# Can Human Critics Improve Podcast Discovery? | Imran Ahmed, Great Pods #662

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/new-media-show-w-rob-greenlee-7521939/can-human-critics-improve-podcast-discovery-imran-ahmed-great-pods-662
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/new-media-show-w-rob-greenlee-7521939/can-human-critics-improve-podcast-discovery-imran-ahmed-great-pods-662.md
Podcast: [New Media Show w/Rob Greenlee](https://stenobird.com/podcast/new-media-show-w-rob-greenlee-7521939)
Published: 2026-05-07T20:08:15+00:00
Episode link: https://blurt.media/w/u8eLEnbziC8wiAPspTiJ2J
Audio file: https://blurt.media/static/streaming-playlists/hls/e3c2932f-e0fa-4d7e-89e7-cb5bee2b2c84/bc005660-abe8-4de3-abcc-9360b464f0da-480-fragmented.mp4
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/new-media-show-w-rob-greenlee-7521939/episodes/can-human-critics-improve-podcast-discovery-imran-ahmed-great-pods-662
Duration seconds: 5508

## Resource

[![#662-New-Media-Show-300x300-Episode-Imran-GreatPods.co](https://newmediashow.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/662-New-Media-Show-300x300-Episode-Imran-GoodPods.png)](http://newmediashow.com)In episode 662 from May 6th, 2026, of the **New Media Show**, hosted by 2017 Podcast Hall of Famer **Rob Greenlee,** he talks with **Imran Ahmed, founder of [Great Pods](https://greatpods.co)**, for a **deep conversation about one of podcasting’s longest-running controversies:** **Discovery**. **Podcasting has never had a shortage of content.** The **bigger challenge has always been helping listeners find the right shows and helping quality creators get noticed**. * **Charts often reward scale.** * **Algorithms can miss the human context.** * **Social media attention does not always create trust.** * **But human recommendations, professional reviews, and transparency. editorial signals may still play an important role.** **Imran joins Rob to discuss how Great Pods is building a podcast discovery and decision-making platform around critic reviews, ratings, attribution, podcast search, user reviews, badges, and curated discovery.** > _**The conversation explores why reviews differ from basic listener comments, why constructive criticism can help creators, and how professional critics can serve as trusted filters for listeners trying to decide what to hear next.**_ Rob and Imran also **dig into the broader evolution of podcasting, including the role of word-of-mouth discovery, the limits of podcast app charts, the rise of YouTube as a major discovery platform**, and the ongoing tension around what defines a podcast in a world of audio, video, RSS feeds, platform exclusives, APIs, Netflix-style talk shows, and AI-generated content. > _**The episode also connects Great Pods to larger tr…

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