India’s podcasting scene has been expanding rapidly in recent years, with millions of listeners tuning in to local voices, niche storytelling, and long‑form conversations. Yet as the industry matures, a new issue has come to the fore: paid interviews that blur the line between editorial content and promotion.
According to The Economic Times, podcasters in India are increasingly offering paid interview slots to guests — including CEOs, founders, and public figures — in exchange for significant fees, often ranging from ₹15 lakh to ₹30 lakh ($18,000 USD - $36,000 USD) per episode. These paid appearances are frequently bundled with social media clips and YouTube edits, giving guests wide visibility across platforms.
While monetizing content is not new in media, the lack of transparent disclosure is raising ethical questions. Many of these sponsored interviews are presented alongside standard editorial content without clear indication that payment was involved, potentially misleading listeners about the nature and intent of the conversation. Critics argue this erodes trust in a medium long valued for its authenticity and independent voice.
Industry observers note that India’s podcast market is booming thanks to smartphone proliferation and growing on‑demand audio consumption — positioning the country as one of the world’s fastest‑growing podcast ecosystems. Yet monetization models are still evolving, and the transparency debate highlights a broader challenge in balancing revenue generation with credibility and listener expectations.
Some creators are pushing back against the trend. A host of Dostcast, for example, has publicly stopped doing paid interviews, emphasizing curiosity‑driven content over commercially driven conversations. Others caution that without agreed standards or industry guidelines, the practice could undermine the medium’s long‑term credibility.
Regulatory perspectives are catching up as well. Platforms like YouTube require paid promotions to be disclosed clearly, but there’s currently no broad industry‑wide framework in India specifically for podcasts. As the medium continues its growth in 2026, increased transparency and clear labeling of sponsored episodes will likely become central to maintaining audience trust in Indian podcasting.
