Russ: …and it lets anyone else inject their own ads into it and make money.
Nadia: I'm Nadia.
Russ: And I'm Russ.
Nadia: And this is Feed Drop for Thursday, November 5th, 2026.
Russ: We've got three big stories for you today.
Nadia: The Podcast Show London is already looking ahead to 2027, with tickets on sale now and some big changes.
Russ: Plus, we're digging into the podcast host that's making it scarily easy for people to copy your show.
Nadia: And a massive project that brings together A.R. Rahman, Hans Zimmer, and Amazon Music to tackle one of India's greatest epics.
Nadia: So, let's talk about planning way ahead. The Podcast Show London just put tickets on sale... for their 2027 event.
Russ: Wait, 2027? We're still in 2026. Is that a typo?
Nadia: [laughs] No typo. They're expanding the expo space and, get this: adding a new, dedicated stage just for video.
Russ: A video stage. Of course. Because what every podcast needs is more pressure to be a TV show.
Nadia: It's where the industry is going, Russ. The major platforms are all-in. When a conference like this builds a whole stage for it, that tells you where the money is heading.
Russ: But who is watching a podcast? I listen while I'm doing dishes or walking the dog. I'm not watching anything.
Nadia: Some people are. And more importantly for creators, video clips are social media currency. An audiogram is fine, but a dynamic video clip is how you get found on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.
Russ: So you're telling me my audio-only show is now a vintage format?
Nadia: It means if you want to grow in the next couple of years, you can't ignore video. This is a huge, flashing signpost.
Russ: Alright, let's get back to what I mentioned at the top. The podcast host that helps people steal your show.
Nadia: Okay, 'steal' is a strong word, but the practice is... shady, to say the least. Podnews reports on a host that lets a user grab any public RSS feed...
Russ: So, my show's feed.
Nadia: Right. And it creates a pass-through feed that automatically pulls in your new episodes... but lets the other person inject their own ads.
Russ: Hold on. So someone could take Feed Drop, wrap their ads around it, and collect money from our work? That's not shady, that's theft.
Nadia: Technically, they don't re-host your audio, they just point to it. It's a legal grey area they're exploiting. It's content scraping, but for podcasts.
Russ: I call [censor] on that. If you're putting an ad on my content, you're stealing. What's the name of the company?
Nadia: [beat] The report doesn't name them, and we aren't going to either without more confirmation. But it's a known problem, and it's getting easier to do.
Russ: So what can creators do? How do you even know this is happening?
Nadia: You have to watch your server logs. Look for downloads coming from a single, strange-looking user agent, over and over. Some hosts offer protection, but a lot don't. It's a reminder that your RSS feed is an open door by design.
Russ: This industry is wild. Some days... I just can't.
Nadia: Now for something on the complete opposite end of the creative spectrum: a massive, official collaboration. Variety reports the makers of the new film 'Ramayana Part 1' have signed a huge music deal.
Russ: Okay... a movie soundtrack? Why is that a podcast story?
Nadia: Because Amazon Music and T-Series are backing a soundtrack co-scored by A.R. Rahman... and Hans Zimmer.
Russ: Wait, the Hans Zimmer? From 'The Dark Knight' and 'Inception'? On an Indian epic with A.R. Rahman? How does that even work?
Nadia: That's the billion-rupee question! According to producer Namit Malhotra in Variety, this is about retelling India's epic for the world. Bringing in Zimmer is a clear signal of global ambition.
Russ: So the theory is, if you want a global blockbuster, you just add Hans Zimmer?
Nadia: He's a powerful brand. And here's the podcast angle: Amazon Music is the platform. They're blurring the lines between music, podcasts, and audiobooks into one giant 'audio' offering. This soundtrack won't just be on the music app; they'll promote it everywhere, including to podcast listeners.
Russ: I have to admit, I'm curious what that sounds like. A Rahman-Zimmer team-up could be incredible... or a total train wreck.
Nadia: Exactly. It shows the big platforms are using massive IP to create 'can't-miss' audio events that transcend any single category.
Nadia: So, to recap: The Podcast Show in London is already selling for 2027 and betting hard on video.
Russ: Shady hosting companies are making it way too easy for people to monetize your hard work.
Nadia: And Amazon Music is backing a global blockbuster soundtrack with a dream team of A.R. Rahman and Hans Zimmer.
Nadia: Before we go, Russ, what are you actually listening to this week?
Russ: I've been hooked on 'The Antique Shop'. It's a cozy mystery series, one object, one story per episode. Super well-produced, and a nice escape from... well, from worrying about people stealing feeds.
Nadia: [laughs] Sounds perfect. That's our show for today. You've been listening to Feed Drop.
Russ: We'll be back tomorrow. Lock your feeds, everybody.
This show is made with AI: the hosts’ voices are synthetic and the scripts are AI-assisted. Every story links to its original source.