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Jon Thoday, a prominent figure in entertainment management, shares insights about his company Avalon's early involvement in podcasting, dating back to the early 2000s. He reveals their work with notable talents like John Oliver, David Baddiel, and Frank Skinner, and discusses managing successful shows like "Shagged, Married, Annoyed" and "WTF with Marc Maron."

Thoday draws parallels between podcasting and stand-up comedy, noting how both mediums share a simple formula of talent and microphone with low barriers to entry. He emphasizes the importance of creative freedom in podcasting and expresses concerns about programmatic advertising potentially damaging the intimate relationship between podcasters and their audiences.

The conversation takes an interesting turn when discussing the evolution of podcasts into live shows, with Thoday sharing insights about how podcast success can now lead directly to arena-sized venues without needing traditional television fame first. He also offers a compelling perspective on video podcasting, suggesting that while it may help with monetization, the true innovation lies in the audio format itself, similar to how radio was a bigger breakthrough than filmed radio shows.

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Nick Dunkerley, Director of Hindenburg Systems, discusses their professional audio editing software, Hindenburg Pro 2, which is designed for serious podcasters and journalists. He explains how the software differs from typical DAWs by focusing on speed and efficiency while maintaining high production quality, with features like offline transcription that prioritize security for journalists working with sensitive material.

The conversation delves into Hindenburg's approach to AI, with Dunkerley revealing they've been using AI-like features before it became trendy. He introduces an intriguing concept called "proof of work," drawing parallels between blockchain technology and content creation, suggesting that creators need to demonstrate unique value and human effort to stand out in an AI-dominated landscape.

Dunkerley shares insights about the company's future direction, hinting at upcoming features for professional content creators who work across multiple audio formats. He emphasizes their commitment to serving professional storytellers and journalists, maintaining that while AI tools are valuable assistants, they shouldn't replace the skill and judgment of experienced professionals in creating high-quality content.

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Alberto Betella discusses RSS.com's recently awarded patent for AI-driven scalable ads called "GOST.AI", which uses voice cloning technology to create programmatic ads for podcasts. The technology can replicate a host's authentic voice for advertising while maintaining ethical guidelines and consent, allowing for customizable, contextual content that leverages the parasocial relationship between hosts and listeners.

The discussion delves into RSS.com's upcoming launch of dynamic ad insertion features, with a notably low $1 minimum payout threshold. Alberto explains their partnership with iHeart for ad inventory and discusses the importance of giving podcasters control over ad categories while acknowledging the limitations of run-of-network advertising compared to host-read ads.

The conversation concludes with an insightful discussion about podcast monetization models, comparing Spotify's upcoming ad-free podcasting initiative with Apple Podcasts' subscription model. They explore the challenges of micropayments, value-for-value systems, and the future of podcast monetization, highlighting the need to better communicate the "why" behind supporting podcast creators to listeners.

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Neil Mody, CEO of Headliner, discusses how his company has become a dominant force in podcast video creation, generating over 10,000 videos daily. He reveals how Headliner has evolved from a simple social media clip creator to a comprehensive suite of tools that help podcasters grow their audience across multiple platforms, including YouTube, TikTok, and Spotify.

The conversation delves into the fascinating debate about video versus audio podcasting. Mody shares insights about how interview-format podcasts are increasingly finding success through video content, citing Joe Rogan's interesting case where he had more YouTube subscribers than Spotify followers even during his Spotify exclusivity period. He emphasizes that while video is crucial for attracting new audiences, audio remains important for retention.

Mody presents a compelling perspective on podcasting's current state, noting that only 500 million out of 5 billion internet users listen to podcasts. He argues that podcasters must embrace platforms like YouTube and social media to reach new audiences, as avoiding these platforms means missing out on half of the internet's potential reach. The discussion concludes with his vision for Headliner's future, including plans to reach 10 million listeners on their platform and continued innovation in AI-powered content creation tools.

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Sam Sethi chats with Matt Campion, co-founder and creative director of Spirit Studios, a modern production company that creates content across multiple platforms including television, podcasts, and branded content. The discussion centers around their evolution, their content strategy, and their adaptation to changing media landscapes, particularly their IP 360 approach which focuses on creating and exploiting content across different platforms.

A significant portion of the conversation explores how Spirit Studios adapts to industry challenges, including their shift toward true crime content and documentary programming due to better international monetization potential compared to comedy. Matt explains how they've developed a strategy of creating content that can work across multiple platforms, citing examples like their show "Outsmarting" which began as a digital series and expanded into both television and podcast formats. The discussion also delves into their approach to talent-led podcasts and the importance of having clear routes to market.

The conversation concludes with an interesting exploration of artificial intelligence in content production, including its current use in productivity tools and potential future applications in voice synthesis and content creation. They discuss the moral implications of using AI-generated voices, particularly for deceased celebrities, and debate the balance between technological advancement and maintaining content quality. The discussion also touches on the challenges of content distribution across different languages and the evolving ways audiences consume media, particularly regarding subtitles and dubbing.

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We're sponsored by Buzzsprout. Start Podcasting. Keep Podcasting.

Support the show

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We're sponsored by Buzzsprout. Start Podcasting. Keep Podcasting.

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We're sponsored by Buzzsprout. Start Podcasting. Keep Podcasting.

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This podcast episode features Sam Sethi interviewing Oscar Merry, co-founder of Fountain, a podcasting 2.0 app. Oscar discusses the new features in Fountain version 1.1.5, including a major overhaul of the content library for better performance, the ability to pay creators using Lightning Network invoices, and the addition of artist pages for music podcasts. He also talks about Fountain's plans to support Nostr Wallet Connect, which would allow users to connect their main Lightning wallet to Fountain.

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(An attempt to see if Apple transcribes this correctly)

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