Challenges and Resolution Approaches to the Convergence of Publishing + Podcast

Abstract

As practices of auditory culture have gained increasing prominence in a media environment dominated by the visual, the publishing industry has experienced an “audio turn” amid its digital transformation. Podcasts have become an important avenue through which publishers explore the emerging “ear economy” (耳朵经济). However, podcasts produced within China’s publishing sector continue to face challenges in commercial operation, including limited market influence, underdeveloped monetization models, and difficulty in reaching broader audiences. To address these challenges, the publishing industry needs to rethink its media strategies and develop integrated publishing models centered on the economic value of sound and shaped by the distinctive affordances of podcasting. Publishers also need to clarify the role of podcasts within the broader landscape of integrated publishing and develop innovative products and services tailored to podcast users’ needs across different listening contexts.