The best stuff is usually a few clicks deeper.
Russ: Fine. But the platforms aren't helping.
Nadia: Okay, next up: Acast just made a major hire. Ali Sandar, who comes from TikTok, is their new Managing Director for Europe.
Russ: TikTok? Oh great. What's he going to do, make all the podcasts 30 seconds long and add a dance trend?
Nadia: [laughs] Not quite. But it does signal a huge strategic shift. Acast is betting that the future of podcasting is locked in with the creator economy. Sandar's whole job at TikTok was managing those creator and publisher partnerships.
Russ: So... more influencer shows. Got it. Is the content any good, or is it just people with a following getting a podcast deal?
Nadia: It's about bringing the monetization and growth playbook from short-form video over to audio. Think dynamic ads, brand deals beyond the usual pre-rolls, maybe even tipping and subscriptions.
Russ: Wait, so this is just about finding more ways to stick ads into my ears?
Nadia: It's about turning downloads into dollars—something our sponsor The Podglomerate knows a lot about. Their monetization guide is a must-read for any creator. For Acast, this hire shows they're betting on individual creators for growth, not just the big media networks.
Russ: I'm still not convinced this makes podcasts better for the listener. It sounds like it just makes them more lucrative for Acast.
Nadia: The bet is that if creators can actually make a living, they can reinvest in making better shows. It's a long game.
Russ: [dry] A long game that pads Acast's bottom line. We'll see.
Nadia: Alright, our last big story takes us back to the cold open. Variety is reporting that David Ellison's Paramount/Skydance is in advanced talks with California's Attorney General, Rob Bonta.
Russ: Right, to settle that massive antitrust suit that's holding up the Warner Brothers Discovery takeover. This deal just will not die.
Nadia: Exactly. California is leading the charge for twelve states in that suit. If Bonta agrees to settle, it could clear the biggest hurdle for this merger to finally go through.
Russ: Okay, Nadia, connect the dots. Why should someone who just wants to listen to a true crime podcast care about which Hollywood studio buys another?
Nadia: Because both of these giants have huge podcasting divisions. WBD has its deals with networks like Tenderfoot TV, plus all the old CNN Audio content. Paramount has CBS News Audio, Simon & Schuster... merge them, and you create one of the biggest podcast publishers and advertisers on the planet overnight.
Russ: So... one giant company controlling a huge slice of the shows we hear? That sounds... bad.
Nadia: It could mean fewer buyers for indie creators trying to sell a show. Less competition often means lower payouts and safer, more formulaic programming.
Russ: Fewer, bigger, safer shows. That's the dream, isn't it? [sarcastic] What this means for you, the listener, is probably more podcasts about renovating houses hosted by TV stars you vaguely recognize.
Nadia: [laughs] Or, to be optimistic, a combined media giant could leverage its huge IP library—we're talking DC Comics, Harry Potter, Star Trek—to create blockbuster audio dramas with massive budgets.
Russ: I'll believe that when I hear it. More likely they just make a 'Batman Reacts to TikToks' podcast.
Nadia: Alright, let's do a quick recap.
Russ: Finding a new podcast is still basically impossible unless you get lucky.
Nadia: Acast is poaching from TikTok, betting the creator economy is the key to monetizing audio.
Russ: And a potential Hollywood mega-merger is back on the table, which could mean big, weird things for podcasting.
Nadia: Before we go... Russ, did you know today is International Talk Like a Pirate Day?
Russ: I did not. And I don't care. Are you going to try to do a pirate voice?
Nadia: [beat] Argh, I think not. What I am actually listening to is a fantastic indie history show, 'The Constant.' They just did a great episode on the history of... hoaxes.
Nadia: That's it for Feed Drop today.
Russ: We're back on Monday. Until then, happy listening, ya scallywags.
This show is made with AI: the hosts’ voices are synthetic and the scripts are AI-assisted. Every story links to its original source.