Ads for Podcasts Test the Line Between Story and Sponsor
Podcasts — audio stories that can be saved and played on a computer or smartphone — have reached new levels of popularity. The uptick in popularity has made podcasting a rare cause for optimism in serious journalism. Podcasting often offers an in-depth form of reporting that advertisers want to pay for and that is attracting talent largely from radio.
Behind much of podcasting’s growth, though, is the embrace of ads in which hosts gush over products or even do reporting for advertising spots. That has led to a clash between those coming from public radio and those with a commercial radio background, with some expressing concern that journalists, who rely on trust, are using their position of confidence to push products. The line between advertising and news has never been quite as sharp on commercial radio as on public radio. Because of Federal Communications Commission rules forbidding advertising on public radio, those journalists, who have flocked to podcasts, stayed out of the endorsement business — until the advent of stand-alone podcasts, which are not regulated by the FCC.
Ads for Podcasts Test the Line Between Story and Sponsor