As that enduring debate about foxhunting hits parliament yet again, can we also discuss culling podcasts? Not all of them, just the slow, weak ones, because their numbers really are getting out of control.

It seems odd now, but relatively recently it was pretty rare to have a podcast, and really committing to one could have a dramatic effect on your career. We nascent fans of the genre would find ourselves getting increasingly attached to hosts we'd never heard before, or performers we might not have been particular fans of.

Several comedians, here and in the States, have completely revitalised their careers by building a new audience of loyal podcast listeners, while lesser-known presenters have turned their shows into successful businesses. The highest-profile host of The Football Ramble is probably the comedian Pete Donaldson, who's hardly a household name, but they've now got a book out and a long-running link-up with Bet 365.

Would lower-profile presenters still find that audience today though, amongst all the audio chaff? You get the impression that every bubbling-under comedian now feels obliged to get a few mates together and tape the banter. Which is fine, as such freedom is the whole point. But are we now at the stage where someone with a genuinely original idea will look at the saturated market and think 'does the world need any more podcasts?' You know, the way I do about cars and kids.

Actually I'd put myself in the could-have-podcasted camp too. A few years ago I was knocking around with a few football-loving comedians and - being a footy journalist myself - came up with a nifty idea for a regular football podcast. I won't reveal what the idea was here because I may still do it... but, no, I probably won't. Back then it might have gotten some traction. Now? Just more nobodies adding to the over-podulation.

Of course, natural culling kicks in anyway, as finances and free time become tricky. Take football podcasts again: while the Ramble has turned from a hobby to a quasi-career, Alan Davies' popular Arsenal podcast The Tuesday Club has noticeably not emerged thus far this season, having become less regular in recent years. They never really monetised the podcast - possibly purposefully - apart from occasional live outings, and 'proper' radio and TV shows the presenters hosted off the back of it. But then that limits the free time for podcasting, too.

Popular shows can also crowdfund, sell merch and - particularly in the States - move to paid-for models. But US podcasters are also genuinely concerned about being culled. They've been targeted by patent trolls - an issue you may have seen tackled on John Oliver's Last Week Tonight - which involves a company claiming ownership of an idea, such as podcasting, and trying to charge people for using it. At least one major US podcaster wound up in court, but thankfully a fine organisation called the Electronic Frontier Foundation seems to be fighting them off. An important appeal is happening as we speak.

Over here, the podcast boom will hopefully settle down, as even the hugely popular shows eventually fizzle out and make room. So keep an ear out for the little guys with the good ideas, too. You might just like them.