The GuardianThe Guardian

‘It’s the way the industry is going’: How YouTube is transforming podcasting

By Laurie Clarke

03 Sep 2022 · 5 min read

Editor's Note

The Guardian looks at how YouTube is getting in on the podcasting game with video and why video-focussed algorithms on social media are disrupting an audio-only medium.

“SECRET group of geniuses KILL for fun.” In a recent video podcast on his true crime YouTube channel MrBallen, John Allen tells the story of a mysterious poisoning involving Mensa that took place in rural Florida. The video of Allen, wearing his signature blue plaid shirt and backwards cap, speaking insistently into the camera, has garnered close to 4m views.

MrBallen is an example of the blurring of the lines between podcasts and Youtube. His YouTube channel launched in 2020 and counts more than 6 million subscribers. The podcast – available on the likes of Spotify and Apple – followed in February, and is already attracting up to 7m monthly downloads.

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