Rob Greenlee: Human-Hosted in an AI World

The tension between RSS and proprietary distribution models isn't just a technical debate — it's a philosophical one about who owns the relationship with the audience.

Rob Greenlee pointed out something critical in this podcast episode: large platforms have been waging a slow, deliberate campaign to disrupt RSS because it doesn't give them control. RSS allows creators to publish once and distribute everywhere. That's powerful for creators — and threatening for platforms.

Apple's HLS video integration is a perfect example of this tension. It's not fully proprietary, but it's not fully open either. It creates a seamless user experience (audio in the car, video at home) while subtly shifting control toward the platform. Other platforms are watching closely.

What we're seeing now is a fragmentation of the creator economy.

Platforms like X, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube are building siloed ecosystems that reward native content and penalize cross-posting. Algorithms downrank external links. Discovery mechanisms favor platform-specific engagement. The result: creators are being forced to choose between broad distribution and deep platform optimization.

Here's what I think this means:

For established creators with loyal audiences, RSS remains a hedge against platform risk. It's a way to own the relationship and maintain control over distribution.

For newer creators, the economics are shifting. Building natively on one platform may be more viable than trying to be everywhere at once — especially without a team.

The real risk isn't that RSS will disappear. It's that fewer creators will understand why it matters. And when the platforms inevitably change their terms, shift their algorithms, or deprioritize certain content types, the creators who never built a direct distribution channel will have no leverage.

The question every creator should be asking: Do I own my audience, or does the platform?

I'm also reminded of Rob's former co-host on the New Media Show, the late Todd Cochrane, who would remind listener's once a month about the dangers of building your media empire on rented ground.

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Speaking of Rented ground... here is this week's episode in YouTube. You will note that the episode is longer than the audio. These shows are meant to be listened to. We are only here for the discovery.