The formats we leave behind aren’t always failures - sometimes they’re foundations.

Alexa flash briefings were an early experiment in short-form, voice-first content. They laid groundwork for current interest in voice AI, news via smart speakers, and micro-podcasting.

Six years ago this month I gave a presentation about the benefits of creating a flash briefing to a room full of people at Amazon HQ in London. I decided to look back at what I had said and see what still rang true for podcasters in 2025.

So in this week's episode of Stop Rewind Play I talk about...

- Why flash briefings struggled to gain traction and what that tells us about discoverability and platform support

- How short-form audio and daily listening routines shaped early voice-first experiences

- What flash briefings revealed about sonic branding and the importance of a brand’s voice

Suze Cooper works as a freelancer offering expert audio production, editing, and storytelling for publishers, newsrooms, and media outlets. Visit www.bigtentmedia.co.uk

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stoprewindplay.substack.com

The best podcasts are built around the audience. Always.

Last year, I spent a fair bit of time with an independent magazine publisher who was certain they needed a podcast. They had the name, the branding, and a full format mapped out.

Sounds like the road to success right? But they had missed one important step. They had forgotten to check in with their readers and see whether a podcast was something they wanted.

Knowing your audience before you hit go on a podcast is essential, because if a podcast is created but never heard - is it really a podcast at all? (or just a random audio file floating on the breeze....)

In this week's episode of Stop Rewind Play I talk about...

🔬 Why audience research should come before production

? What to ask (and where to ask it) to be sure a podcast is the right move

🧪 Small-scale ways to test your podcast idea without a full launch

🤔 What to do if your audience isn't on traditional podcast platforms

Suze Cooper works as a freelancer offering expert audio production, editing, and storytelling for publishers, newsrooms, and media outlets. Visit www.bigtentmedia.co.uk

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stoprewindplay.substack.com

If your podcast feed never surprises you, maybe it’s not a feed - maybe it’s a mirror.

In this episode of Stop Rewind Play I take at look at the latest stats around personalised news content from the Digital News Report 2025, and ask what it means for podcasting and audio journalism.

I also talk about my own experience with personalised recommendations - from Spotify’s eerie accuracy to the echo chamber of her podcast app homepage - and ask what happens when algorithms start curating our news. What does this mean for investigative journalism, slow reporting, and trust in audio?

Tune in to this episode to discover...

🚘 How podcast apps and smart speakers use algorithms to drive discovery

⛔️ Why AI personalisation might limit listener perspectives

🗞️ What the Digital News Report 2025 reveals about audience trust

🤖 The impact of AI-generated news summaries on podcasting

💡 Three things audio teams should do now to protect discovery and voice

Suze Cooper works as a freelancer offering expert audio production, editing, and storytelling for publishers, newsrooms, and media outlets. Visit www.bigtentmedia.co.uk

Download the Digital News Report 2025🎙 To hear more episodes head to stoprewindplay.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stoprewindplay.substack.com

Writing for the eye is not the same as writing for the ear—and that’s where many repurposing efforts fall flat.

In this episode of Stop Rewind Play, I dive into what it really takes to transform written or live content into audio that lands. Whether you're adapting a longform article, a daily briefing, or a livestream highlight, you’ll need more than just a mic and a read-aloud script.

Tune in to hear:🖊 How to rewrite for the ear—making your script conversational, clear, and punchy🎙 Why your mic should feel like a one-to-one conversation🎧 How to add texture with music, ambient sound, and vocal variation

From voice tone to structure to pacing, I share practical insights from working on daily podcasts, livestream edits, and even my own journey reshaping Stop Rewind Play from newsletter to audio.

Listen to Part One: The Smart Way to Repurpose Written Work into a Podcast

Want to create audio that actually connects?

👉 Get in touch at bigtentmedia.co.uk

🎙 To hear more episodes, head to stoprewindplay.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stoprewindplay.substack.com

How do you take content from the page to the podcast feed?

If your team’s already producing strong editorial - newsletters, opinion pieces, explainers, long form - you’re halfway there. Too often, audio gets treated as something totally separate when in fact your next podcast might be hiding in your archive.In this week’s podcast, I break down how to turn written content into a sustainable, strategic podcasting approach:

🗂 Audit your archive: columns, Q&As, explainers, and op-eds can all become episodes

🎙 Match format to function: not everything needs a theme tune or a panel

🧪 Start small: one strong pilot is better than a rushed series

🛠 Get help where it counts: freelance editors and scriptwriters can keep your team from burning out

Podcasts mentioned in this episode:

The News Meeting from The Observer

The Audio Long Read from The Guardian

Modern Love from The New York Times

Today, Explained from Vox

Unhedged from the Financial Times

Get in touch at bigtentmedia.co.uk

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stoprewindplay.substack.com

In this week’s podcast episode:

➡️ How to guide guests in real time to get better audio fast

✍️ How to script for rough recordings and make it part of the story

🤖 When to use AI cleanup tools (and when not to)

🎧 Why clarity matters more than polish!

This week we Rewind on news from AI-powered headphones, emotional radio storytelling, and a jingle that made it all the way to a music video.

Go to stoprewindplay.substack.com to find out more.***

Suze Cooper works as a freelancer offering expert audio production, editing, and storytelling for publishers, newsrooms, and media outlets. Visit www.bigtentmedia.co.uk

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stoprewindplay.substack.com

Welcome back to Stop Rewind Play - and welcome to the first-ever podcast edition!

After a bit of a break, I’m easing back into writing and experimenting with Substack’s podcast tools. I’ll share how that’s going once I’ve had time to test things properly.

With so many slick, studio-produced shows from newsrooms and brands, the gap between “well-produced” and “hard to hear” has never been wider. Bad audio doesn’t just sound unprofessional. It weakens trust. And when your podcast represents your brand, poor sound quality can damage your credibility more than you realise.

🎧 In this week’s podcast episode:

✅ A real-world editing nightmare (and the bad review that still stings)

✅ Why listeners don’t need perfection - but do need clarity

✅ How to make your podcast sound better, even in a non-studio setup

***

Suze Cooper is a freelance audio journalist supporting newsrooms, publishers and media outlets to turn stories into standout sound.

stoprewindplay.substack.com

LinkedIn

www.bigtentmedia.co.uk

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stoprewindplay.substack.com

🎙️ Stop Rewind Play is the podcast for people in publishing, journalism, and media who care about making better audio.

Hosted by me, journalist and freelance podcast producer Suze Cooper, this fortnightly show offers insights into the fast-moving world of podcasting - whether you’re responsible for audio strategy, creation or just trying to keep your show on track.

Each short episode distils what’s happening in the industry, and why it matters - drawing on real-world experience in production, audience strategy, and emerging tools like AI.

You’ll also get highlights from the Rewind link library - a handpicked roundup of the most useful, thought-provoking, or just plain weird audio news of the week.

Stop Rewind Play is the audio companion to my Substack of the same name. Head to stoprewindplay.substack.com for weekly newsletters.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stoprewindplay.substack.com