Alberto Pian is an Italian teacher and Apple Distinguished Educator. He has been one of the pioneers of podcasting in Italy, particularly in the field of education. Among his most significant projects is RadioTony, which launched its first broadcast on September 19, 2005. The initiative was originally created to support a student with a severe disability who could not attend classes in person. By using podcasting, the project made it possible to include him in the educational experience, marking an important step in accessibility and digital inclusion. RadioTony later received special recognition from the Italian Ministry of Education.
Alberto Pian was also among the first users of Podcast Generator in 2006, the open-source podcast hosting app that helped lay the foundation of expertise later carried forward in the creation of RSS.com.
What follows is the English translation of an interview originally published in Italian and prepared for our international audience.
Listening Trends in Podcasting
Alberto Pian: What are the listening trends for podcasting compared to other media?
Alberto Betella: Podcasting continues to grow and consolidate globally. Consider a European country such as Italy: podcast audience reached 17.2 million in 2024 (nearly a third of the entire population!), marking a 5% increase compared to 2023 according to a NielsenIQ survey.
Compared to radio or reading, podcasts offer on-demand, personalized content that is especially accessible for multitasking: 68% of listeners appreciate being able to listen while doing other activities (a unique advantage of audio over video).
On top of that, while traditional radio remains a general background, podcasts allow you to choose specific topics and explore them in depth whenever and wherever you want, without any schedule constraints.
Globally, the trend is similar: over half of US adults listen to at least one podcast a month, and growth is observed in many countries.
We can say that podcasting has taken over a significant portion of the time previously spent on other media like radio or even streaming music. It doesn’t replace them entirely, but it enriches the landscape by offering more flexible entertainment and information.
Popular Podcast Formats
Alberto Pian: What are the formats most appreciated by the public?
Alberto Betella: Podcasters enjoy a wide variety of genres, but some clearly stand out. For example, news and current affairs podcasts, politics, true crime, and talk shows/interviews are among the most popular.
True crime in particular continues to be a favorite among audiences and is both a favorite and a fastest-growing genre. History and general knowledge podcasts also attract a large number of listeners. Comedy and entertainment perform very well (in many countries, comedy podcasts consistently top the charts), as do educational podcasts related to business, technology, and personal development, which have seen strong growth in the last year.
It must be said that there isn’t just one winning format: what matters is the quality of the content and the ability to engage the listener. Well-produced narrative series (think of audio documentaries, or fiction podcasts) can attract a passionate following, just as simple informal chats with interesting guests can attract a large audience.
In recent years, we’ve seen the rise of new formats, such as radio drama-style audio fiction and even live podcasts with an in-person audience. Audiences favor both classic formats (interviews, storytelling, news reviews) and innovative experiments, as long as they offer value, authenticity, and a good level of entertainment.
Innovation in Podcast Formats
Alberto Pian: Are there any new formats and ways of podcasting, or is everything still going according to the classic rules?
Alberto Betella: There are certainly interesting innovations, both in formats and technologies surrounding podcasting. Lately, the sector has been innovating on both fronts.
For example, the phenomenon of live podcasting is emerging: today it is possible to broadcast live events via RSS to compatible players, engaging the audience in real time with messages and micropayments. We at RSS.com successfully experimented with this in November 2023 during PodCon MX in Mexico City. We broadcast the entire conference as a live podcast episode, with video streaming accessible via the Podcast 2.0 app and direct audience interaction. It was a true proof of concept of what open podcasting based on RSS can enable. It’s a new format that combines podcasting and live streaming, and I think we’ll see more similar experiments in the future.
Some creators are also experimenting with interactive narrative formats, highly produced fiction series worthy of a TV series (but in audio), or the extensive use of chapters, transcripts, and extra content to enrich the listening experience.
From a technological standpoint, the international community is working to extend the RSS standard with new features (a movement known as Podcasting 2.0). RSS.com is a founding member of the Podcast Standards Project, along with other competing companies in the sector, and we’re discussing which of these new extensions we should implement together.
One of the most interesting is the Location tag. This innovation will allow podcasts (or individual episodes) to be associated with relevant geographic locations, opening up entirely new possibilities for consumption. Imagine being able to search for podcasts based on a location and, for example, find episodes about museums near you, or guides to a particular city you’re about to visit.
It would be incredibly powerful for listeners, and in fact this Location tag is generating great enthusiasm among industry insiders. We are actively working with our colleagues to jointly implement this open standard because we believe that innovation in podcasting comes from collaboration. I’d therefore say that podcasting isn’t just inertia, following traditional canons alone: it’s a living, rapidly evolving medium, driven by the community’s enthusiasm and the constant introduction of new ideas.
Is Podcasting Still an Easy Medium?
Alberto Pian: Is recording and publishing a podcast still an “easy” medium, even for an everyday user, compared to other media (video, graphics, comics, etc.)?
Alberto Betella: Absolutely. The beauty of podcasting is that it remains a relatively easy medium to create for anyone with something to say. You don’t need professional studios or expensive equipment all you need is a computer or even just a smartphone with a decent microphone and an online hosting platform.
Compared to video, audio podcasting requires less technical and logistical expertise. You don’t have to worry about lighting, set design, or complex visual editing. This significantly lowers the barrier to entry.
In fact, today there are approximately 5 million podcasts worldwide, a sign that a huge number of people (not just industry professionals) have succeeded in producing and publishing their own audio content.
Podcast hosting platforms like RSS.com have made everything more immediate. Creating a new podcast can literally take minutes. We offer simple interfaces where you can upload the audio, add a title and description, and the rest (from generating the RSS feed to distributing it to listening apps) happens automatically.
In short, podcasting is still accessible to an everyday user, certainly easier to create independently than a quality video or other creative formats. This simplicity is one of the reasons podcasting has seen such widespread adoption. If you have a story or a message, with little equipment and some determination, you can share it with the world in audio.
Do Listeners Value Homemade Podcasts?
Alberto Pian: Does the public also appreciate “homemade” podcasts with good content, or are the only popular podcasts from the big players in the sector?
Alberto Betella: Audiences absolutely appreciate “homemade” podcasts with interesting content. In fact, the vast majority of successful podcasts are born from the bottom up, in independent or self-produced contexts.
Consider the very essence of podcasting. It was born as a democratic and decentralized medium, where anyone could record in their living room and find a global audience. Many of the most beloved podcasts have humble, independent beginnings.
The vast majority of programs available do not come from major media networks. For example, today tens of thousands of people use RSS.com to share their stories, reaching millions of listeners worldwide. This shows that the landscape is populated by independent creators, and listeners are passionate about them when the content is good.
Of course, large publishers and professional platforms contribute resources and often produce high-quality technical series featuring VIPs and strong marketing campaigns. But listeners are primarily looking for authenticity, expertise, and compelling stories.
A “homegrown” podcast with a skilled narrator, or one that addresses a deeply felt niche, can attract a loyal following even without a large budget. Audio is an intimate medium that creates a direct connection with listeners regardless of production methods.
In short, audiences value quality content over glossy production. An independent podcaster who speaks with passion and knowledge can compete for audience attention on par with the big names in the industry.
Key Features and Strengths of RSS.com
Alberto Pian: What are the “easy” features and strengths of RSS.com?
Alberto Betella: RSS.com was born from a long experience with Podcast Generator, the open source web application that I developed in 2006 and maintained for more than a decade.
I created Podcast Generator at the University of Bergamo to support the launch of the university’s podcasting initiative. Since it was developed in an academic context, its interface was designed to be extremely simple. The goal was for any teacher to publish their own podcasts effortlessly, with all technical complexity handled in the background.
This principle has carried directly into RSS.com. From the beginning, our mission has been to make podcasting easy for anyone.
Some of the main features include:
- Quick and intuitive onboarding. It takes just minutes to create and publish a podcast on RSS.com. The interface is simple and available in multiple languages, including Italian. Within five minutes your feed can be live and ready to reach listeners worldwide.
- Automatic distribution. Once an episode is uploaded, RSS.com distributes it with one click to all major platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music. This removes a major technical hurdle for new podcasters.
- Automatic transcriptions. Automatic AI transcription of episode in 14 languages, improving accessibility for people with hearing impairments and helping with search engine visibility.
- Audio-to-video (PodViz). Built-in tools allow audio to be converted into video with graphics, ready for publishing on YouTube. This helps podcasters expand their audience where many people discover shows.
- Affordable monetization. Dynamic ad monetization is available with a minimum payout threshold of just one dollar. Even small podcasters can earn without waiting to reach tens of thousands of downloads.
- Professional statistics and support. Podcasters have access to IAB-certified analytics, showing downloads, listeners per episode, geographic data, and more. Our support team offers guides, tutorials, and personalized help.
Our main strength is providing a simple yet complete experience, from creation and hosting to distribution, promotion, and monetization. We also adopt Podcasting 2.0 features like transcripts, chapters, and location tags as they become available. The goal is always to let podcasters focus on content while we handle the technical complexity.
Audio vs. Video in Podcasting
Alberto Pian: Are there trends toward video podcasts or is the audio version still holding its own?
Alberto Betella: The audio vs. video debate is very interesting. There has been a strong push toward video podcasts in the past couple of years, mainly driven by platforms like YouTube and Spotify. Some creators are experimenting with video formats, particularly talk shows, interviews, or formats where showing faces adds value.
That said, pure audio retains enormous and irreplaceable value. I agree with James Cridland (one of the most authoritative voices in the podcasting industry), who reminds us that “a podcast does one thing, and it does it really well: it is something for your ears when your eyes are busy.”
Audio works where video cannot, such as while driving, exercising, cooking, or walking. It stimulates the imagination and provides intimacy that video cannot replicate. Many creators are realizing that video only makes sense for certain formats, while others thrive as audio-only.
Some predict that by 2025, large publishers who invested heavily in video may backtrack, realizing audiences prefer audio experiences. Successful video podcasts often originate from YouTube creators, while native audio shows continue to do well.
I see video as a complement, not a replacement. Audio remains unbeatable for convenience and intimacy. It also fosters parasocial relationships, the unique one-way bonds between hosts and listeners, which make podcasting so powerful. I addressed this very topic in my talk at Podcast Movement 2025 in Dallas, and I’ll soon publish an article exploring why audio remains, and always will remain, central.
The Future of Podcasting
Alberto Pian: What do you foresee for the future? How will the market develop in audio versus video?
Alberto Betella: In the near future, I expect the market to find a balance between audio and video, integrating the advantages of both formats. Some podcasts will continue to add video, especially where it makes sense. I am thinking of interview podcasts with in-person guests, recorded live events, or content where seeing expressions and images truly adds value to the experience.
At the same time, audio will remain central to most podcast production. We will likely see more creators offering both audio and video versions of their shows, leaving the user the choice of how to consume them. The platforms themselves are adapting. For example, YouTube allows podcasters to upload podcasts via RSS (automatic ingestion) as well as video, which is a sign of its desire to embrace both worlds.
On the open ecosystem side, there is a movement to better support audio-video convergence without locking content away in “walled gardens.” Within the Podcast Standards Project, we are working on an open system for efficiently delivering video via RSS, using HLS adaptive streaming. Specifically, we are proposing the use of a new RSS tag (podcast:alternateEnclosure) that allows a video version of the episode to be attached to the feed.
This would give podcasts a dual audio and video format in a single feed while maintaining compatibility with all existing apps. The idea is to give listeners a choice. If they are using an app that supports video and want to watch, they can. Otherwise, they are left with audio uninterrupted. Thanks to HLS, video playback will be adaptive and without heavy downloads, integrated into the audio experience.
Ultimately, I foresee a market where audio will remain the heart of podcasting and video will be used in more specific contexts, adding value where appropriate. Video experiments will continue, but I believe we will move toward balance. Podcasts will remain primarily an audio experience, optionally enriched with video when it makes sense. Those who can intelligently combine the two formats will expand their audience while always focusing on content quality and the listening experience, which remains more flexible and personal with audio.
For our part, as an industry, we will work to make this integration as seamless and open as possible, rather than allowing audio and video to become two separate worlds.
RSS.com’s Approach to Audio and Video Integration
Alberto Betella: Our platform already offers solutions for integrating audio and video, and we have more on the way. For example, we currently offer PodViz, a tool that automatically converts audio into video with graphics, ready for uploading to YouTube. It is a simple way to give video presence to podcasts originally created as audio.
But we are going further. As active members of the Podcast Standards Project, we are implementing support for the new alternate enclosure tag in RSS feeds, which we plan to launch later this year. This will allow podcasters to add a video track to their episodes without creating separate feeds or duplicating work.
The new feature is based on streaming video (HLS technology) integrated directly into the RSS feed. For now, it is only a prototype and supported by a single app. If more apps adopt the alternate enclosure, listeners will be able to choose whether to watch the video or continue listening to the standard audio, completely transparently.
This is a major development we are working on with other partners. At the same time, we are continuing to improve all aspects of audio, such as live podcasting tools and integrations with external platforms like YouTube, third-party apps, and smart speakers. Our goal is to give podcasters maximum flexibility. Whether they want to stick with audio only or experiment with video, RSS.com will provide the tools to do so easily while maintaining control over their feed.
AI and Podcasting
Alberto Pian: Today, AI-powered voices and podcast creation (for example, Google’s NotebookLM) have improved dramatically and are truly intriguing. If you record a conference and then ask AI to create a summary talk show, it is certainly better to listen to that show than to listen to the entire conference again. What do you think about the relationship between podcasts and AI?
Alberto Betella: The relationship between podcasts and Artificial Intelligence is increasingly close and full of opportunities. AI technologies applied to audio have progressed rapidly. Today we can transcribe and analyze hours of speech in just a few minutes, synthesize very realistic voices, and even generate credible original content.
The example you give, recording a conference and then asking an AI to put together a summary episode, is emblematic of the potential at play. Why force a listener to endure two hours of raw audio when an intelligent model can extract the main points and present them in 20 well-curated minutes? Experiments like this already exist. Recently, Google NotebookLM was used to analyze many discussions on “Podcasting 2.0” and generate a single podcast episode summarizing the key points. The result was more usable and focused content, generated by AI from existing material, much more convenient than re-listening to all the original episodes in full.
From our perspective, AI is a powerful ally for both podcasters and listeners. It can improve production by cleaning up audio, automatically removing pauses or background noise, creating instant transcripts and chapters, and reformatting long content into shorter, more accessible versions. This means that a podcaster could one day offer different versions of their show: a complete one and a short “AI edition” summary for those with less time.
Another exciting use case is content discovery. With AI, it becomes possible to search episodes by topic and find the exact segment of interest, something that was previously unthinkable.
In short, I find the podcast-AI relationship truly intriguing. AI does not replace human creativity and personality, because the host’s voice and touch remain essential, but it can remove repetitive work and enhance the usability of content. At RSS.com, we embrace these technologies because we believe they can enrich the medium even more and offer a better experience for both creators and listeners.
The Future of AI in Podcasting
Alberto Pian: What will happen in the future with podcasts and AI?
Alberto Betella: Looking ahead, I believe AI will become increasingly integrated into the podcast lifecycle. We can imagine a future where most daily news programs or roundups will be largely generated automatically. AI will select the most relevant news of the day and read them in a synthetic voice that is almost indistinguishable from a human.
Some experiments like this already exist, and I think this model will become widespread for more formulaic content such as weather reports, financial news, or automated sports updates. There will also be a proliferation of virtual podcasts created entirely by algorithms, perhaps tailored to each user’s tastes. For example, imagine a morning feed built by AI based on your preferences and listening habits.
A very interesting frontier will be machine translation and AI dubbing. This will make it possible to listen to any podcast in any language, with a cloned voice of the host speaking in Italian, English, or another language while maintaining the same acoustic profile. Some companies are already working on this, and it could revolutionize the international distribution of content.
I also imagine adaptive storytelling tools evolving further, where the listener could interact with the episode via AI, similar to a “choose your own adventure” experience, but in dynamic audio form.
On the analytics side, AI will allow us to better understand audience preferences and even emotional reactions. Emotion AI is already being studied to evaluate engagement triggered by certain tones of voice or keywords, and this could help podcasters and advertisers better target their content and ads. I imagine platforms that automatically analyze where listener attention increases or decreases during an episode, thus suggesting how podcasters can improve pacing and format.
Of course, with all these possibilities come challenges. We will need to ensure that the use of AI is transparent and ethical. For example, if a podcast is entirely machine-generated, listeners should be clearly informed so trust in the medium is not undermined. Similarly, if a cloned voice of a real host is used to create content, whether ads or language versions, their consent must be obtained and strict guidelines followed.
The industry is already vigilant about this. The same rules that apply to advertisements and traditional content should also apply to AI-generated content. Transparency will be crucial, and maintaining audience trust will remain the priority.
Personally, I am optimistic. I believe AI will offer enormous advantages to podcasting, but we need to implement it sensibly, always putting the listener’s human experience at the center.
RSS.com’s AI Initiatives
Alberto Pian: Do you have any plans to integrate AI into RSS.com?
Alberto Betella: Yes, RSS.com is investing in AI integration to improve the podcast experience across the board. We have already implemented several AI-based features. For starters, as I mentioned, we offer automatic transcriptions for all uploaded episodes. This feature increases accessibility and also helps discoverability via search engines.
We are also working on summary and synopsis tools. In the future, we want to offer podcasters the ability to automatically obtain a short version of their episodes from algorithms, as well as translations into other languages via AI dubbing. Imagine uploading an Italian episode and having the AI generate an English version with your voice cloned in just a few clicks. This is something we are researching and could soon make a reality on our platform.
A project I am particularly proud of is GOST.AI. This is a technology patented by RSS.com in the advertising field, which uses voice cloning and Emotion AI to create audio advertisements with the host’s authentic voice but generated by artificial intelligence. In practice, we replicate the expressive style of the podcaster’s voice (the host in English, which we call gost without the h, as a play on words) to read tailor-made spots and create numerous variations of an advertisement without having to record them manually.
Technically, we go beyond simple voice cloning by adding the emotional component. The AI does not limit itself to copying the words, but also reproduces the inflections, rhythm, and intonation, that is everything that makes up the “emotional signature” of that voice. By doing so, the generated advertisements activate the same type of parasocial relationship and trust that the listener has with their favorite host, but in an automated way.
Naturally, this will be done with the creator’s full consent and by following strict ethical guidelines. For example, the listener will always be informed that it is an advertisement, even if the voice is the same as the actual host. This solution allows for audio ad personalization to scale like never before. It is a concrete example of how AI can positively transform podcast advertising, and it is something you will see integrated into our platform as it matures.
Overall, the idea is always to use AI to make podcasters’ lives easier by reducing tedious manual tasks and to offer listeners richer, more personalized experiences without distorting the authenticity that makes this medium special. We are excited to explore these frontiers and are convinced that, used responsibly, AI can further elevate podcasting.
