RAIN Notes: December 12 Special Edition (Nieman 2025 Predictions)
Opinion & Features
Steve Goldstein: The Ups and Downs of Audio in 2024
In his latest guest column, Amplifi Media chief Steve Goldstein dishes a year-end review of podcasting in 2024. From the election to YouTube’s ravenous appetite. From Spotify’s envy to radio companies on edge. From public radio’s erosion to Sirius XM’s pivot. From subscriptions to audiobooks. This is a year-end must-read. Settle in. Continue Reading
James Cridland’s International Radio Trends – Exclusivity, multi-standards, and multi-platform
by James Cridland
In his latest column, James Cridland offers a few bullet points about an apparently unsuccessful ratings gambit, a multi-standard digital radio receiver, and the latest MIDAS survey results from RAJAR. Continue Reading
Steve Goldstein: Should Podcasters Worry About Google’s AI NotebookLM?
In his latest guest column, Amplifi Media chief Steve Goldstein tries out Google’s new NotebookLM AI tool, and shares the AI-generated audio. He calls it impressive, jaw-dropping, exciting, weird, and unsettling. We agree. Steve also pulls back from the amazement of it, reassuringly to human podcasters. In the past, we have called out some of Steve’s columns as “must read.” This one is on a higher level of must read … and listen. Continue Reading
James Cridland’s International Radio Trends – Radio advertising: your winners and duds
by James Cridland
In his latest column, James unearths an old print ad for two Australian radio stations, and puzzles over a few conundrums. “There’s a lot to unpack from this press ad over thirty years later.” ALSO: A study from Audacy, an amazing face\t about Star Wars, the BBC applying for funds, James’ visit to the Pacific island of Niue, and more. Continue Reading
Steve Goldstein: Steve Pratt — How to Earn & Keep Attention
Recently we covered the release of Steve Pratt’s newly published book, Earn it: Unconventional Strategies for Brave Marketers. Here, guest columnist Steve Goldstein interviews Pratt about verified listening as a key statistic, “Tik Tok brain,” surpassing mediocrity, the difference between attention and retention, the multi-platform challenge, the pressure to create at volume, and focusing on underserved audiences.Lots of gems in this one. Continue Reading
James Cridland’s International Radio Trends: DAB means even more new stations
by James Cridland
In his latest column, James shares takeaways from the recent Radiodays Asia and Podcast Day Asia conferences. He brings back intel about the DAB digital radio format, which he reports is gaining interest in Asian countries. And James evangelizes the format, saying it offers a surprising amount of new choice for broadcasters, which helps draw new listeners. UK radio group Global announced twelve new stations. ALSO: a wide range of observations and news from Europe, Australia, and Connecticut. It’s not called International for nothing. Continue Reading
Steve Goldstein: Key Takeaways from ‘A View from the Top’
In his latest column, guest contributor and Amplifi Media CEO Steve Goldstein transcribes an industry discussion he moderated at the recently concluded POdcast Movement conference. The high-IQ panel comprised Ross Adams (CEO, Acast), Dan Misener (Co-founder, Bumper Media,) Andrew Mason (Founder/CEO, Descript) Elsie Escobar (Director of Community and Content, Libsyn), and Farid Haji (Senior Director – Partnership, The Roost Podcast Network). Key takeaways here include video importance, multi-platform strategies, engagement vs. reach, the evolution of monetization, AI, changing audience dynamics, and future opportunities. Without question a must-read, even for those who attended the session. Continue Reading
Steve Goldstein: Unleashing The Power Of Effective Audio Promos
Fresh from Podcast Movement, RAIN guest columnist Steve Goldstein contributes this detailed tutorial in creating an audio promo, distilled from his PM keynote. The focus is squarely on podcasting, but the principles apply to any audio promotion. Creating podcast promos is low priority for many, Steve notes, making the seven takeaways he describes here essential learning. Beware dullnes — the cost is tune-out and dismissal. That is bedrock — and then he gets into left-brain and right-brain theory. An essential seminar. Continue Reading
James Cridland’s International Radio Trends: Multi-platform changes to radio, and respect
by James Cridland
In his pre-Podcast Movement weekly bulleting, James documents a well publicized radio closure in New York (CBS AM) and another in Sydney. James muses on these two events, and moves on to an intriguing graphic which illustrates the market share of radio stations in Dublin.
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James Cridland’s International Radio Trends: Kyle and Jackie O – a damp squib? Or just poor-quality smut?
by James Cridland
High expectations and low results; that’s a theme i this week’s guest column from James Cridland. He cites Kyle and Jackie O Live — the biggest radio show in Melbourne Australia , and syndicated across the continent — as an example. Can breakfast syndicated shows work? James has a lot to say in this. Also: Two recommended albums, a star interviewer, and how Star Wars saved NPR (sort of). Continue Reading
Steve Goldstein: Why Subscriptions Are Not The Solution For Most Podcasters
The New York Times is putting a lot of its podcast content behind paywalls, as it has done with cooking, games, and other categories. Should podcasters emulate? In this week’s guest column, Steve Goldstein observes: There is a lot of churn in subscription land. And the audio landscape is saturated with free content, much of it excellent. so it’s a mixed bag: “Good news: Some people are willing to pay. Bad news: not a lot of people.” But there are exceptions, and industry opinions, and no definitive answer for all shows. Click for a key review of strategic thinking. Continue Reading