Award-winning copywriter and voiceover Tam Heinjus believes the best radio commercials have one thing in common: they put the listener first.

In this episode of the Audio Academy, Tam shares the lessons she's learnt from more than two decades in commercial radio, from hearing the ad that inspired her to join the industry through to creating award-winning campaigns that rely on the power of theatre of the mind.

Along the way, she explains why silence can be one of the most effective creative tools, how to avoid falling into the trap of "ad speak", and why rewriting is where great copy really comes to life.

Whether you're writing commercials, recording voiceovers or looking to sharpen your creative thinking, this conversation is packed with practical advice on crafting audio that sounds more natural, connects with listeners and leaves a lasting impression.

Building a successful podcast takes more than great content. According to podcast producer Lize Ratliff, the shows that stand the test of time are those that create a genuine sense of community among their audiences.

In this episode of the Audio Academy, Lize shares her journey from Mamamia intern to podcast producer, reflects on the early days of Australian podcasting, and explains why community has become one of the biggest drivers of podcast growth. She also discusses the importance of production quality, why not every podcast needs to become a video pod, and how creators can make smarter decisions by focusing on the way their audience actually listens.

Whether you're launching your first podcast or looking to grow an existing one, this conversation is full of practical advice on creating shows people want to come back to.

In this episode of the Audio Academy, radio producer and voice actor Cass Aldridge shares what she's learnt from more than 25 years working in commercial radio. From building believable environments with subtle ambience to directing voiceovers and recording clean audio, Cass explains why getting the fundamentals right can make the biggest difference to the finished product.

She also talks about life as both a producer and a voice actor, and why experience has taught her that sometimes the simplest production choices have the greatest impact.

Whether you're producing commercials, recording voiceovers or just starting your career in audio, this conversation is packed with practical advice that will help you create audio people enjoy listening to.

For more than 30 years, Geoff Bickerton has been helping businesses create radio advertising that actually works. But after thousands of commercials, his philosophy has become remarkably simple:

Stop writing for the client and start writing for the customer.

In this episode of Audio Academy, Geoff shares why so many ads miss the mark - not because they're badly written, but because they're focused on the wrong audience. Rather than filling 30 seconds with everything a business wants to say, Geoff believes the best advertising starts by asking one question: What does the customer actually want to hear?

Throughout the conversation, Geoff explains why advertisers often talk about the wrong things, how to avoid turning commercials into shopping lists, and why the most effective campaigns focus on one person, one message and one clear outcome. He also shares practical advice on handling difficult briefs, working directly with clients, using humour effectively, and the simple writing principles that have guided his career.

The hard-sell announcer voiceovers that once dominated radio and television ads have gradually been replaced by something much more conversational. Today, audiences don't want to feel like they're being sold to - they want to feel like someone's talking directly to them.

After more than two decades behind the microphone, Anna has voiced everything from national ad campaigns to corporate narration and educational content. Along the way, she's seen trends come and go, technology transform the industry, and home studios become the norm.

We caught up with Anna to talk about what makes a voiceover sound authentic, how she approaches every script, the biggest mistakes new voice actors make, and why she believes human connection will always have a place - even in the age of AI.

If you've spent any time around radio advertising, podcast advertising, or commercial audio production, you've probably come across Ralph van Dijk.

As the founder of Eardrum, Ralph has spent more than three decades helping brands create audio that captures attention, changes behaviour, and drives results.

We sat down with Ralph to talk about listener psychology, copywriting, voice casting, sonic branding, and why so many audio ads are forgotten the moment they finish.

As Head of Production Coordination at Abe's Audio, Britt oversees a team that handles 100+ incoming projects daily, manages voiceover casting, coordinates production workflows, and helps ensure everything is delivered on time and on brief.

We talked with Britt to talk about building team culture, managing remote teams, casting voiceovers, handling client briefs, and what it takes to keep a team running smoothly under pressure.

From regional WA radio through to some of the country's biggest breakfast and drive shows, Jeza has built a career around creating audio that grabs attention and tells stories.

Today, he's also building tools that are helping audio producers save hours every week.

We sat down with him to talk about these tools, his experience in audio production, creating great commercials, and breaking creative rules.

Find out more about AudioSnag at https://audiosnag.org/

Prithi Dey has an extensive background in music, publishing, and branded content.

Currently Head of Podcasts AUNZ at Spotify, she plays a pivotal role in shaping creator strategies and driving podcast growth for one of the world's largest streaming platforms.

We sat down with Prithi to talk about podcast audience growth, video podcasting, monetisation, discoverability, creator strategy, and why podcasting in 2026 looks completely different to a few years ago.

Chris Gregson is one of Australia’s most experienced commercial audio creatives, with more than 30 years across radio, copywriting, production, and creative leadership.

Today, he leads the creative division at Tapt Media, overseeing teams across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth.

We sat down with Chris to talk about radio copywriting, producing effective audio campaigns, creative leadership, voice casting, and why the best audio ads know when to stop talking.