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Podcast Perspectives helps you understand the ever-changing podcast industry. Hosted by Jeff Umbro, founder and CEO of The Podglomerate, a podcast services agency focused on production, audience growth, and monetization for some of the biggest podcasts in the world, this show speaks to leaders in the podcast space through longform interviews and panel discussions. The goal is to walk through not only the important news and issues of the day in the podcast landscape, but also to go deep on th ...
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An investigative podcast hosted by world-renowned literary critic and publishing insider Bethanne Patrick. Book bans are on the rise across America. With the rise of social media, book publishers are losing their power as the industry gatekeepers. More and more celebrities and influencers are publishing books with ghostwriters. Writing communities are splintering because members are at cross purposes about their mission. Missing Pages is an investigative podcast about the book publishing ind ...
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Are audiobooks the key to landing big-time clients like Marvel and DC Comics? My guest, Molly Barton, Realm's co-founder and CEO, has done just that. She dove into the world of audio after leaving her job at Penguin Random House to co-found Serial Box, an audio story company that reimagined what an audiobook could be. In 2021, Serial Box was rebran…
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Gretta Cohn, CEO of Pushkin Industries, has had a fascinating career path, from cellist for Cursive and Bright Eyes to intern at the Village Voice, to producer at WNYC and Earwolf, to founding her own company. We discuss what she's learned throughout her career, her experience founding the production company Transmitter in 2017, her feelings about …
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How does it feel to go from being a podcast co-host to the owner of a brand-new podcast venture? My guest, Alex Goldman, host and creator of Hyperfixed, shares his experience of taking the big leap to podcast ownership. We discuss his previous show, Reply All, how he's built his new business with a lean team, the role Supporting Cast subscribers pl…
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What’s the next frontier of podcasting? My guest, Leital Molad, the Head of Podcasts at WaitWhat and podcast trailblazer, has some answers. We discuss her approach to developing groundbreaking shows, like Paul McCartney’s A Life in Lyrics and A Slight Change of Plans. I also get her thoughts on AI – including her insight into WaitWhat’s Listener’s …
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How do you create a meaningful podcast advertising campaign in today's market? In this episode, I’m talking with Lisa, CEO of TWiT.tv. She's led the company for 16 years and has witnessed many ebbs and flows, especially when it comes to ad sales. Lisa and I talk about the range of podcast advertising options, her approach to sales partnerships, and…
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Podcasts are intimate. Listening to them is often a solitary experience, and although fandoms emerge, building community within the industry can be a challenge. In this episode, I’m talking with three guests who have extensive experience developing community in the podcast world through festivals and awards: Jemma Rose Brown, general manager of the…
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What do wrestling and podcasting have in common? Jason Hoch, who ran WWE’s digital team during the early social media days and is now a leading podcast producer. In this episode, I talk with Jason, now the CEO and Chief Creative Officer at Wavland. Jason and I chat about his experience at the WWE, what it was like to work at HowStuffWorks on the hi…
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The podcast industry, like all media and entertainment, is undergoing a course correction. In this episode, I speak with Rachael King, CEO of Pod People. Rachael and I chat about podcast marketing strategies, team building advice, her latest predictions for the future, and why her first question to client has nothing to do with podcasts. To learn m…
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Storytelling podcasts are a unique subsection of podcasting, and one with many obstacles and challenges to overcome. In this episode, I’m talking with Hassan Chaudhry, head of partnerships and strategy at Blanchard House, a UK-based independent podcast company which focuses on storytelling. Hassan is the former director of business and strategy wit…
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The podcast world is growing rapidly, and podcasters can fall behind without a glimpse of the future. Predictive analytics have become vital for podcasts to survive and flourish. In this episode, I’m talking with Sean Howard, the founder and CEO of Flightpath, a predictive analytics platform for podcasting. He’s also the founder of Fable and Folly,…
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On today’s episode we’re doing something different: Chris Boniello, the Podglomerate’s VP of Production Services, is taking over the host seat to discuss the production side of podcasting. He chats with Garrett Tiedemann, Mix Engineer and Sound Designer at Campside Media. This year, Garrett was nominated for ‘Best Production and Sound Design’ at th…
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There are many unknowns when it comes to podcast marketing. This is because ‘podcast marketers’ are often podcasters who become marketers, rather than professional marketers who got into podcasting. In this episode, I’m speaking with someone from the latter category: Odile Beniflah, Head of US at Ausha. Ausha is a podcast hosting platform with an i…
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Since its founding in 2014, Acast has become a global, publicly-traded company. Their business has touched many facets of the podcasting landscape – from building a hosting platform used by more than 125,000 podcasts to acquiring companies like Pippa, RadioPublic, and Podchaser. Acast also launched and shuttered its own app. In this episode, Acast’…
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The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) can be a confusing organization for the podcasting industry. They’re an influential player that many recognize by name, but it's not often clear to the everyday podcaster what they actually do. The IAB’s main objective is to develop and establish the ‘rules and regulations of podcasting’ – namely determining…
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Wonder Media Network was founded in 2018 to “introduce empathy into politics, business, and culture.” Since then, they’ve grown into a sizable independent network, creating award-winning originals and branded series for clients. To walk me through the secrets to Wonder Media’s success, I talk with their Head of Development, Emily Rudder. Emily has …
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The 27-year-old Slate Magazine just had its most profitable year ever, and it credits podcasting for much of its success. Slate has been publishing podcasts since the 2005 launch of Political Gabfest, and they’ve built on that success ever since. Today, they have dozens of successful shows, a thriving subscription business in Slate Plus, and they r…
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In March of 2023 the podcast agency Maximum Fun announced the company would convert to a worker-owned model. At the same time, Maximum Fun’s founder, Jesse Thorn, would be stepping down as CEO after nearly 20 years at the company (though would still work at MaxFun). On this episode, I'm checking in with their current CEO Bikram Chatterji to see how…
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Since the launch of Up and Vanished Season 1 in 2016, Tenderfoot TV has steadily grown into one of the most impactful companies in the podcast industry. To explain how Tenderfoot TV got to where it is today, CEO Donald Albright joins me to talk about Tenderfoot’s unique approach to podcast marketing, how they leveraged the success of Up and Vanishe…
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Chris Peterson is betting big on the podcast industry in 2024. The ex-iHeart executive founded DWNLOAD Media, a podcast roll-up aimed at buying and operationalizing existing podcast companies to compete with the giants in the space. He’s currently in the early stages of development, pitching investors and audio companies on the idea. To promote his…
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We take a look at the case of Hache Carrillo, who lied about his ethnicity, and put it in context with his contributions to the communities he worked in. We talk to former colleagues Luis Bayard and Lisa Page, and Bethanne reveals her first-hand experience working with Hache on the board of the PEN Faulkner Foundation. Website: https://listen.podgl…
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We cover the story behind Bad Art Friend. In this episode, we plan to observe how the publishing industry is built on trust and investigate what happens when that trust is broken. We speak with Rebecca Meacham, a fiction writer who wrote about literary theft and its consequences, and Becky Tuch, a former member of the now-infamous Chunky Monkeys wr…
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Today I’m chatting with Dusty Weis, Founder and President of the B2B podcast production company Podcamp Media. Podcamp is a small but mighty firm based in Wisconsin. They largely works with companies, brands, and trade associations also based in the Midwest. Dusty does for brands what typically takes a whole team – from conceptualizing to producing…
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We’ve been talking a lot about ghost writing, because ghosting – that’s the industry term – is BIG business. This is a bonus episode of our series about ghostwriting. In this episode, you’ll hear from Madeleine Morel who is an agent for ghostwriters and Andrew Crofts, a successful ghostwriter. Website: https://listen.podglomerate.com/show/missing-p…
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How does a ghostwriter capture the subject’s voice when writing a cookbook? And for the ghostwriters behind the stories, how does ghostwriting cookbooks differ from non-fiction? We talk to JJ Goode, a Brooklyn-based food writer, to get inside the mind of a cookbook ghostwriter. Website: https://listen.podglomerate.com/show/missing-pages/ YouTube: h…
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Today we’re looking at audiobooks. While the explosive growth of podcasting has dominated headlines in the audio world, the audiobooks market has slowly and steadily grown alongside it. Today, the international audiobook industry can claim $5 billion in revenue, while podcasting boasts around $2 billion. So how did this happen? What can we in podca…
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We explore what ghostwriting looks like for fiction. For genres like spy novels and fantasy, how does book publishing capitalize on ghostwriters to unlock lucrative IP extensions on streaming? We talk to Jeff Rovin, who has written Tom Clancy novels, and Andrew Crofts, who wrote the memoir Confessions of a Ghostwriter, to get the scoop. Website: ht…
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The antiquated radio drama is making a comeback, now rebranded as “fiction podcasts,” and agencies like QCODE Media are leading the way in making these shows marquee programming. Their production is up there with the best, the artwork has the iconic look of an HBO original, and they’ve cast A-list Hollywood stars like Rami Malek, Kerry Washington, …
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In this episode of Missing Pages we examine the lucrative culture of non-fiction ghostwriting and all its thorny edges, with a focus on what the elusive and often secretive practice means for a publishing industry ever on the brink of combustion. We talk to ghostwriting veterans like Daniel Paisner, Jon Sternfeld, Daniel Gerstein as well as cookboo…
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Today we’re shifting our focus away from podcasts and toward its sister industry: audiobooks. While the explosive growth of podcasting has dominated headlines in the audio world, the audiobooks market has slowly and steadily grown alongside it. Today, the international audiobook industry can claim $5 billion in revenue, while podcasting boasts arou…
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This week we're excited to share an episode from Nerdette, a fun weekly interview show produced by our friends at WBEZ. In this episode, fellow professional book lovers Miwa Messer and Andrew Limbong joined Nerdette host Greta Johnsen to discuss their top picks for the year. Here are the books mentioned in the episode. For pictures, links and more …
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Music and podcasting, in many ways, are a natural combo. Today, they’re often even consumed on the same platform. The music podcast subgenre is brimming with opportunity for interesting new collaborations, formats, and technologies. The result: this niche within podcasting is producing some of the most innovative projects out there. Today I’m chatt…
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We look into the results of censorship in extreme cases, using Salman Rushdie as a case study. Does extreme censorship of books lead to violence? We spoke with Gaby Wood, the Chief Executive of the Booker Prize Foundation, to find out more. Website: https://listen.podglomerate.com/show/missing-pages/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Xe_qmL…
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2023 has been a tough year for a lot of people in the podcast industry. Years of investment in the space looks to be slowing down, and dozens of companies are reeling because of it. It’s clear to most that the business side of podcasting will have to be more intentional moving forward. To discuss this transition, I’m speaking with Jenna Weiss-Berma…
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If you listened to our episodes about the rise of book banning, you heard about the efforts around the U.S. to censor books on sexual or racial grounds. However it seems there's a lot more going on than that. One of the guests that we spoke with – NYTs Bestselling author Jodi Picoult – has firsthand experience with book banning. Picoult's book, 19 …
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Like the rest of the world, podcasting is becoming a global business. However here in the Anglophone world, we don’t hear much about what’s going on in other podcasting markets like LATAM, India, China, let alone create content to serve these markets. Folks like Lory Martinez, founder and CEO of Studio Ochenta, are here to help bridge that gap. Stu…
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In episode 1 of this series, we looked at the history of banned books in America. Today, we look at its current state. Is there more nuance to book censorship than is at the surface? We speak with two people on opposite sides of the spectrum: A parent, who seeks to explain why she wants more control over the stories her children are exposed to, and…
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Eric Nuzum has been on the front lines of the audio industry for more than 20 years. He was the man who helped NPR move into the podcast space, before heading to Audible to lead their original podcast development. Today, he is a co-founder of Magnificent Noise, a boutique production agency for huge brands. On top of his production and consulting wo…
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When it comes to books, America has had the same cultural arguments since its founding. One group perpetually focused on the moral ramifications and societal threats a story poses, while another group argues that questioning morals and societal norms makes for a healthier individual, and democracy. Today, however, local has become national. Histori…
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How do you reach your target audience? While this is a challenge for all podcasters, it’s especially important in the branded podcast space, where it’s often not always obvious who your listener is, let alone how to make a show they’d want to listen to. Quill and CoHost founder and CEO Fatima Zaidi is tackling this challenge. Quill is a branded pod…
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With Simon & Schuster and Penguin Random House barred from merging, are publishers losing substantial power as gatekeepers to the industry? What is the current state of publishers, and did this decision take into account the readers or the authors? Website: https://listen.podglomerate.com/show/missing-pages/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v…
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As the podcast space grows, it’s becoming clear that many in the audio industry are not on the same page about a few key things: standard rules and regulations, how we measure success, even basic terms and definitions. In 2020 Bryan Barletta founded Sounds Profitable – a company committed to setting the course of the audio business by creating free…
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As an extension of our last episode on the paradigm shifts in the fanfiction community, we take a look at the complicated history of Dungeons and Dragons and how the game’s creators have had a rocky relationship with the game’s fans. We talk to Ben Riggs, author of Slaying the Dragon, about Dungeons and Dragons’ sordid fan history. Website: https:/…
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Lemonada Media launched as a brand new podcast network with just one show in 2019. Just four years later, they've grown into a network of nearly 50 podcasts known for pumping out audio hits – Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Last Day, Believe Her, and more. Keen observers will also notice their innovative partnerships, like the Lemonada Book…
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Are fanfiction communities becoming stronger than traditional publishers? In this episode, we’ll look at how fans, publishers, and creators are (or aren’t) working together, examining a fanfiction lawsuit between former fanfic writers Zoey Ellis and Addison Cain. We speak with Elizabeth Minkel, co-host of the Fansplaining podcast. Did we mention th…
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In 2021 HubSpot made a surprising move to acquire The Hustle, a newsletter along with the My First Million podcast. The Hustle and MFM eventually became the base of what today is the HubSpot Podcast Network, an audio unit within HubSpot aimed at funneling sales towards their other more lucrative products. The network has greatly expanded over the l…
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Colleen Hoover created a book empire through self-publishing, in part due to the power of social media. Is her career a sign of a changing landscape where publishing gatekeepers are losing power while readers are gaining power? We speak with Laura Miller, Books and Culture columnist at Slate, Jim Milliot, Co-Editorial Director at Publishers Weekly,…
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This year the podcasting giant iHeartMedia launched a new division called Ruby, which works exclusively to create and amplify podcasts for brands. To understand why iHeart made this move and what Ruby is up to, today I’m chatting with Ruby’s Director of Audience Development, Amber Smith. Amber has an eclectic background in the audio world, working …
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Evan Shapiro writes the newsletter “Media War and Peace” where he maps out the state of the media industry using data visualization models. He’s also a professor at NYU and used to work in podcast and television development at IFC Sundance and NBC Universal’s Seeso. This background allows him to have a comprehensive view of the podcast industry fro…
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In 2017 after stints at SiriusXM and Audacy, Chris Colbert founded his own podcast agency, DCP Entertainment. DCP defines itself as a media platform for underrepresented voices, including people of color, women, the LGBTQ+ community, and other overlooked communities. Fast forward to today and DCP works with some of the biggest brands in the world, …
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Book bans are on the rise across America. With the rise of social media, book publishers are losing their power as the industry gatekeepers. More and more celebrities and influencers are publishing books with ghostwriters. Writing communities are splintering because members are at cross purposes about their mission. An all-new season of the investi…
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