podcaster

Spotify video podcasts are coming to Netflix, further diversifying the types of content on the Los Gatos, Calif.-based streaming service beyond movies, TV shows and games.

The move reflects how many people are consuming their podcasts not just by listening, but by watching the podcasters conduct their discussions on video.

Roughly 70% of podcast listeners prefer their shows with video, according to a Cumulus Media study. Netflix and Spotify said the partnership will bring podcasts to Netflix that complement the streamer’s “existing programming and unlocks new audiences and wider distribution for the shows.”

There will be 16 Spotify video podcasts initially on Netflix in the U.S. in early 2026, with plans to include other markets, the companies said. Those video podcasts include sports programs like “The Bill Simmons Podcast” and “The Ringer Fantasy Football Show,” culture/lifestyle podcasts like “The Dave Chang Show” and “The Recipe Club” as well as true-crime programs like “Serial Killers.”

“At Netflix, we’re always looking for new ways to entertain our members, wherever and however they want to watch,” said Lauren Smith, the streamer’s vice president of content licensing and programming strategy.

Roman Wasenmüller, vice president and head of podcasts at Spotify, said this partnership helps creators reach new audiences and unlocks “a completely new distribution opportunity.”

Spotify began offering video podcasts on its platform about five years ago, offering an option to its podcasters who had previously been posting videos of their audio programs on YouTube.

Last year, the Swedish audio company unveiled new features that make it easier for creators to earn money from their video content and track their performance on the streaming service.

Netflix has also been diversifying the types of content it offers on its streaming service. Last week, Netflix unveiled a slate of games, such as versions of Boggle and Pictionary, that can be played on TV and are included with its streaming subscription.

As legacy news brands turn to podcasters to court online audiences, another digital media upstart has been invited to sit at the grown-ups table.

Fox News Media this week signed a licensing deal with the makers of “Ruthless,” a popular conservative podcast, a move aimed at expanding the network’s digital reach.

The five-year-old podcast is co-hosted by public affairs and digital advocacy consulting firm Cavalry LLC’s founding partners Josh Holmes, Michael Duncan and John Ashbrook, as well as Shashank Tripathi, a commentator known by the pseudonym “Comfortably Smug.” It will operate under the Fox News Digital division led by Porter Berry. The co-hosts will also get exposure on the Fox News Channel.

The move is another sign of traditional media outlets looking for ways to appeal to audiences who are no longer in the pay-TV universe. Faced with a slow but steady decline in audience levels due to competition from streaming, upstart digital operations are seen as a route to reach those consumers.

Podcasts — particularly those hosted by comedians such as Joe Rogan and Andrew Schulz — proved influential in the 2024 presidential election as more traditional news outlets felt their relevance waning.

“Ruthless” has gained a large following among men aged 18 to 45, a group that is spending less time with traditional TV, where Fox News is the most-watched cable channel and often tops broadcast networks in prime time. The podcast is regarded as the conservative answer to “Pod Save America,” the popular digital program led by four former Obama aides, which is produced by Los Angeles-based Crooked Media.

Recent “Ruthless” episodes covered anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles and Elon Musk’s proposal for a new political party.

Fox News Media has a stable of podcasts hosted by the network’s on-air talent such as Will Cain. But “Ruthless” is the first outside entity to join its digital platforms, and similar deals could follow.

Fox News has a multiyear deal with “Ruthless,” which will share in the revenue the podcast generates across the network’s various platforms. The “Ruthless” partners will retain editorial control over the podcast, although their right-leaning worldview is in keeping with other commentators on Fox News. They will also serve as Fox News contributors appearing on the TV network’s programs.

Others media giants have gotten into the more freewheeling online sphere by working with podcasters and YouTubers.

ESPN reached into the digital media space when it picked up sports commentator Pat McAfee’s program — a hit on YouTube — for its TV networks. McAfee retains control of the program, which is licensed by the Walt Disney Co. unit.

Earlier this year, Fox News parent Fox Corp. acquired Red Seat Ventures, which provides ad sales, marketing and production support for digital content creators, many of them aimed at politically conservative audiences.

There may be more such deals ahead.

The Fox News announcement follows reports that David Ellison, whose company Skydance Media has a merger agreement with Paramount Global, has engaged in talks about acquiring The Free Press, a popular digital news site launched by former New York Times opinion writer Bari Weiss.

The entity, which produces Weiss’ current affairs podcast “Honestly” and uses the independent newsletter publishing platform Substack, would operate separately from Paramount Global’s CBS News division, according to one person familiar with the discussions who was not authorized to comment publicly.