Podcasting In A Sea of Podcasting

When you're clacking away at a keyboard at 2:32 am on a Thursday trying to figure out how to connect a writing account to Stripe, instead of working on the podcast you're banking your future happiness on, it's safe to say that your priorities are stupidly out of whack.

Why would anyone bank anything on a podcast nowadays, well other than a corporation trying to cash in on nostalgia of one sort or another. Has anyone caught that Amy Poehler podcast thing that making her way through the cast of Parks & Rec cast? Better still, how about that podcast that has Data and Riker rehashing quaint tales from Star Trek: Next Gen, and convention anecdotes based on fan encounters--Star Trek: Next Gen fans.

One could call all the podcast nostalgia tripping a cash grab by a bunch of people who are in desperate need of good audition, but that would be mean. Why would anyone want to be mean to Amy Poehler, Data, and Riker? It's not their fault that the writing site is probably going to turn a profit quicker than a fledgling comedy podcast about books.

It's not their fault that the sea of podcasting is awash in death, littered with the figurative smoldering bodies of misguided content creation. As of early 2026, the vast majority of the approximately 3.7 to 4.7 million total podcast feeds in existence are considered "dead," "inactive," or "dormant". Imagine treading water in the middle of an ocean, while surrounded by bodies. It's a dark image, sure, but the metaphor holds, right? Well, just so we're clear, the bodies are all those "dead" podcasts. There's no need to be concerned. They're not real. Don't panic.

Now, imagine if there were a few speed boats in the distance with a few nostalgia wrangling celebrities ripping across those choppy waters, floating bodies tossed to and fro by the corporate sponsored hulls cutting through the waves. Would you figure you're never going to compete with that boat, that notoriety and/or celebrity, or their built in fan base? Is it better to just give up and just swim down?

There is a lot be said about giving up in the face of insurmountable odds. How else do you think dump cakes were invented? Still, when it comes to creating digital content currently being dominated by celebrities looking for a quick buck, it wouldn't be shameful to throw in your towel. However, you could make it sweaty first.

Instead of sitting down and taking a walloping by sci-fi hasbeens; instead of swimming down, why not build a submarine? Do something different. Go against the current. Damn the frustration and forge on. Go your own way, and other such inspirational platitudes that ultimately lead nowhere. Damn the torpedoes? That's one isn't it?

The message overall is: Don't give up. Yeah, easy to say, right? It is true though; it's a really good time to not quit podcasting. While the total number of podcasts is very high, the active, consistent market is much smaller, with around 300,000 to 400,000 shows competing for the majority of listeners. That's less competition if you're willing to do the work. Consistency is key, so they say, and with roughly 90% of all podcasts that have ever launched inactive, with many stopping after just a few episodes, it's easy to believe that. Hell, approximately 75% of podcasts never make it past 10 episodes, and 90% stop before episode 20.

So, given all this information, where does that leave someone procrastinating on their comedy podcast about books, to instead write an article about podcasting in a sea of podcasting? That sounds like a question for a therapist. Is there a psychiatrist in the house? Maybe they have a podcast.