---
title: Podcast RSS
menu_group: Podcasts
menu_order: 40
tab: Podcasts
tab_order: 40
requires_podcasts: true
summary: Global and per-show RSS settings, feed URLs, inclusion rules, and enclosure resolution.
---

# Podcast RSS

## Enable feeds

Four requirements for a live feed with episodes:

1. **Enable Podcasts** ([General Settings](general-settings.md))
2. **Enable Podcast RSS Feeds** ([Podcast Settings](podcast-settings.md))
3. **RSS Enabled for This Show** (Podcast Show edit screen)
4. At least one **published free episode** with a **valid enclosure** (see below)

## Feed URL

Default pattern:

`/podcast-feed/{show-slug}/`

Customize the base with **Podcast RSS Feed Base** on the [Podcast Settings](podcast-settings.md) tab (default: `podcast-feed`).

The show edit screen **RSS Feed** side panel displays a read-only, copyable URL when global and show RSS are both enabled.

## Episode inclusion

Included when **all** are true:

- Published episode
- Assigned to the show
- Access level = Free
- Include in RSS = Default or Yes
- Valid RSS enclosure exists (direct media file URL or WordPress upload)

Excluded: draft, scheduled, private, premium, manual RSS No, missing enclosure.

Manual **Include in RSS = Yes** cannot override premium safety rules in v1.

## Enclosure resolution

Each episode needs media in **Episode Media** (or an **Advanced RSS** override).

Priority order:

1. **RSS Enclosure Override URL** (Advanced RSS metabox), if set
2. Show **RSS Media Priority** (audio-first or video-first)
3. Canonical uploaded file or direct external media URL

Accepted sources:

- **Audio Upload** or **Audio External URL** (MP3, M4A, etc.)
- **Video Upload** or **Video External URL** when show priority is video-first or audio is unavailable

Not accepted as enclosures:

- YouTube or Vimeo **page/player URLs** (embed playback only)
- Episodes with **Audio Source = Uploaded File** but no file attached
- Episodes with **Video Source = External URL** but an empty URL field

Uploaded files are stored by the WordPress Media Library. MediaBlaster reads the attachment ID from CMB2’s `{field}_id` meta key.

## RSS Readiness checklist

On each show edit screen, the **RSS Readiness** side panel verifies title, artwork, subtitle, owner, category, language, global RSS, show RSS, and at least one free published episode with a valid enclosure.

## Troubleshooting empty feeds

| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---------|--------------|-----|
| Feed URL 404 | Rewrites not flushed | Save Podcast Settings, then **Settings → Permalinks → Save** |
| Feed loads, channel only, no `<item>` | `missing_enclosure` | Edit episode → **Episode Media** → upload audio or paste a direct file URL → Update |
| Side panel says RSS disabled | Global or show toggle off | Enable both RSS switches |
| Episode published but still missing | Premium or Include in RSS = No | Set Access = Free, Include in RSS = Default/Yes |

A non-blocking admin notice appears on episode edit when RSS is expected but no valid enclosure is found.

## v1 limitations

- Public feeds only (no private/tokenized feeds)
- Standard RSS 2.0 + basic iTunes tags — no Media RSS or transcript namespace yet

After changing RSS or public page bases, save Podcast Settings and visit **Settings → Permalinks → Save** if URLs do not resolve.
