For podcast professionals who spend time on LinkedIn, last week’s biggest story was the merger between Sounds Profitable and Podcast Movement. TL;DR: The industry’s largest conference acquired the industry’s most prominent trade association in a seven-figure deal, making Bryan Barletta, Sound Profitable’s founder, Podcast Movement’s new president. The consolidation didn’t stop there, however. It was also announced that James Cridland of Podnews, which Podcast Movement has an existing 50% stake in, will become the conference’s first editorial director.

There’s a lot about this merger that has people excited, and given whispers that Podcast Movement has felt a bit smaller and less relevant in recent years, a merger like this seems sensical for all those involved. Harnessing the power of Sound Profitable’s expertise and strategic intelligence, with Podnews’ legitimacy and reach, to bolster the conference’s large-scale operations efforts will make it essentially impossible to ignore. 

But consolidation always comes at some cost. And this merger is plainly that: a centralization of power, influence, and perspective. 

Podcast Movement’s track record regarding diversity and inclusion has historically fallen short, often hiding behind a veneer of progress but failing to deliver any actual advancement. This was perhaps most evident in 2022, when a noncredentialed visit by The Daily Wire’s cofounder and right-wing propagandist Ben Shapiro occurred. (For a comprehensive rundown of that incident, read former Good Tape contributor Wil Williams’ account.) Apologies to the community were made, but then confoundingly rescinded in favor of apologizing to Ben Shapiro and releasing a statement on inclusivity. Understandably, I was skeptical that Podcast Movement would uphold these tenets in practice. 

As this discourse raged on, I continued to feel underwhelmed by institutions constantly pledging support to the podcast industry, only to see that support extend to a homogenized, redundant, and powerful few within our industry. In fact, those on the margins—not an insignificant audience for the future viability of Podcast Movement—are still waiting for that material support. It’s hard to imagine where it will come from, as this merger fails to demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion, and these companies are consolidated around another group of white men in their quest to advance the future of this industry.

As one LinkedIn commenter described it in a response to Twila Dang’s critical view of this merger, “It’s [the] old guard building a moat around ONE castle.”

As a critical voice against Podcast Movement over the years and a reluctant attendee when deemed necessary by former employers, I agree. For many BIPOC and LGBTQ+ creators familiar with the song-and-dance of progressive gestures, it’s less about what these leaders say and more about the actions they take, which have a real impact on our communities and livelihoods. 

While public, independent, and marginalized voices are fighting for their work to reach new audiences, we’re experiencing a techno-cultural shift that is doubling down on the normalization of fascist media, which has found renewed fervor under a second Trump administration. So, what “sounds profitable” right now? These guys, which conveniently coincides with the rise of prominent right-wing media partners like Red Seat Ventures and The Daily Wire joining Sounds Profitable in the last 12 months.

It’s also worth noting that this merger comes on the heels of another strategic realignment. Chris Peterson, the founder of DWNLOAD Media and former EVP of iHeart Podcast Network, was tapped as VP of business development for Red Seat Ventures. Peterson had previously worked with Red Seat as a consultant, but this feels fundamentally different. Someone whose industry achievements include things like acquiring HowStuffWorks is now going to be engaged full-time in building the brands of Megyn Kelly, Bari Weiss, and Tucker Carlson. 

In many ways, The Podcast Industry as we’ve known it is undergoing a process of re-organization, which is forcing marginalized creators to share a collegial space with those who call for their destruction. It’s a perverse value proposition for already underrepresented creators: You must accept those who monetize your exclusion. One moat, one castle. 

I want no part in normalizing and embracing fascist media organizations in our shared, professional spaces. Fortunately, I do think it’s possible to build other castles in the sky. In fact, the Ben Shapiro moment at Podcast Movement three years ago was the catalyst for creating Good Tape. I also think it’s incumbent on us to hold institutions like Podcast Movement and Sounds Profitable accountable as they endeavor to “set the course for the future of podcasting” on our behalf. That moat is getting wider, and we might need to make sure we can swim.