Coleman, Pantheon Tackle Music Licensing in Podcasts

RADIO ONLINE | Monday, September 22, 2025 | 2:49pm CT

Coleman Insights & Pantheon Media

Coleman Insights and Pantheon Media have released a 32-minute roundtable examining how podcasters can legally incorporate copyrighted music-one of the medium's most persistent hurdles. The conversation, featured in Coleman Insights' "Tuesdays With Coleman" blog, brings together Coleman Insights Vice President/Consultant Jay Nachlis with Pantheon Media Co-Founders Peter Ferioli and Christian Swain to assess current licensing obstacles and propose practical paths forward.

The discussion explores the gap between strong consumer interest in music-focused podcasts and comparatively low consumption, asserting that existing licensing frameworks inadequately serve both podcasters and rights holders. The panel also weighs the role of hosting platforms in shaping music usage decisions and outlines how targeted research can inform broader, industry-wide change.

Nachlis said Coleman's research shows music remains a top category among podcast consumers, but creators often avoid using tracks due to copyright concerns. "Podcasts have the potential to be better utilized as a discovery tool similar to radio and streaming, but podcasters avoid using music in their podcasts due to copyright issues," he noted.

Ferioli emphasized the need to demonstrate clear value to labels and publishers. "We have to build a use case for the rights holders and show them how the value of the fans they can reach by making it easier to consume music in podcasts," he said.

Topics covered include fair-use guidance, how platforms affect rights decisions, and the untapped potential for podcasts to drive music discovery. Coleman Insights and Pantheon Media are seeking collaborators on the initiative; interested parties can contact Jay Nachlis.