Fwd: Apple Podcasts launches new video experience

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Video podcasts are taking off, especially on platforms like Apple Podcasts. With Riverside, record in 4K, edit with AI, and host your show — all in one place. Upgrade your podcast to video and create your best content yet. Start for free.

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Apple launched iOS 26.4, and with it, access to the new video experience within Apple Podcasts. Apple also confirmed additional podcast hosting companies will support HLS video: Podspace, Riverside, Ausha, and Firstory have been added to the list (see our story for the full set). Your iPhone will offer an update within the next few weeks; but you can update it today by following Apple's instructions. One of the podcast hosting companies supporting it, Transistor, has posted a guide; in a video, Stephen Robles shows the iOS experience. The absence of support from Spotify/Megaphone at launch may mean that many users won't see the shows they're expecting in video within the app (including shows like Joe Rogan and The Ringer titles); Apple says more content will roll out throughout the year. John Spurlock reports just 48 shows available in video at launch; the majority with Acast. The availability of video podcasts isn't promoted within the iOS update overview, though it is promoted when a user opens the Apple Podcasts app for the first time after upgrading. The Apple Podcasts web app (which also works on Android) has been updated to offer full video support; but the Apple Podcasts macOS app doesn't support HLS video. In the most glaring omission, the Apple TV doesn't support HLS video podcasting either. In a piece written in December 2024, Eric Johnson reminds us that video comes with trade-offs. About a quarter of Americans claim that they have never consumed a podcast. Sounds Profitable's Tom Webster today shares The Last Quarter, examining the people who haven't, yet, tried a podcast - and whether we can still reach them. Nearly 6 in 10 of them are using ad-supported premium video streaming, we learn; and 57% of them are using YouTube. Classifieds - your job or ad here 🎧 ➡️ 💰Podcast Content To Clients Workshop — If you want to use your podcast to attract new clients and grow your online business this Podcasting Business School workshop is for you! Join us for this 4-day virtual workshop April 21st-24th. Audiencelift: Grow on Major Podcast Platforms Now — 📈Ready to grow? Audiencelift helps podcasters reach real audiences and increase downloads across Major Podcast Platforms. Launch your first campaign with Audiencelift Today! iOS podcast app Castamatic has unveiled transcripts and chapters for all podcasts. It uses Apple's on-device AI to create them, if not already present. Brand suitability company Barometer and podcast adtech company AdsWizz have announced an integration to help advertisers understand the context of podcasts on an episode-by-episode basis. Magellan AI has launched broadcast radio attribution for advertisers. Recent data from Edison Research at SSRS suggests that radio is listened-to more than 3x as long as podcasts in the US. iHeartMedia has renewed its agreement with Las Culturistas, hosted by Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers. People News DAX US has named John Sardelis as SVP of Podcasts. He joins from Barometer, BBC Studios and Warner Bros Discovery. "John will now oversee DAX's podcast sales efforts and support the company's continued growth in the digital audio marketplace." John Brooks has joined Slumber Studios as Head of Content. He was previously Head of Content at Realm. Tips and tricks - with Riverside Video podcasts are taking off, especially on platforms like Apple Podcasts. With Riverside, record in 4K, edit with AI, and host your show — all in one place. Upgrade your podcast to video and create your best content yet. Start for free. Double-ender recording - where you record your side and your guest records their side - is a good technique for making a show (and as a back-up in case your online tool fails). Stephen Robles explains how it works. You've probably got lots of audio and video files from the podcast episodes you've made: but how should you store them? Podcast News - with Airwave Airwave offers the most ways to monetize your podcast. From bespoke and programmatic ad sales to paid subscriptions, live events, books, travel tours, and beyond, Airwave is where creators earn more. With Airwave: The Box of Oddities ▸ delves into the strange and mysterious aspects of our world, exploring topics ranging from bizarre medical conditions to unsolved mysteries, and from paranormal phenomena to strange cultural practices from around the world. In the Weekly Crime Brief Podcast ▸ this week, former law enforcement investigator Steve Cook brings the latest crime news from Australia, in under 10 minutes. Weekly Crime Brief also shines a light on an unsolved Aussie case each week to raise awareness. Weekly Crime Brief is perfect for those who love true crime but not the doom scrolling! Leap Forward ▸ tells stories about founders of companies you might know, and the people who believed in them before anyone else, like their early boss, first investor, college roommate, or even a parent. The show contains the story of how companies actually get built, and why it rarely looks the way you might expect. Today, check out interviews with Y Combinator founder Jessica Livingston and her husband, Paul Graham; plus, Mercury CEO Immad Akhund and his mother, Tahseen Akhund. Funny You Ask with Ike Barinholtz ▸ is a weekly comedy-trivia show with some of Ike's funniest friends with random, odd, and "wait… why do you know that?" obsessions with the world. Soup? Sure, why not. The Mets? Duh. Roman Empire? You got it, Caesar. It's part conversation, part pop quiz, and full of knowledge you didn't know you needed—until now. The score doesn't matter, the laughs are endless, and learning something has never been this fun. UNCLOSETED with Spencer Macnaughton ▸ is a new podcast that investigates the people, money and power behind America's anti-LGBTQ ecosystem. From highlighting the voices of people fighting back against systems of injustice to covering breaking news current to the moment, Uncloseted's reporting provides you with rigorous, objective LGBTQ reporting to better understand the world we live in. STAN ▸ explores obsessive celebrity worship, parasocial relationships and digital intimacy. Each episode centres on a cultural icon or phenomenon - ranging from The Hunger Games, 2010s YouTubers and (of course) Taylor Swift - to unpack how the media we consumed, particularly during our formative years, shaped our desires, ideals, and sense of self. New this week, The Polycrisis podcast ▸ tells the story of the new phase of the energy transition – where countries are taking control of their energy security. This first season - Electric World Order - explores how geopolitics is driving a quiet revolution in clean tech, and how the energy transition is in turn reshaping world power. Find more podcasts, and add your show Podcasts in the wild At Radiodays Europe in Rīga, Latvia - "podcast pingpong". The sport is described as a "fast-paced mix of speed-dating and ping pong with a podcasting slant", a five-minute game of pingpong while asking rapid-fire questions of your opponent. At least one competitive podcaster was seen making allegations about a substandard table surface. Podcast data  #1 in Apple Podcasts (US) 1 (→) The Daily charts  #1 in Spotify (US) 1 (→) The Joe Rogan Experience charts  Biggest Gain: #5 Non-Profit (Canada) 5 (↑195) Making a Ruckus charts  Highest New Entry: #1 Running (Canada) 1 (☆) Probably Fine charts  #1 Christianity (UK) 1 (→) The Bible in a Year (with Fr. 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City budget editorial

Editorial: O'Connor must pare back Pittsburgh government to fix Gainey's mess

 

 

THE EDITORIAL BOARD

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letters@post-gazette.com

 

MAR 15, 2026

 

4:00 AM

The City of Pittsburgh's financial situation is bleaker than was previously known, Mayor Corey O'Connor explained at a press conference on Thursday, during which he announced his intention to "reopen" the 2026 budget to ensure it reflects the city's true financial condition. While he was unwilling to concede that serious cuts to city spending are necessary, he will eventually be forced by financial reality to do so.

While the city is burdened by structural financial difficulties, Thursday's announcement was less about that and more about the discovery of new forms of financial mismanagement and malfeasance committed by the Gainey administration. O'Connor was careful not to mention his predecessor, and declined multiple invitations offered by reporters to accuse Ed Gainey of deceiving City Council and the public — and of leaving O'Connor "holding the bag."

But that is clearly what happened, and what was implied by pointedly calling the press conference a "transparent and honest update on the City's financial position."

How we got here, though, is less germane than what must be done now. O'Connor's press conference was highly detailed about the nature of the problem, but less so about the the solution. The truth is that everything but core city services must be considered for the chopping block.

Road to ruin

Here are the key numbers revealed on Thursday. The 2025 budget, as passed at the end of 2024, was supposed to have a $3 million surplus. It ended up, with final audits still pending, at a $8.6 million deficit. This was caused in large part, as the Post-Gazette Editorial Board argued strenuously last year, by knowingly underbudgeting for city worker overtime, especially in public safety.

But it turns out — and this was only hinted at by O'Connor — that the deficit should have beenmuch higher. That's because the Gainey administration put off some required expenditures, including paying major invoices, until the new year. That is, until O'Connor took office.

For instance, at the end of the presser, Office of Management and Budget Deputy Director Rea Price described nearly $2 million in legal and fleet maintenance invoices that had been left unpaid, keeping them off the 2025 books. It is also our understanding that the $9 million in "City healthcare contributions" in the O'Connor administration's list of "underfunded items" refers to unpaid bills for employee health services, which the city pays because it is self-insured.

Other tricks deployed to downplay the city's financial distress include using Parks Trust Fund monies to fund everyday operations as opposed to long-term upgrades, as we have previously criticized, as well as underfunding some city-worker retirement obligations.

Altogether, this means that the 2025 budget deficit had been kept artificially low. Many of those bills are now due, meaning that the 2026 budget is also out of whack, as is the entire five-year financial forecast.

The O'Connor administration estimates that the current budget understates city obligations by more than $40 million over the next five years. And this is the budget that was fixed by City Council, including a 20% tax hike. Without that infusion of revenue, at the first proposed trajectory the city's reserves would have been completely drained by 2030.

Limited options

This problem is easier to describe than to fix. We were encouraged that O'Connor identified growing the city's economy and population as a key part of the solution, but that is a long-term goal, not a short-term fix. O'Connor also stated that the city "is not currently considering new taxes, layoffs or cuts to critical city services." 

The mayor is right to rule out new taxes: The city got a 20% boost in December, and can't go back to the property tax well for at least several years. O'Connor's team should investigate other revenue generation options, but state law severely restricts cities' tax-levying powers.

Layoffs are more complicated. Termination of existing employees is governed in many cases by union contracts, one of whose main purposes is to make it difficult to ditch workers. These rules also make it difficult to make decisions based on merit rather than, for instance, seniority. This means layoffs are time-consuming, potentially expensive and risky, in that they can result in real losses to productivity and efficiency.

What O'Connor can do much more easily is eliminate budgeted positions that have remained unfilled, with minimal or no bad effects for city services. This is somewhat fake, in that the city isn't saving money, but it is streamlining its budget to better reflect reality.

As for "critical city services," the word "critical" is doing a lot of work. Clearly, while the financial situation is dangerous, actually gutting core services is neither necessary nor prudent. The question is: What counts, and what doesn't, as a "critical city service"?

Common core

This is where the hard decisions must be made. The truth is that during the optimistic years after emerging from Act 47 state oversight, followed by the influx of federal pandemic relief funds, the city took on several non-core responsibilities. A good example was spending $3 million in federal money on a "Food Justice Fund" while ambulances were breaking down.

These attempts to intervene in the broader social fabric of the city are well-intentioned, and may be valuable — but they are not "critical." As the O'Connor administration looks for areas to cut back, the low-hanging fruit should be the newly minted trust funds that drain city resources for unclear benefits.

The Housing Opportunity Fund and the Stop the Violence Fund each consume $10 million a year, though the latter is only getting $5 million this year, due to the budget crunch. The social goods these funds aim at are worthwhile, but affordable housing and violence prevention can also be achieved by other means.

We'd love to see the O'Connor administration look for creative ways to make a difference in these areas, such as private-sector and philanthropic partnerships, without draining $20 million from the city's coffers each year.

With better management in previous years, these funds might have been sustainable. But now the bills have to be paid.

First Published: March 15, 2026, 4:00 a.m.

--
Ta.
 
 
Mark Rauterkus       Mark.Rauterkus@gmail.com

Podcast:    =:| Heavy Or Not <;) - The OG Swim Guide

Mark@Rauterkus.com    <--- causing lots of missed messages, sadly.

Webmaster, International Swim Coaches Association, SwimISCA.org

and other sites: SKWIM.us, U CAN Swim

Coach at The Ellis School for Varsity & Middle School Swimming

412 298 3432 = cell

New course: Mental Skills for Young Athletes

Building a Winning Team Culture: Lessons from Elite International Coach, Harkai Hunor

Pillars of Team Success: Consistency, Trust, Adaptability, and Coach Leadership

Episode #94 of Heavy or Not, we hear from elite coach Harkai Hunor’s playbook for building a winning team culture. Learn the concrete steps you can apply to any sport or organization today.

What you’ll learn:

• The seven non‑negotiable pillars of on‑court discipline and consistency.

• Why off‑court community building is as crucial as X’s and O’s.

• Quick‑win tactics for gaining player trust and boosting performance.

• How to adapt coaching philosophy to players, leagues, and local culture.

• The coach’s ultimate role: embodying the culture and earning respect through character.

The difference between a good team and a great team has almost nothing to do with drills or tactics!

In a WAFSU.org seminar, international coach Harkai Hunor explains why the real work of coaching happens off the court—through consistency, culture, mentorship, and the small psychological moves that help athletes believe in themselves. Drawing on experience coaching in eight different countries, he shares practical lessons about building team culture, developing players, motivating teams, and avoiding the biggest mistakes young coaches make.

If you coach athletes, or plan to, this talk is packed with ideas you can apply immediately.

Watch the full seminar at either:

• https://wafsu.org/course/building-team-culture-lessons-from-a-coach-across-eight-countries/

or on Substack at:

Heavy Or Not - The OG Swim Guide

Building Team Culture: Lessons from a Coach Across Eight Countries

Read more

4 days ago · 2 likes · 1 comment · Mark Rauterkus

Download the PDF Transcript:

• https://wafsu.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/build-team-culture-transcript.mp3.pdf

Check out this episode!

Join the Lifeguard Movement: Protect Communities, Oceans, Lakes, Rivers and Swim Pools

Lifeguard Recruiting Campaign: Serve, Train, and Inspire While Safeguarding Water Activities Nationwide

Check out the lifeguard recruiting film and the behind‑the‑scenes work that keeps our waters safe, and a bonus fortune insight.

We also share a visual preview of the ISCA Senior Cup teams.

This episode, #93, is very visual.

Those with an audio only feed are missing out on the graphics of the short film and the logos of the teams.

• What it really takes to be a lifeguard – training, skills, and purpose

• How to apply through your local lifeguard agency (USLA & Ben Carlson Memorial and Scholarship Fund)

• Watch the full video on YouTube at https://YouTube.com/@ucanswim

• Fortune segment: “Don’t expend energy trying to be someone you’re not” and its link to Mental Skills for Young Athletes, https://swimisca.com

• Sneak peek of the ISCA Senior Cup 2026 team logos (to gather in St. Petersburg, FL)

Check out this episode!

Saudi and LIV investments

https://frontofficesports.com/newsletter/saudis-6-billion-liv-golf-investment/

Water: Drowning Prevention Strategies: Community Action, Grants, and Lifesaving Swim Programs

Education, Safety Barriers, and Collaborative Funding Initiatives

From Grants to Lifeguards: Building a Safer Water Environment for All Ages

Reducing Drowning Risks: Parents, Schools, and Policy Working Together for Water Safety

In episode #92, we break down the stark reality of drowning worldwide and explore practical steps to keep kids and communities safe around water. We also discuss emerging grant opportunities in Florida and how local leaders can turn them into sustainable swimming programs.

Listen in as Barry and Mark aim to make an impact around the water.

• Eye‑opening drowning statistics and the WHO’s top recommendations for prevention.

• Why barriers, constant supervision, and basic survival swimming are essential for children of all ages.

• How Florida’s new grant program aims to get every child in the state to learn to swim and what it means for local clubs.

• Strategies for building multi‑stakeholder coalitions—councils, First Nations, schools, and sponsors—to fund and manage community pools.

• Tips for linking high‑school pools to instructor training, revenue generation, and sponsor outreach to create lasting impact.

Join the club as we aim for harnessing Community Support to Fund Swim Lessons and Prevent Water‑Related Tragedies

• Water saves lives, but it can also silently kill – 23,000 drownings a year in the WHO European Region, 63 per day.

• Prevention starts with barriers and constant supervision for children; a moment’s lapse can be fatal.

• Teaching basic survival swimming to all ages builds confidence, not Olympic ambition, and saves lives.

• Lifeguard and bystander rescue training must prioritize personal safety; one rescue shouldn’t become two victims.

• Coordinated community plans—schools, councils, First Nations, sponsors—turn grants and facilities into lasting drowning‑prevention programs.

Check out this episode!

Urgency, Authority, Call to Action w Marshall & Hall of Fame

Last Splash and Exit of Women Swim and Dive Team at Marshall University, episode #91

Open, Closing, Exit and Calls to Action for WPIAL Swimmers, Broadcasters and the ISCA Hall of Fame Tribute

They CUT Women’s Swimming and Diving at Marshall University just as the team was departing for its conference meet. Ugh squared.

Nobody is explaining the Title IX confusion.

In this episode, I break down what’s really happening, how you can take action, and why this affects every program in the country.

Swim Community: Your urgent steps are necessary on various fronts.

If you care about swimming, broadcasting, or protecting women’s sports, you cannot skip this episode. I’m unboxing a new book Mental Skills for Young Athletes, calling out a blundering hurd issue, seeking bio insights for WPIAL athletes and asking YOU to help shape the future Hall of Fame Tribute for the class of 2026.

Pointer:

Jackie Johnson, a voice for women's sports at Facebook reels at https://www.facebook.com/jackie.johnston.5220.

https://SwimISCA.com for the book, Mental Skills for Young Athletes

WPIAL Show Insights at https://ISCA.blue

Upload for Hall of Fame Tributes to https://UCANSwim.WeTransfer.com

 

Broken Hurd.

Kate Lundsten

Matt Kredich

Ray Looze

Check out this episode!