“I feel fantastic.”
That’s Steve Goldstein, talking to RAIN News just after announcing his new startup, Amplifi Media. This week Goldstein executed a friendly exit from Saga Communications, where he was EVP and Group Program Director for nearly 30 years. He is merging onto the entrepreneurial fast track, launching a new podcast company.
“I’ve been thinking about this for a long time,” Goldstein said. “I’ve done a deep study of the sector. You don’t have to go very deep to see that the content category is skewed.”
Goldstein noted that the top-podcast list in iTunes is loaded with programs derived from public radio. “The NPR guys have done a magnificent job. But there is so much out there. There are many content categories that are unexplored. ESPN has done a good job with sports. But where is health and wellness? Where is the Millennial stuff?”
He also noted an imbalance in distribution: “The Android side is completely undeveloped. So there’s upside there, too.”
“Podcasting is in the first inning.” –Steve Goldstein, Founder, Amplifi Media
“Absolutely,” he said. “That’s the DNA of what I do.”
Goldstein’s grounding in content creation informs the new company’s business modeling. “I don’t view my role at this time as building a network. I bring audio expertise. There’s a lot of bad audio out there. There’s no faster killer than a bad show — or a good host with a bad show. What I know, and what I do, is content development. The rules are different in podcasting, yet the rules of good content translate fairly well. I can’t think of many people in this sector who have the content expertise that I do.”
We asked whether radio would be the most fertile field in which to find and develop programs. “No. While I think that would be nice, or natural, I think a lot of the great content will come from elsewhere.”
There is no timeline for a formal launch of a catalog, And Steve Goldstein described scenarios in which Amplifi eases into the category with carefully selected talent development. “I can imagine soft launches where I work with several shows (that might and might not exist at this time), and develop them. I can see partnership and consulting arrangements.”
Mainly a content development venture, then? “Yes. Absolutely. Podcasting, though it has been around for a while, is in the first inning. That’s what I love about this. I’m putting my flag out there and saying, Hey, if you need help in the development of content, I’m a good place to be.”