The Sound Off Podcast

I invited Nails Mahoney to unpack what it really means to be a radio presenter/personality today. We talk about how the shift from DJ and announcer to “content creator” has forced many presenters to overthink and lose their natural talent, and why formal training for content creation is almost non‑existent. Nails explains how branding—narrowing yourself to three defining words—helps you stand out, and why fear of failure can be a useful motivator if you let it sharpen your work.

We discuss practical tactics: using honesty to engage audiences on unfamiliar topics like the World Cup, moving listeners to platforms you control, and building memorable moments that make you harder to replace. We also cover the Radio Star contest and how mentorship and one focused session can accelerate talent development. If you want concrete, underthought advice to own your sound, protect your career, and start creating work that matters, this episode is for you. Listen and take notes now.

Get airchecked here.

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Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I welcome back Rob Greenlee for a discussion about how podcasting is changing under the weight of new media, big platforms, and AI. Rob and I talk about how the real battle lines are drawn around who controls distribution and audience, as companies like YouTube and Spotify push proprietary ecosystems while RSS still quietly powers most of my downloads.

We look back at the early days of video podcasting, why big media walked away from video in RSS, and how HLS video might reconnect audio and video so listeners can move seamlessly between car, phone, and TV.

Rob and I also dig into how AI is reshaping production—from tools like Descript that automate editing and repurposing, to the emerging world of AI hosts and cloned voices. Throughout, we keep coming back to what matters most in podcasting: trust, transparency, and being clear about how we use AI with our audiences.

For a complete summary about what Rob belives in the current status of podcasting - please check out his website.

Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. All the things that went unsaid on the show.

Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Anthony McNutt is one of the best when it comes to radio imaging. He gets it. He is a senior imaging producer at Stingray Radio, managing multiple brands including Q stations, K Rocks, and The Breeze across 5 time zones.We discussed what separates exceptional imaging from average work, the evolution of production styles, and how remote work has transformed the producer's role in modern radio. Including:

- Why voice talent versatility matters more than technical perfection

- How silence and restraint have replaced zips and zaps in contemporary imaging

- The organizational systems required to manage dozens of stations and voice actors

- Why authenticity has become essential for reaching younger audiences

- How the Nova Scotia shooting of 2020 and emotion shaped McNutt's approach to production after 2020

This episode offers practical insight for producers, voice actors, and radio professionals navigating the balance between creativity and efficiency in audio storytelling.

Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. All the things that went unsaid on the show.

Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jen Austin is the founder of Riply Media. We talked about how AI can actually strengthen local news rather than replace journalists. Jen walks me through her journey from a shy high school student in rural Nebraska to working at iconic stations like KZKX, later producing for The Dorsey Gang in Dallas, and reporting news on 9/11 with support from the CBS News network.

We talk about the long, slow decline of newsrooms—layoffs, shrinking staffs, and the closure of CBS News Radio—while the public’s need for credible local information has only grown. This is what led to the creation of Riply, an AI-assisted production tool that scans trusted local sources, assembles hyper-local scripts, and frees up journalists to focus on reporting, interviews, and creativity.

Jen explains how Riply is carefully constrained to avoid hallucinations, keeps sourcing transparent, and always leaves a human editor at the final gate. We also look ahead to RSS distribution, potential video, and global expansion into markets like Canada. (If your newsroom currently has zero people in it - Riply is not for you or your station)

Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. All the things that went unsaid on the show.

Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We last had JC Douglas on our show 9 years ago when I got the full run down of his career highlights. JC Douglas announced his retirement on Facebook in May 2026, reflecting on his 40-year tenure at Q104, his morning run at C100, and in-between time at 89.9 The Wave. He discussed the success of Q104 and C100, attributing it to loyal audiences and long-tenured talent. Douglas highlighted his pivotal moments, including interviewing Paul McCartney and covering the 2020 Nova Scotia mass shooting. What's Next? He plans to archive his extensive media collection and spend more time with his four-year-old son. Douglas emphasized the importance of radio's human connection and the impact of social media on community engagement.

Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. All the things that went unsaid on the show.

Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rhys Waters spent over a decade making award‑winning TV and radio for the BBC in Wales before moving to Halifax, Nova Scotia, in search of a better work–life balance. In this episode, he traces his path from a neurodivergent kid who struggled in traditional classrooms to a documentary filmmaker, broadcaster and eventually co‑founder of Podstarter, a podcast production company helping brands make shows with highly specific goals. Rhys explains how one client’s podcast needed only 12 listeners—and still generated over $5 million in revenue—illustrating why success isn’t always about download numbers. He talks about learning podcasting through BBC radio, the explosive growth of on‑demand audio, and the evolving role of video and short‑form clips in discovery. Rhys also dives into how his dyslexic, ADHD brain shapes his creative process and why he launched The Echo Podcast Summit, an East Coast podcast conference focused on themes like trust and community in audio.

Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. All the things that went unsaid on the show.

Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here.

Thanks to the following organizations for supporting the show:

Megatrax - Licensed Music for your radio station or podcast production company.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A great chat with producer and audience growth specialist Kattie Laur to unpack what’s really holding back Canadian podcasting – and, unsurprisingly, we keep coming back to money, funding, and marketing. We talk about why Canada lacks meaningful grant support, why brands are hesitant to invest in podcasts, and how a realistic budget needs to split resources between production and promotion.

Kattie shares her experience pitching the CBC, her work in branded podcasts, and why companies need to choose between making a genuine audience-first show or simply buying ads on existing podcasts. We dig into government-funded podcasts, transparency around downloads, and how to think about ROI beyond raw numbers.

We also get into discoverability, the impact (and pressure) of video, platform politics at Apple and Spotify, and why Canadian indie shows struggle while big broadcasters thrive. By the end, we’ve at least sketched out how funding, advocacy, and smarter marketing could actually move Canadian podcasting forward.

Kattie has a very good newsletter worth paying for called Pod The North.

Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. All the things that went unsaid on the show.

Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here.

Thanks to the following organizations for supporting the show:

Megatrax - Licensed Music for your radio station or podcast production company.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, I’m celebrating the 500th episode of the Sound Off Podcast by turning the spotlight on why so many shows underperform—and what you can do about it. After nearly 10 years and 500 episodes, I’ve seen the same mistakes again and again, so I break down 10 big ones: blaming a vague “discovery problem” instead of doing the work of promotion, skipping a proper trailer, tolerating shit audio and lazy editing, and relying on weak interview structures that don’t respect the listener’s time. I also get into overlooked essentials like artwork that actually stands out, using metadata wisely, putting your show everywhere listeners expect podcasts, and not obsessing over video at the expense of audio. Finally, I tackle the myth that you need 10,000 downloads to monetize—reminding you that you don’t monetize a podcast, you monetize an audience.

Things I promised to put in the show notes:

Here are the levels that Apple and Spotify recommend for your podcast. But I found this that shows those and a few more.

Want to make your guests sound studio quality? Waves Voice Re-Gen is a favourite I am using now.

Adobe has a free and paid tier in their podcast tools.

James Cridland keeps a running list of places you should submit your podcast.

Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. All the things that went unsaid on the show.

Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here.

Thanks to the following organizations for supporting the show:

Megatrax - Licensed Music for your radio station or podcast production company.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

TrueFans.fm founder Sam Sethi is forward thinking about podcasting. Sam explains how True Fans grew out of the podcasting 2.0 movement into a full creator marketplace where podcasters can host audio and video, build real fan communities, and earn through value-for-value models, including micro payments, subscriptions, and one-off episode payments.

Sam walks me through how True Fans removes friction for listeners with a built-in virtual wallet, gamified SATs, and simple top-ups using Stripe, Apple Pay, and Google Pay, while handling all the complex bits in the background. On the hosting side, we dig into why downloads are a broken metric and how True Fans uses streaming and six-second packets to deliver rich consumption analytics. Sam also previews what’s coming next: live streaming, co-listening, chat, creator portals, custom domains, and AI/voice interfaces that aim to give creators more control than Apple, Spotify, or YouTube.

Whether you are a creator or a podcast listener, please get involved with TrueFans.fm

You can hear Sam on the Podnews Weekly Review with James Cridland.

Speaking of James - it's time to fill out the Podnews Report Card - James is really good about sharing the results with some of podcasting's Big Dogs.

Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. All the things that went unsaid on the show.

Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here.

Thanks to the following organizations for supporting the show:

Megatrax - Licensed Music for your radio station or podcast production company.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I reconnect with multi-hyphenate broadcaster, singer, actor, and live selling expert Dawn Chubai. We start in Edmonton, where she talks about growing up, singing in backyard concerts, finding her way into PR straight out of high school, and then accidentally falling into broadcasting through her music. Dawn shares stories from her days at A-Channel/Citytv, including doing weather and traffic, musical performances, and the energy of those street-facing Jasper Avenue studios—plus a surprise visit from Paul Stanley of KISS.

We follow her move to Vancouver, where she became a main host on Breakfast Television, and later to Toronto for a hugely successful run on The Shopping Channel, helping sell hundreds of millions in product. Dawn explains how that experience led to her current venture, Live Selling School, where she now teaches founders and brands how to sell confidently and authentically on live video.

Connect with her to Bring Your Brand To Live!

Towards the end of the show, Dawn shares some of the vinyl selections near her turntable. Here are the records she shared:

Richie Kotzen - Nomad

Keith Richards - Talk is Cheap

The 1975 - Being Funny In A Foreign Language

Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. All the things that went unsaid on the show.

Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here.

Thanks to the following organizations for supporting the show:

Megatrax - Licensed Music for your radio station or podcast production company.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.