Russ: So Apple gets a 30% cut of subscriptions... even for apps that block the ads that pay for the podcasts in the first place.
Nadia: I'm Nadia.
Russ: And I'm Russ.
Nadia: And this is Feed Drop for Wednesday, September 23rd, 2026.
Russ: We're tracking three big stories shaking up the podcast world.
Nadia: First, we're looking at how Apple and Google are quietly profiting from ad-blocking podcast apps.
Russ: Then: Podcast Week is kicking off in New York. Is it worth the hype for anyone who isn't an exec?
Nadia: And finally, a TV review out of Variety that is... genuinely ghoulish. Netflix is using an AI Gene Wilder to host a game show, and it is as bad as you'd imagine.
Nadia: Okay, first story. Let's talk platforms. Podnews just dropped a report showing how both Apple and Google are profiting from ad-blocking podcast apps.
Russ: Okay, so this was our cold open. Break down how this actually works. A listener pays for an app that strips out ads...
Nadia: Exactly. Apps promising a 'clean' listening experience charge a subscription. And since that sub is processed through the App Store or Google Play, Apple and Google take their standard 30% cut.
Russ: So they're literally taking a slice of the revenue from a service that defunds the very creators on their platform. That is an incredible conflict of interest.
Nadia: It's a bizarre incentive. The platforms that host and distribute podcasts are financially benefiting from demonetizing the content on their own platforms. Our sponsor, The Podglomerate, helps creators navigate exactly this kind of ecosystem challenge.
Russ: [dry] That's like a firefighter getting a commission for selling gasoline. So what do the app developers say to defend this?
Nadia: Their defense is that they're just providing a service users want. If listeners hate ads enough to pay to avoid them, that's a powerful market signal.
Russ: A market signal that the ads are bad. Maybe this is a wake-up call for the industry to make better ads, not just cram in more of them.
Nadia: That's the optimistic take. The pessimistic one is it's a race to the bottom. Podcasters rely on ad revenue, especially indies. If enough listeners use these apps, the whole model could break.
Russ: But how many people are actually doing this? Is this a real threat, or are we talking about a handful of tech-savvy listeners?
Nadia: The numbers aren't public, but according to Podnews, several of these apps have thousands of reviews. That suggests a user base in the tens, maybe hundreds of thousands. It's not a niche problem anymore.
Russ: So what does this mean for me as a listener? Am I the bad guy for wanting to skip ads?
Nadia: It just means being conscious of the choice. Using these apps directly takes money from the creators you like. If you want to support a show, a direct subscription or Patreon is a much better way to go.
Russ: [sighs] It just feels like another middleman finding a new way to stick their hand in the pot.
Nadia: It's the platform tax. And here, it's a tax on skipping the very thing that funds the whole ecosystem.
Russ: Alright, next story. Let's go from our headphones to the real world. Podcast Week is kicking off in New York.
Nadia: That's right. A full week of panels, networking... basically the industry getting together to talk shop. The big networks are there, the ad-tech companies, a lot of creators.
Russ: So, is this just for the suits, or do actual podcasters get anything out of it?
Nadia: Oh, it's definitely industry-focused. Think panels on 'The Future of Programmatic Ad Insertion.' Our sponsor, The Podglomerate, is backing a bunch of events this year, really focused on helping creators monetize.
Russ: Of course. But does any of this lead to better podcasts? Or just more efficient ways to sell me a mattress?
Nadia: [laughs] A little of both. I mean, these events are where deals get made. A network exec might see an indie creator on a panel and sign them. That's a huge opportunity.
Russ: Okay, fair enough. But it feels like this just reinforces the hierarchy. The people who can afford to fly to New York and drop a thousand dollars on a badge get the access.
Nadia: That's a valid criticism, and organizers try to address it with scholarships and virtual passes. But yeah, being in the room still matters.
Russ: So what's the big buzz this year? What's everyone talking about by the coffee station?
Nadia: AI. Without a doubt. And not just creepy Gene Wilder stuff—which we will get to—but using it for discovery, transcription, audiograms... Every ad-tech company has an AI pitch.
Russ: Great. So the future of the intimate, human medium of podcasting... is robots.
Nadia: The future is tools, Russ. It's about how they're used. For a listener, the best outcome from a week like this is your favorite indie show finally gets the funding to go weekly. That's a good thing, right?
Russ: If it happens. Or they get bought by a megacorp that makes them cram in three more mid-rolls. We'll see.
Nadia: Alright, our last story... and speaking of ghoulish uses of AI, Variety just dropped a scathing review of a new Netflix show called 'Wonka's Golden Ticket.'
Russ: I saw the thumbnail for this and physically recoiled. Please tell me they didn't actually...
Nadia: They did. They used AI to create a host that looks and sounds like the late Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka.
Russ: No. Absolutely not. That's digital grave-robbing.
Nadia: Alison Herman's review in Variety calls it a 'ghoulish misuse' of his legacy. She says it's a 'hollowed-out approximation' that captures none of the danger or charm of his original performance.
Russ: Of course it doesn't! It's a computer program! What is the show even about?
Nadia: It's a baking competition. But the AI Wonka just pops in, delivers stilted lines, and vanishes. There's no interaction, no life, no soul.
Russ: And Gene Wilder's family approved this? How could they?
Nadia: That is the big question. The rights around celebrity likeness, especially after death, are a legal minefield. But Netflix clearly got some kind of permission.
Russ: This has to be a red line for audiences. We've seen AI voices in podcasts—that's already controversial. But a full-body deepfake of a beloved, dead actor hosting a reality show? That is a new low.
Nadia: And this connects right back to podcasting. We're already seeing companies offer AI voice clones for hosts to read ads. This is the logical, terrifying endpoint of that tech if there are no ethics.
Russ: So the lesson for podcasters is... don't sell your soul to a tech company that wants to replace you with a robot?
Nadia: Pretty much. And for listeners, it's about voting with your views. That Variety review is brutal. If nobody watches this thing, maybe they won't try it again.
Russ: A digital ghost haunting a baking show. [beat] I think I've officially heard it all.
Nadia: Alright, a quick recap: Apple and Google are taking a cut from apps designed to block podcast ads.
Russ: The podcast industry is gathering in New York for Podcast Week, and the main topic on everyone's mind is AI.
Nadia: And Netflix is facing major backlash for using an AI-resurrected Gene Wilder to host a game show.
Russ: Before we go, what are you actually listening to right now, Nadia?
Nadia: I've been hooked on 'The Lazarus Heist.' It's not new, but the story of the North Korean hackers behind the Sony Pictures attack and a massive bank heist is just incredible. It's from the BBC World Service, so the production is top-notch.
Russ: Nice. I'm on a show called 'How to Build a Happy Life' from The Atlantic. It's just short, actionable advice on... well, being happier. In a week full of dystopian AI news, it feels like a necessary antidote.
Nadia: That's our show. We'll be back tomorrow with more news from the world of podcasting.
Russ: Until then, try to avoid any digital ghosts. I'm Russ.
Nadia: And I'm Nadia. Thanks for listening to Feed Drop.
This show is made with AI: the hosts’ voices are synthetic and the scripts are AI-assisted. Every story links to its original source.