Podcast Network Insights: Anatomy of a Podcast Network

 We've heard this cliché endless times: "He or she is a people person." There's an honest compliment there and, at times, a passive-aggressive dig. 

Greg Wasserman, Head Of Relationships for RSS.Com, was born to be a "people person." He connects with people instinctively, listens attentively, and communicates with clarity, conciseness, and care for others. 

 Greg's new podcast, Podcast Network Insights: Understanding the Business of Podcast Networks is a podcast that explores how, why, and in what ways podcast networks operate. Launched in March 2026, it features interviews with founders and operators about monetization, strategy, and industry changes.

This new podcast attempts to deconstruct what a podcast network actually is (a group of shows, talent manager, or content studio) and provide behind-the-scenes insights for creators and professionals.

To his credit, Greg addresses the "other" networks besides the largest ones, focusing on how they grow shows and support creators
The podcast is produced in collaboration with Stories & Strategies and hosted via RSS.com.

In a November 2025 interview with Ear Worthy talked about relationships: "At the center of all this, for me, is the belief that life is about time and relationships. Every opportunity I’ve had in podcasting has come from investing in people, building trust, and creating win-win partnerships. That’s also why I love this space so much, as the podcasting community thrives on helping and supporting one another. It’s not just about downloads or ads, it’s about relationships, and that’s what keeps me inspired to do this work every day." 

Greg explains: "My path into podcasting wasn’t linear. It was built on relationships. I started in media sales, spending 15 years in the industry at places like Yahoo! and CBS Radio. When CBS acquired Eventful, the company I was with, I suddenly found myself part of a huge sales organization. A lot of my existing clients were already spoken for, so I naturally gravitated toward podcasting, an area CBS was just beginning to figure out. I had the chance to learn directly from people like Thomas Mancusi, who was running the podcast department, and that opened my eyes to how powerful the medium could be." 

"Now, at RSS.com as Head of Relationships, I get to bring it full circle, educating podcasters, creating partnerships across the ecosystem, and championing one of the largest hosting companies in the world. Along the way, I’ve guested on over 100 podcasts, and I’ll be hosting one soon to round out the journey." 

One of the most notable episodes to date is with Peter Ferioli, who has been at the helm of Pantheon Podcast Network for nearly a decade, growing it from a passion project launched with a friend and co-founder, Christian Swain, into a home for more than 100 music-focused shows. In this conversation, he pulled back the curtain on how Pantheon was born out of a scripted rock history show that launched to crickets, why they walked away from ad money early on, and the counterintuitive moves that built one of the most respected independent networks in podcasting today.

Greg and Peter go deep on the "magazine feed" strategy Pantheon pioneered before anyone else was talking about it, and the red flags every podcaster should watch for before signing with any network.

Perhaps my favorite episode so far is the one with Dan Kendall of the Health Podcast Library. In the show, Kendall discussed building a network around editorial standards (instead of just downloads or scale) isn't the standard playbook, but that's where Dan Kendall's approach stands out.

Greg also supports his listeners by timestamping the topics of each episode in the show notes. That's a handy tool for listeners searching for a specific area within the show's general topic. 

 It's no surprise that Greg Wasserman is an excellent interviewer. In his position at RSS.Com, he talks with podcast professionals every day. Greg is true to the title of the show. He doesn't chat with podcast network pros, but extracts insights from them about their network, podcasting as an industry, and what can the industry improve. 

You don't have to be in the podcasting industry to enjoy and learn something from the show. Podcast Network Insights provides plenty of insight into the nature of business, relationships, the importance of strategy, and learning from people who do what they love.