Podcast listening remained steady in February as the industry moved beyond the early-year reset, with Podtrac’s latest publisher rankings showing several networks posting gains in audience and downloads while the biggest players maintained their grip atop the chart. The February data keeps iHeartMedia firmly in the lead, with the iHeart Audience Network once again ranking as the largest podcast publisher measured by Podtrac. The network delivered 60.7 million U.S. monthly lis

The year is off to a slow start for new podcast launches. Listen Notes says 12,852 shows debuted last month worldwide. While that may sound like plenty to keep the average podcast listener busy, it’s 30% fewer new show launches than a year earlier. Typically, the first few months of the year see a flood of new shows after a slower release schedule during the fourth quarter. But that doesn’t seem to be materializing in 2026. Listen Notes says 31,715 new shows have launched so

A federal judge has approved procedures designed to ensure Cumulus Media’s Chapter 11 restructuring complies with federal broadcast ownership rules as creditors prepare to receive equity in the reorganized company. Bankruptcy Judge Alfredo Pérez has authorized a process requiring lenders and other creditors who may receive stock in the reorganized broadcaster to disclose detailed ownership information to verify compliance with Federal Communications Commission regulations. Be

Broadcast employment held relatively steady last month according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The government data shows 334,500 people were working in the broadcast sector in February, which is 500 less than a month earlier. On a year-over-year basis, total employment was down 1.8%. The segment includes not only radio and television broadcast companies, but also other content companies like cable TV. BLS doesn’t release radio-specific monthly figures. In the other media