On the dramatic day The Wall came down—November 9, 1989— I got a call from my boss at ABC News Radio. “Get on tonight’s flight to Berlin.” For a young network news reporter, it was a dream assignment. Over the next two weeks, armed with a portable cassette recorder, notepad and microphone, I covered many … Continue reading What Happens When the World Changes in a Single Day
When going out for dinner, a date, or to work, most of us pay careful attention to how we look. Before firing off an email, we know that it’s a good idea to read over what was said before hitting “send”. So why don’t we do the same thing when we open our mouths? In … Continue reading Most of us are speech slobs and we don’t even know it.
All the awful things about the coronavirus crisis are obvious — from the economic calamity and disruption of social distancing to the virus itself. But for podcasters, there are opportunities as well challenges. When the pandemic erupted, our team at “How Do We Fix It?” had to react in a hurry. We tossed our spring program … Continue reading We tore up our podcast schedule. Today we’re scrappy & immediate.
Podcasting today stirs up memories of the crazy speculation during the dot com boom in the 90’s, when vast amounts of venture capitalist dollars were thrown at wacky entrepreneurs who didn’t have a clue how to turn a profit. As podcast consultant Steve Goldstein said recently about our industry: “The velocity at which this has … Continue reading 7 Reasons Why Good Podcasts Fail at Being Great.
“Beyond $1 Billion” podcast panel at 2019 Advertising Week. Not so long ago podcasting was barely noticed by the powers that be at Advertising Week, the annual mega-conference in New York for advertising and marketing executives. Our medium was just a little outhouse in the backyard of a mighty media mansion that was dominated by … Continue reading Why the growth of podcasting is part of a much bigger trend: The microphoning of America.
Welcome to the presidential debate season. This evening, tomorrow, and then over 16 long months, several dozen proposed debates will occupy much of the news media’s fevered attention. Millions of us will tune in, but we may well be disappointed. Instead of informed, insightful coverage of complex issues and character of the candidates, the debates … Continue reading 2020 Democrats Debates Will Disappoint. Here’s Why Podcasts Are So Much Better.
Podcasting, by its very nature, is an optimistic endeavor. From venture capitalists and big media firms who’ve poured huge sums of money into risky podcast ventures, to small teams of independent producers, we are all making a big bet that our shows will reach their intended audience. The enthusiasm and passion that we express for … Continue reading Be Positive When You Send Texts, email, and Make Podcasts: That’s So Much Better Than Saying “No”.
I’m a bit old school. While podcasting occupies much of my time each day, a long-established habit of slowly leafing through the pages of newspapers continues to be a source pleasure. Print discoveries are made without digital nudges from algorithms. Among my favorite finds last week was in the “C-Suite Strategies” section of The Wall … Continue reading Listening Numbers Are Booming, But Even Spotify Doesn’t Know If It Will Make Money From Podcasts.
Podcasting is now mainstream and has just moved into a new phase. Let’s call it the 2nd Wave. While most media content producers no longer need convincing that they should be doing podcasts, they’re also starting to realize that this medium is unique and that they don’t know how to make them. Unique how? - … Continue reading Why we listen to podcasts and what makes them different from radio and other forms of communication.
I’m listening to Michelle Obama read her audio book to me. I’m on my own with my headphones and so is she. I picture the former First Lady sitting upright and calm, with good posture, in a small sound-proofed recording booth with a cool glass of water by her side, alone with her thoughts and … Continue reading The Michelle Obama Example: Why Book Publishers Should Make Podcasts With Their Best-Selling Authors
Here Hear! 