Steve Goldstein

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 →

“Recently, I’ve had several speaking engagements with media groups,” Steve Goldstein says in his latest guest column, “and there is a surefire way to get an instant gasp from the crowd – show them the median ages of the major media platforms.” The median age of TV viewing has risen from 18-49, to 65 and older. Some cable channels are younger, but Steve is aiming his point at podcasting, where the mean listenerage is 34. Podcasting is the new talk radio for the younger demo. (Commercial radio is median-58.) There is a Fountain of Youth story here for advertisers, is the point. “The plates are shifting” — and this is an important read. Continue Reading →

by Steve Goldstein

In this latest guest column from podcast consultant and public speaker Steve Goldstein, Steve grapples with the problem of too much content competing for too few eyeballs and ears. The issue was highlighted in a recent investor call by Disney CEO Bob Iger, but is what Steve calls “a really huge issue in today’s media landscape.” In podcasting, only eight percent of shows have produced a new episode in the last 30 days. Small percentage, but it’s 345,000 shows. The result? “Choice Fatigue.” Steve offers a five-point recovery plan. Essential reading for creators at all levels. Continue Reading →

by Steve Goldstein

In this latest guest column from podcast consultant and public speaker Steve Goldstein, Steve offers assessments of AI’s role in podcast production — including the host chair. The bottom line is to use AI cautiously, and Steve provides general guidelines. “As cliché as it might sound, don’t lose sight of what makes podcasts truly resonant and meaningful: their authenticity.” This is an important read. Continue Reading →

by Steve Goldstein

In this latest guest column from podcast consultant and public speaker Steve Goldstein, Steve transcribed his “View From The Top” panel at the recently concluded Podcast Movement conference. It is a wide ranging and deeply informative discussion, filled with executive wisdom now available to everyone who might have missed the session. Continue Reading →

by Steve Goldstein

Video podcasting is Steve’s subject i his latest guest column. Reflecting on a recent panel in NYC, and merging those insights with Steve’s own strategies as previously expressed here, he has developed seven clean takeaways. Continue Reading →

by Steve Goldstein

“The heat of the moment, can be the difference between a podcast listen and a show stuck in the purgatory of the podcast queue.” In his latest guest column, Steve Goldstein talks about the importance of podcast drop timing. Case study: HBO chose to delay dropping John Oliver’s Last Week Tonight from Mondays to Thursdays. Will audiences “wait and see”? Pay to see? Or maybe neither. John Oliver wasn’t happy about it. Steve connects this to podcasting, and evokes “the purgatory of the podcast queue.” Continue Reading →

by Steve Goldstein

“In my days as an executive in the radio business, our competitive focus was always on other radio stations and grabbing audience from them with researched music, smarter commercial placement, stronger talent, and visible marketing.” That’s how Steve leads us into this overview of the many media attractions which are taking audience and time-spent from podcasting. Choice abounds, and in the search for greater audience the advice here is to think broadly about where that time will come from. “The competition isn’t just another podcast; it is everything.” Continue Reading →

by Steve Goldstein

Apple changed podcast measurement when it changed how downloads are counted. Numbers dropped, but integrity rose. “The podcast industry supported the move to uphold the integrity of the metrics advertisers see {…} cognizant that downloads would take a hit but chose long-term credibility over the vanity.” In his latest guest column, Steve Goldstein tours through media categories including radio, digital advertising, email marketing, television, and print media. In all cases, measurement is a challenge. This is an illuminating read. Continue Reading →

by Steve Goldstein

In his latest guest column, Steve Goldstein observes that Americans listen to four hours of audio per day … and that metric has not changed for a decade. “Time spent is unmoving,” he says, “and so it begs the question: How can podcasting (or any audio sector) continue to grow listening in a seemingly static audio environment?” Steve details five recommendations. Continue Reading →

by Steve Goldstein

In this epic review of podcasting in 2023, guest columnist Steve Goldstein takes us on a retrospective tour of business developments in the fast-moving, still-evolving industry. What is a podcast — that existential question starts things off. YouTube. Gimlet. The job scene. Amp. Brand safety. The audio market generally. Research notes. Success at the top. AI. Omnichannel distribution. SiriusXM. Wall Street. Public radio. And … the opportunity of 2024. A must read. Continue Reading →

by Steve Goldstein

“Authenticity is Merriam-Webster’s 2023 word of the year,” Steve Goldstein informs us in his latest guest column. That word resonated in the podcasting field, used to represent a unique value to both listeners and advertisers — “both a cliche and a cornerstone,” Steve says. That brings podcasting up against AI, arguably pretty low on the authenticity scale. Things brings up a conundrum: Is AI a boon to podcasting or a threat? Steve holds forth. Continue Reading →