How Podcasting Gets a Bigger Share of Ad Dollars with David Krulewich

If advertisers already understand the value of podcasting, what needs to happen for the industry to capture a bigger share of their budgets?

David Krulewich, founder and CEO of Mission Media AI, joins PodBiz to look at where the money is moving across podcasting and the wider advertising ecosystem.

David makes the case that the opportunity is no longer limited to selling podcast ads show by show. Advertisers are increasingly buying audiences, demographics and interests across large groups of content. For independent creators, that creates opportunities for highly specific shows with loyal audiences, even before they reach massive download numbers.

But the bigger question is how podcasting competes for advertising dollars currently flowing into video, social and CTV. David argues that podcasting needs to become a truly omnichannel format, with audio remaining valuable while video, YouTube and new forms of distribution open the industry to much larger advertising budgets.

“It's no longer a question by brands if they need to be spending in podcasting, the answer is yes.”“We're going to get more money in podcasting when we are creating podcasts that have video and we can get video dollars.”

In this episode, we cover:

• Why audience-driven and contextual targeting are becoming more important to podcast advertising
• How smaller, niche podcasts can create valuable direct sponsorship opportunities
• Why creators should think beyond the audio feed when building their businesses
• How video could give podcasting access to significantly larger advertising budgets
• The growth of sports wagering, prediction markets and the advertising ecosystem surrounding them
• Why distribution may matter just as much as content as podcasting evolves
• What David has learned about entrepreneurship, partnerships and building Mission Media AI
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About David Krulewich:

David Krulewich is the founder and CEO of Mission Media, a media and technology company connecting brands, creators and audiences across podcasts, streaming audio, CTV and digital media. Since launching in 2025, Mission Media has delivered more than one billion ad impressions and generated millions in revenue for creators and media partners.

Previously, David held leadership roles at Audiohook and Katz Digital, where he oversaw more than $100 million in annual media spend across streaming audio and podcasting. He also co-founded Audiology, later acquired by Katz Digital, and has been part of three successful exits across his career in digital media and advertising.

Episode Moments:

(02:02) Where is the money in podcasting?

(04:44) Why creators need a YouTube presence

(09:47) When a smaller podcast becomes commercially valuable

(16:44) How brands now view podcast advertising

(17:42) Why podcasting needs video dollars

(28:45) Sports betting, prediction markets and media

(43:58) What entrepreneurship taught David about partnerships

(47:25) Why distribution is king now

Some Additional PodBiz Buzz:“You have to take calculated risks and you have to be dedicated to service.”“You can really start to create a small business, an enterprise business off of a very small audience.”“Advertisers follow audiences.”“Let's be service. And then the money will flow after that.”

PodBiz is the podcast about the business of podcasting. Hosted by industry veterans Norma Jean Belenky and John Kiernan, the show features conversations with creators, executives, and platform leaders to answer one question: Where’s the money in podcasting?

Each episode dives into monetization strategy, adtech, branded content, IP development, and audience growth. Guests include leaders from Acast, Captivate, Crooked Media, Buzzsprout, True Native Media, Podfest, and more.

Learn more: njbmedia.co | thepodhouseproductions.com

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