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