In this specific case, they might be "attacking" the wrong side of the equation. For example, KQED offers a pledge-free stream for donors, because they know the subscriber and are the origin of the content (or at least a gateway to it, for upstream NPR content). I think it would be absolutely magical if I could get an ad-free feed from the podcasts I donate to already.

That said, there is no way that ads in podcasts inflict $15/mo worth of suffering upon me. The "skip ahead 30 seconds" button is absolutely perfect for not hearing yet another Squarespace ad