Sky-high production costs and waning audiences are pushing hosts off the dial. Video podcasts may be the final blow to the format.
'The Kelly Clarkson Show,' which was cancelled after seven seasons, averages about 1.2 million same-day viewers in syndication, typically ranking third among daytime talk shows.have heightened fears that video podcasts are coming for traditional TV.
Podcasts have already been taking a greater share in the media space, as the shows are able to land the same high-profile guests , podcasts and livestreams, right alongside the sports, sitcoms and talk shows people already love.” Netflix, already a competitor to legacy TV, has also begun to feature podcasts on its service after striking a deal to license shows from Simmons’ slate at Spotify, iHeartMedia and Barstool Sports. This is part of an effort to compete with its biggest rival, YouTube, and an initial effort to capitalize on the popularity of the medium. But Netflix has also been putting more emphasis on time spent on the service, leading some executives at competitors to wonder if the platform was beginning to think more like a TV programmer, which considers the different types of content that work in different dayparts. Just as TV execs learned that things like talk shows and sports debate shows work well during the daytime hours, Netflix seems to be leaning on video podcasts to fill that void, without the legacy costs of network studio shows. “Of course we look at the view hours,” co-CEO Ted Sarandos told Wall Street analysts Jan. 20. “But we also look at a myriad of other signals to assess how our members are engaging and how important do they value that engagement. So members have different value for different types of programming.” CNN, among others, has also started bringing podcasts to its streaming offering after striking a deal with Lemonada, home to such shows asThe Jennifer Hudson Show , for instance, has WGA writers who pen segments, IATSE crewmembers who operate the cameras and a DGA stage manager who oversees rehearsals and tapings. With some exceptions, those union jobs are threatened by the rise of lo-fi programming made for digital platforms that in many cases are not beholden to union contracts. The industry labor group that perhaps has made the deepest inroads in podcasting is the WGA East. Since 2019, it has unionized scribes at The Ringer, Pushkin Industries, Pineapple Street Studios, Spotify Studios, iHeartMedia and Crooked Media. That’s no small feat, considering those companies have titles that are popular on both podcast platforms and YouTube, includingBut other Hollywood unions have a ways to go. In a statement, IATSE — the union that represents crewmembers like grips, camera operators and script coordinators — pointed to its recent organizing campaign with the WGA West at the YouTube content studio Theorist Media as proof that it is taking the transition seriously. “Many video podcasts and social media productions now operate at a scale that resembles unionized talk shows or studio productions,” an IATSE spokesperson said. “Labor standards should not disappear simply because the content lives online. It’s true for streaming, and it’s true here. Union contracts and rates should instead be set based on budget and the actual work being performed on the ground, across all possible verticals.” Leaders at the WGA West have previously raised the issue in public statements. In an election statement in 2025, WGA West board member Adam Conover — who has his own popular channel on YouTube with nearly a million subscribers— exhorted the union to organize around YouTube and podcasts. “Like it or not, this is the future of television,” he wrote. WGA West president Michele Mulroney also raised the issue of organizing YouTube shows, noting in a statement, “We are sitting on a shrinking iceberg and must be willing to look beyond our current employers.”The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2026 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Walmart finally brought back my favorite Blackstone griddle deal — and it’s a cheap oneI love a good deal and one of my favorites is when Walmart drops a big discount on a Blackstone griddle. It just did, and now you can grab the handiest flat top model on sale for cheap.
Read more »
How Big Tech and Trump Tariffs Broke Cheap PCsNot on purpose. But AI and import levies put pressure on the components Americans used to take for granted.
Read more »
5 Cheap Smart Home Finds Under $10 For Your Next Ikea TripMarinel has been writing about consumer technology since 2019, working with tech outlets like MakeUseOf, GineersNow, and TechObservatory. She previously held a research position at the Philippine government's science and technology department.
Read more »
Nordstrom Rack has ultra-warm Crocs fur-lined clogs on sale for a cheap $23Nordstrom is offering a hot deal on Crocs' fur-lined clogs that slashing their price to just $23. Snag this new markdown to keep your feet warm all winter.
Read more »
Not TCL, Not Amazon Fire TV: This Is The Best Cheap TV, According To ExpertsTalia has been a professional writer since 2018. She got her start at The Nerd Stash, covering consumer technology and entertainment.
Read more »
Jets' Projected Cost to Acquire Kyler Murray is Wildly CheapThe New York Jets should call the Arizona Cardinals if this is the price for Kyler Murray.
Read more »