Podcast Industry News and Trends – February 2026

Looking at the podcast industry news over the past few months it shows that a trend of mainstream recognition is emerging. Streaming platforms are investing in the format and it gives a clearer picture of where podcasting is heading in 2026.

Podcasting is firmly established as a more mindful medium of consumption that can still attract large audiences worthy of note.

Here are some recent news stories that have shaped the industry conversation this month, as podcasts continue to cement their place in the wider media landscape:

Golden Globes Adds Podcast Category

The Golden Globe Awards introduced a dedicated podcast category for the first time, marking a significant moment for the medium. As podcasts gain formal recognition from Hollywood, alongside film and television at one of the entertainment industry’s most high-profile awards shows.

The first ever Best Podcast award was presented to Amy Poehler for her podcast “Good Hang”. The feel-good show features heartfelt conversations with well known actors. The warm tone for the podcast was set early on, with many of the early guest stars being Amy's previous comedy co-stars, whom she knows on a personal level.

The show offers a softer unscripted style of comedy, the kind that happens naturally when genuinely funny people get in a room together for an enjoyable conversation, without agenda. It's unsurprising that a comfort show has been formally recognised. It acts as a great example of the intimacy that can be created with podcasting, something that is much harder in other formats.

The addition of the podcast category to these long-standing Hollywood awards highlights how podcasting is now firmly recognised as mainstream culture, alongside film and TV. Listeners and creators see this as validation of the format, and acknowledgement of the engaged audience that good podcasts can create and retain.

Netflix Launches First Original Video Podcasts

Netflix announced its initial line-up of original video podcasts that are designed specifically for its platform, featuring well-known personalities. This signals a deeper push into podcast-style programming and further blurs the lines between streaming video and podcasting.

The Pete Davidson Show and The White House with Michael Irvin are two of the new Netflix original podcasts, with other podcasts being companion series for The Crown, Bridgerton and Love is Blind UK.

This suggests that Netflix is using podcasting to create more talk content around existing shows and creators with their own existing audience, in an attempt to encourage more consumption.

Skip Intro with Krista Smith is another Netflix original podcast that seems tied closely to the Netflix brand, being an interview style show focused on bringing audiences conversations with the stars and creators of your favourite Netflix series.

They're using their own data to create more of what people already like. Aiming to increase the surface area of what is already popular. They are using the medium of podcasting to be the key difference, to carry additional long form content, rather than elevating new creators or striking out with daring new shows.

Key Podcasting Themes for 2026

Industry leaders and analysts shared predictions for podcasting in 2026, highlighting continued growth in video podcasts, increased use of AI in production and discovery, and evolving monetisation strategies as the industry adapts to audience and platform changes.

These news stories point to a podcast industry that is increasingly intertwined with the broader entertainment eco-system. Recognition, distribution and technology are evolving quickly in podcasting and will dictate how podcasts will be created, distributed and valued in 2026.