2) Despite recent shake-ups in podcasting, industry expert Nicholas Quah sees a bright future ahead. In an extended Twitter post, Quah wrote, “people are still listening, broadcast radio is still capped, on-demand audio companies still have tons of wilderness left to discover, and talented people are still making good s--t.” These sentiments were echoed by others in the industry including Jenna Weiss-Berman, co-founder of Pineapple Street Media who said “What's happening in podcasting is simple: places that take audio content seriously, resource it well, and have a good strategy in place are thriving; places that don't are folding.” -- HOTPOD 

3) Podcasts are "going Hollywood." Conal Byrne, president of HowStuffWorks reports that 25% of his shows have been optioned for TV or movies and “you hear this mantra going around in Hollywood right now that podcasts are the new scripts.” In an effort to take advantage of increasing interest from production studios like Netflix, Apple and Amazon, podcast powerhouses are creating new divisions to develop content that will work in new mediums and bringing veteran movie and TV executives onboard. -- DIGIDAY

4) Does this mean we’ve made it? Podcasts got their very own category on Jeopardy last week. Questions were based around Time Magazine’s list of the “50 Best Podcasts of 2018” and included references to "The Daily," "30for30," "Dissect" and "Stay Tuned with Preet." Mike Pesca, host of Slate’s “The Gist” podcast called it the “most validating moment ever for podcasts” and replayed the entire segment on his 9/20 episode (the story starts at minute 23). -- SLATE

1) With podcast listenership indisputably on the rise, John Gapper of the Financial Times argues that the industry’s phenomenal growth threatens the “calm voice” that makes podcasts so appealing in the first place. “You already need a strong hook, or personal fame as an author or speaker, to cut through the babble.” writes Gapper. In addition, he warns that  recent consolidations and shifts within the industry hint at a future where “the usual intermediaries move in with contracts for a few, while the long tail grows ever longer and more frustrating for the others…..many companies are eager to shape the future of the new medium, but they should not sacrifice its tone of voice.” -- FINANCIAL TIMES

2) Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel of the The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is launching a podcast about women called “Broadband Conversations.” The show aims to amplify the voices of trailblazing women in technology, media and innovation. On her initial episode the commissioner discussed smart cities and how to encourage girls to code with Senator Catherine Cortez Masto; future guests include Kimberly Bryant, founder of Black Girls Code and Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey. -- Radio + Television Business Report

3) Delivering on a promise it made last June, Apple has released a software update for the Apple watch that installs the company’s podcast app on watches that are Series 1 or later (the original Apple watch remains podcast app-free). Apple also released a “Marketing Best Practices” online guidebook this month, designed to help podcasters learn how to increase audience share and develop more compelling content. The guidebook covers a range of marketing fundamentals including how to develop trailers for your show, leverage social media and use Apple marketing resources to your advantage. -- 9to5Mac

5) "The Dream," a podcast that looks at the business of "mid-level marketing" companies such as Amway, released its first two episodes today. "I don’t want to say that everyone involved is a scammer or a con man or whatever, but I would say that the business model is unsustainable in the regular marketplace," says host Jane Marie. "Legitimate companies don’t work this way for a reason.” Sounds juicy.  -- VANITY FAIR

6) Kids can now listen to a selection of vetted podcasts as part of Amazon's FreeTime service for Alexa. Podcasts available at launch include “Ear Snacks” from Andrew and Polly, and “Brain’s On” from American Public Radio. 

7) The team from “How I Built This” was awarded a “Gold Stamp of Approval” for developing a diverse roster of speakers at its upcoming How I Built This Summit. The event’s line-up of speakers is comprised of 42% men and 58% women, 50% of whom are women of color.

8) If you live in Australia, help out by completing this survey from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The survey's findings will help "shape the future of podcasting" and illuminate how much demand Australians have for podcast content. The results will be revealed at Ozpod 2018.

4) California police and the U.S. Marshals Service are hoping that the release of a podcast called “Countdown to Capture” will help them find a man accused of killing his wife. Peter Chadwick was arrested for the murder of Quee Choo Lim Chadwick in 2012 but escaped while free on a $2 million bond; a three-year search has ensued. “We want to spread his picture and the story of his crimes far and wide,” said Newport Beach police chief, Jon Lewis. “We want everyone to be looking for Peter Chadwick.” The first of six episodes of “Countdown to Capture” was released this week. -- NBC

5) Stearns County authorities have released over fifty-thousand pages of investigative documents related to the kidnapping of Jacob Wetterling, the subject of the "In the Dark" podcast.  During a press conference, Stearns County Sheriff Don Gudmundson described the investigation, which continued for nearly three decades, as a bungled affair that went “off the rails” due in large part to inexperienced FBI profilers and fundamental incompetence among law enforcement. Madeleine Baran, host of “In the Dark,” says her team is already working on an update to Season One in light of these recent developments. -- Minnesota Public Radio News

1. After a week of major shake-ups in the podcasting industry, Buzzfeed News joined the fray by announcing it will shut down its podcast production division in favor of developing video properties.  In a memo to staffers, Buzzfeed News VP, Shani Hilton, wrote, “We've decided to move to a production model that is more like our TV projects -- that is, treating shows as individual projects, with teams brought on as needed.”  This tops off a frenzied week during which Panoply announced the termination of its podcast content business; iHeartMedia announced its acquisition of Stuff Media; and venerated podcast executive Jacob Weisberg left Slate to start a new venture with Malcolm Gladwell. These changes have left experts wondering what it means for the industry’s future.  -- NIEMAN LAB

2. Ari Emanuel’s entertainment and media company, Endeavor, is entering the podcasting business. According to the New York Times, Endeavor Audio will be an entirely new division focused on developing, financing and producing podcasts and “could generate major spinoff revenue in the form of television.”  The new venture is enlisting the help of television industry veteran, Dick Wolf, creator of  “Law and Order” and  “Cold Justice” and founder of Magical Elves, the production house behind hits like “Top Chef” and “Project Runway.”  Moses Soyoola, who joined the company from Panoply and is now Endeavor Audio’s GM, said, “We see an opportunity to take podcasts mainstream and open up a lot more revenue.” -- NY TIMES

3. The UK’s Guardian is the latest publication to announce plans to launch a “flagship daily news podcast.”  Anushka Asthana, political editor for the Guardian, will lead the charge on the newspaper’s daily audio effort. This news echoes the recent announcement from the Washington Post which revealed plans to bring award-winning industry veteran Madhulika Sikka onboard to executive produce a “new daily podcast….a critical newsroom-wide initiative that will bring our journalism to new audiences.”  Readers should be aware that this is the Guardian’s second attempt to reach the podcast market; the “Guardian Daily” podcast ran from March of 2006 through July of 2010.  The new venture aims to be up and running by the end of the year. -- RAIN

4. Last May, Gimlet Creative, as part of a marketing partnership with Squarespace, announced Casting Call, a reality-style podcast competition for aspiring podcasters.  According to the Financial Times, unlike typical reality competitions, Casting Call doesn’t pit “contestants against one another.  Instead it pulls back the curtain on what goes into making a podcast and reveals the joy of seeing an idea come to life.”  Casting Call staff reviewed audio auditions from over 5000 aspiring podcasters and eventually narrowed the field to three contestants who, with the help of Gimlet producers, each created a unique pilot.  As of this month, you can now listen to all six episodes of the series and vote on your favorite here.  The winner will be announced during the show's final episode on October 3rd.  -- FINANCIAL TIMES