The Sound Off Podcast

Podcast Pioneer Rob Greenlee is a podcast Hall of Famer (Class 2017), host of the New Media Show (along with Todd Cochrane), Podcast Tips, Trust Factor, Spoken Life Show and Behind the EV Wheel. That's a lot of shows. Over the course of his career Rob has worked on the Zune Marketplace, where he helped develop and grow podcasting on the Zune platform. The first time I met him, he was at Spreaker and Voxnest where served as VP of Content and Partnerships, contributing to the development of tools and services for podcasters. (Spreaker was all about going Live back in the day) He also had a stint at PodcastOne as a VP, focusing on podcast content and monetization.

Rob continues to be an advocate for podcasters, frequently speaking at industry events, hosting panels, and educating others on podcasting trends, best practices, and technology.

As mentioned above, he co-hosts this popular podcast with Todd Cochrane. He was kind enough to ask me to guest-host the program while Todd was on assignment.

Rob Greenlee’s long-standing presence and contributions have made him a respected voice in the podcasting community, particularly for his focus on innovation and advocacy.

Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. Full of all the verbal diarrhea you never knew what you were missing in your life.

Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here.

Thanks to the following organizations for supporting the show:

Nlogic - TV & Radio Audience Data Solutions

Mary Anne Ivison at Ivison Voice. - Make her the female voice of your radio station.

Matt Fogarty Voiceovers - It's great to have Matt back for 2024 supporting our show. Make him the imaging voice for your radio station by contacting him through his website.

Megatrax - Licensed Music for your radio station or podcast production company.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Annalise Nielsen is the head of podcast strategy and development at Lower Street. We talked about the college years at Queen's University and how her professor was an early podfader in an attempt to create lecture podcasts. We also spent some time discussing her work at a Television station and later, Rogers and Pacific Content. She emphasized the importance of newsletters and targeted social media for podcast promotion. Nielsen also discussed the shift from video-heavy podcasts to clips and the potential for independent creators to thrive in the future.

Lower Street is a leading podcast production company and makes award winning branded podcasts.

Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. Full of all the verbal diarrhea you never knew what you were missing in your life.

Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here.

Thanks to the following organizations for supporting the show:

Nlogic - TV & Radio Audience Data Solutions

Mary Anne Ivison at Ivison Voice. - Make her the female voice of your radio station.

Matt Fogarty Voiceovers - It's great to have Matt back for 2024 supporting our show. Make him the imaging voice for your radio station by contacting him through his website.

Megatrax - Licensed Music for your radio station or podcast production company.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Thanks to our group sponsors: Rogers, Pattison Media, Corus Entertainment, iHeartRadio, Stingray, Vista Broadcasting, Harvard Media.

The Following summary of winners is from Broadcast Dialogue.

Pattison Media’s 102.3 NOW! Radio (CKNO-FM) Edmonton is among the multiple winners at the 2024 Canadian Radio Awards.

NOW! won Major Market Station of the Year, and Best On-Air Promotion (Major Market) for its “Swiftie-oke” contest, while Program Director Jay Stone captured Program Director of the Year (Major Market). The station was also the catalyst behind Best Community Service Initiative winner Alberta Day of Caring for Jasper, which saw the province’s radio stations come together to raise more than $1.5M to support those impacted by this summer’s wildfire.

Evanov Communications’ stations in Winnipeg won in multiple categories. Evanov Winnipeg’s Adam West captured Program Director of the Year (Medium Market), while the Energy 106 (CHWE-FM) morning show, Wheeler in the Morning, won Best On-Air Team (Music) (Medium Market). Energy 106 and Z103.5 (CIDC-FM) Toronto also won Best Imaging Production (Large Market), while their joint entry for HOT 100.5 (CFJL-FM) Winnipeg and LITE 92.1 (CKPC-FM) Brantford won in the Medium Market category.

Rogers Sports & Media’s CHEZ 106 Ottawa also captured two awards, including Station of the Year (Medium Market) and Best Community Service Initiative (Medium Market) for its DEEDS promotion.

In the small market categories, Fort St. John, BC independent station 100.1 Moose FM (CKFU-FM) picked up two awards. Program Director Chris Walker won Program Director of the Year (Small Market), while the station also won Best Podcast (Small Market) for Before the Peace, focused on telling the stories of the Indigenous and Métis peoples of B.C.’s Peace Region.

Kahnawake, Que. community station K1037 The Monster (CKRK-FM) also claimed two awards. Paul Graiff won Best Anchor/Reporter (Small Market), while Mitch Craig captured Best Imaging Voice (Small Market).

By network, Rogers Sports & Media led wins with 14, followed by Pattison Media with eight, while Evanov picked up a total of five wins. Bell Media won in four categories, with Corus Radio and Harvard Media each earning three awards. Vista Radio won two.

Find a full list of this year’s winners below. To listen to their award-winning audio and view this year’s runners-up, head to CanadianRadioAwards.com.

Best Anchor or Reporter – Sponsored by Burli 

Major Market

Richard Southern, 680 NewsRadio, (CFTR), Rogers Sports & Media, Toronto

Medium Market

Richard Duggan, VOCM-AM, (VOCM), Stingray, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador

Small Market

Paul Graif, K103.7 The Monster, (CKRK), Mohawk Radio, Kahnawake

Best Canadian Multi-Market Network Program

Major Market

Fearless Fred, Q107 / Power 97 / Edge / Big 101, (CILQ / CFQC / CJKR / CIQB ), Corus

Medium Market

Sam McDaid – Country Nights, (CKQC / CJOK / CKXC / CKBY / CIKZ / CJQM / CKAT / CJDL), Rogers Sports & Media

Small Market

Nick Liard – Regional Midday Show, (CJRQ / CJQQ / CKFX ), Rogers Sports & Media

Best On-Air Team or Host (News/Talk/Sports)

Major Market

Andrea Montgomery / Kelly Turner / Logan Stein / Tanya Blakeney / Phil Wood / Lauryn Heintz – Calgary Morning Show, 660 NewsRadio (CFFR), Rogers Sports & Media, Calgary, Alberta

Medium Market

Brett Megarry / Greg Mackling – The Start, 680 CJOB (CJOB), Corus, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Best On-Air Team or Host (Music)

Major Market

The Roz & Mocha Show, KiSS 92.5 (CKIS), Rogers Sports & Media, Toronto, Ontario

Medium Market

Wheeler in the Morning, Energy 106 (CHWE), Evanov Communications, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Small Market

Jason McCoy / Carey Moran, Pure Country 106 (CICX), Bell Media, Orillia, Ontario

Best On-Air Solo Host (Music)

Major Market

Lauren Hunter, Sonic 102.9 (CHDI), Rogers Sports & Media, Edmonton, Alberta

Medium Market

Katherine Dines, MOVE 100 (CJMJ), Bell Media, Ottawa, Ontario

Small Market

Robyn Thomson, KiSS 99.3 (CKGB), Rogers Sports & Media, Timmins

Music Director of the Year

Major Market

Katie Stanners, KiSS 91.7 (CHBN), Rogers Sports & Media, Edmonton, Alberta

Medium Market

Ian Sharek, Rogers Rock Radio, Rogers Sports & Media, Multiple Markets

Small Market

Courtney Rae, 106.1 The Goat (CKLM), Vista Radio, Lloydminster, Alberta

Program Director of the Year – Sponsored by Momentum Media 

Major Market

Jay Stone, 102.3 NOW! Radio (CKNO), UP! 99.3 (CIUP), Pattison Media, Edmonton, Alberta

Medium Market

Adam West, Energy 106 (CHWE), HOT 100.5 (CFJL), Evanov Communications, Winnipeg, Manitoba

Small Market

Chris Walker, 100.1 Moose FM (CKFU), Moose Media, Fort St John, British Columbia

Station of The Year – Sponsored by David Kaye / Kayeman Productions 

Major Market

102.3 NOW! Radio (CKNO), Pattison Media, Edmonton, Alberta

Medium Market

CHEZ 106 (CHEZ), Rogers Sports & Media, Ottawa, Ontario

Small Market

100.5 Cruz FM (CHFT), Harvard Media, Fort McMurray, Alberta

Sound of Success – Sponsored by Validate Audio Attribution

Major Market

What’s In A Name / Booster Juice, Rogers Sports & Media, National Campaign, Canada-wide

Small Market

Go Rock Campaign (CFLB), Novacast Media, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia 

Best Achievement in Engineering – Sponsored by leanStream 

All Markets

Daryll Donais, Hot Country 103, (CKHZ), Acadia Broadcasting, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Best Community or Campus Station – Sponsored by Community Radio Fund of Canada 

Major Market

VIBE 105 (CHRY), Canadian Centre for Civic Media and Arts Development Inc., Toronto, Ontario

Small Market

100.1 BayFM (CKVB), Bay of Islands Radio Inc. , Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador

Best Community Service Initiative – Sponsored By Broadcast Dialogue 

Major Market

Alberta Day Of Caring For Jasper, 102.3 NOW! (CKNO), UP! 99.3 (CIUP), Pattison Media, Edmonton, Alberta

Medium Market

DEEDS, 106.1 CHEZ (CHEZ), Rogers Sports & Media, Ottawa, Ontario

Small Market

Spirit Day, 101.3 the River (CKKN), 99.3 REWIND Radio (CKDV), Pattison Media, Prince George, British Columbia

Best Imaging Production – Sponsored by Benztown 

Major Market

Z103.5, (CIDC), Energy 106, (CHWE), Evanov Communications, Toronto, Ontario / Winnipeg, Manitoba

Medium Market

LITE 92.1, (CKPC), HOT 100.5, (CFJL), Evanov Communications, Brantford, Ontario / Winnipeg, Manitoba

Small Market

Pure Country 105, (CKQM), Bell Media, Peterborough, Ontario

Best Imaging Voice

Major Market

Corri English / Allan Peck / Jeff McKnight, STAR 95.9, (CHFM), Rogers Sports & Media, Calgary, Alberta

Medium Market

David Kaye, 104.9 The Wolf, (CFWF), Harvard Media, Regina, Saskatchewan

Small Market

Mitch Craig, K1037, The Monster, (CKRK), Mohawk Radio, Kahnawake

Best Performance in a Commercial

Major Market

Bob Johnstone, Amore Pasta – Love Pasta Again, The Eagle, (CKLR), Pattison Media, Courtenay, British Columbia

Medium Market

Dave Hiltz, FoCheezy, 107.5 Dave Rocks. (CJDV), Corus, Kitchener, Ontario

Small Market

Brian Viggiani, Georgian Bay Storage, LITE 99.3, (CJGB), Evanov Communications, Meaford, Ontario 

Best Commercial

Major Market

Oodle / Noodle – Improve Your Noodle, Play 107, (CKPW), Harvard Media, Edmonton, Alberta

Medium Market

Healthy Smiles / The Tooth Is Out There, BIG105 FM, (CHUB), Pattison Media, Red Deer, Alberta

Small Market

Fouillard Carpets, POWER99, (CFMM), Pattison Media, Prince Albert, Saskatchewan

Best On-Air Promotion – Sponsored by vcreative 

Major Market

102.3 NOW! Radio, (CKNO), Pattison Media, Edmonton, Alberta  

Medium Market

103.7 Virgin Radio, (CHBE), Bell Media, Victoria, British Columbia

Small Market

94.1 CJOC, (CJOC), Vista Radio, Lethbridge, Alberta

Best Podcast

Major Market

Sweethearts: Island Crime, Season 6, Rogers Frequency Network

Medium Market

Radio des Petits Hiboux, U Multicultural, U Radio

Small Market

Before The Peace, 100.1 Moose FM, (CKFU), Fort St. John, British Columbia

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We love having Fred Jacobs from Jacobs Media on the show to discuss things like Tech Survey and the AQ Study. What do listeners come to radio for? Well since 2018 it has been for personalities first, then music. I'm not sure what you are being told from your program director, but depending on the market or format, they could be working off some old thinking. We also spoke about the lack of women in various radio roles including on air and the need for more female program directors. We also discussed the disconnect between AI and innovation, and some of the perceptions that "podcasting is taking over" when in fact, most radio P1 listeners are not that interested in the medium. One of the more successful formats is Christian Radio when has all the things commercial radio strives for... an emotional connection with listeners. We also discussed the financial struggles of public radio.

If your radio station is interested in participating in the Tech Survey Study for 2025, click here.

Deadline is December 19.

Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. Full of all the verbal diarrhea you never knew what you were missing in your life.

Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here.

Thanks to the following organizations for supporting the show:

Nlogic - TV & Radio Audience Data Solutions

Mary Anne Ivison at Ivison Voice. - Make her the female voice of your radio station.

Matt Fogarty Voiceovers - It's great to have Matt back for 2024 supporting our show. Make him the imaging voice for your radio station by contacting him through his website.

Megatrax - Licensed Music for your radio station or podcast production company.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ian March, Program Director of Indy 88 in Toronto, discussed his 25-year radio career. He started at Sports Radio 1200 in Ottawa, then moved to Kingston for K Rock 1057. Ian became APD for Magic 100 and Bob FM in Ottawa, and later PD for New Country 94. He highlighted the impact of Gord Downie's death on K Rock, leading to a week of Tragically Hip music. Ian joined Indy 88, focusing on digital integration and targeting a broader audience. He noted the recent ownership change to Local Radio Lab and the challenges posed by CRTC approval delays. Ian emphasized the importance of consistency in ratings and the evolving nature of radio programming.

Thanks to the following organizations for supporting the show:

Nlogic - TV & Radio Audience Data Solutions

Mary Anne Ivison at Ivison Voice. - Make her the female voice of your radio station.

Matt Fogarty Voiceovers - It's great to have Matt back for 2024 supporting our show. Make him the imaging voice for your radio station by contacting him through his website.

Megatrax - Licensed Music for your radio station or podcast production company.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lisa Brandt's career in radio and voiceover is a testament to the power of versatility, resilience, and a willingness to embrace change. From her early days in small-town radio to her time at some of Toronto's most iconic stations, Brandt's story is one of navigating the evolving landscape of the industry with determination.

One of the most striking aspects of Lisa's journey is her ability to keep it young. Whether it was cueing records and producing commercials in the analog era, or pivoting to voice work when her radio career took an unexpected turn, Brandt has consistently demonstrated a knack for reinventing herself. Her openness to trying new things, from blogging to painting, has allowed her to maintain a creative spark and avoid the stagnation that can sometimes plague long-term media professionals.

Lisa's emphasis on the importance of community and support is also noteworthy. Her experiences working with talented programmers and personalities like Marty Forbes, Pat Holiday, and Erin Davis have underscored the value of surrounding oneself with like-minded individuals who can provide guidance, encouragement, and a sounding board.

Perhaps most significantly, her approach to managing the constant influx of news and information is a lesson in self-care of her mental health. She is selective in her news consumption and to prioritize her own well-being over obsessing over current events is a refreshing perspective in an era where anxiety and burnout are all too common.

Lisa has an excellent podcast with Erin Davis (who was on our show earlier this year), called Gracefully and Frankly. Follow that show if you know what is good for you.

By the way, if you want to know why we titled the episode the way we did - checkout the video of this episode.

Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. Full of all the verbal diarrhea you never knew what you were missing in your life.

Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here.

Thanks to the following organizations for supporting the show:

Nlogic - TV & Radio Audience Data Solutions

Mary Anne Ivison at Ivison Voice. - Make her the female voice of your radio station.

Matt Fogarty Voiceovers - It's great to have Matt back for 2024 supporting our show. Make him the imaging voice for your radio station by contacting him through his website.

Megatrax - Licensed Music for your radio station or podcast production company.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Legendary radio broadcaster John Leslie, shared his journey from building a three-watt transmitter in his bedroom to becoming a program director at WEIR in Weirton, West Virginia. He discussed his service in the Marine Corps, his early radio roles, and his transition to television. Leslie highlighted his significant achievements, including a 38 share in Binghamton, a 27 share in Des Moines, and a 22 share in Albany. He recounted his historic trip to the Soviet Union to broadcast uncensored, marking a pivotal moment in media history. Leslie also detailed his transition to podcasting and the success of his hypnotherapy seminars with John Morgan.

Connect with John's podcast Talking About Radio here. There are a lot of great episodes in here!

Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. Full of all the verbal diarrhea you never knew what you were missing in your life.

Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here.

Thanks to the following organizations for supporting the show:

Nlogic - TV & Radio Audience Data Solutions

Mary Anne Ivison at Ivison Voice. - Make her the female voice of your radio station.

Matt Fogarty Voiceovers - It's great to have Matt back for 2024 supporting our show. Make him the imaging voice for your radio station by contacting him through his website.

Megatrax - Licensed Music for your radio station or podcast production company.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We dive deep into the importance of audio promos for podcasts. Steve Goldstein, returns to make a compelling case for why every podcast needs a well-crafted audio promo.

Steve told us that as the podcast landscape becomes increasingly crowded, using owned media to promote your show is essential. However, he notes that promos are often overlooked, sitting low on the priority list for many podcasters. This is a missed opportunity, as an effective promo can hook listeners and drive them to tune in.

The key, Steve says, is to take a "right-brain" approach focused on storytelling and emotion, rather than just listing facts about the show. He advises against the common pitfall of creating a promo that is dry and overly logical. Instead, the goal should be to craft a short, attention-grabbing piece that piques the listener's curiosity.

Steve also emphasizes the importance of frequency, encouraging podcasters to "burn in" their promos rather than worrying about overexposure. He cites research showing the value of repetition in audio marketing. By investing the time to create compelling, story-driven promos, podcasters can better distinguish their shows and drive meaningful engagement with their audience.

If you are going to listen to one thing in the show - check out the his critique of our podcast promo. All to say, we will need a new one.

Check out the full blog with the 7 things you need to think about when making a promo.

Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. Full of all the verbal diarrhea you never knew what you were missing in your life.

Also we added the Sound Off Podcast to the The Open Podcast Prefix Project (OP3) A free and open-source podcast prefix analytics service committed to open data and listener privacy. You can be a nosey parker by checking out our downloads here.

Thanks to the following organizations for supporting the show:

Nlogic - TV & Radio Audience Data Solutions

Mary Anne Ivison at Ivison Voice. - Make her the female voice of your radio station.

Matt Fogarty Voiceovers - It's great to have Matt back for 2024 supporting our show. Make him the imaging voice for your radio station by contacting him through his website.

Megatrax - Licensed Music for your radio station or podcast production company.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our Quarterly Feed Drop. This is where we play an episode from another awesome podcast. You might remember a few week's back we had Jeff Umbro on the show. His show is called Podcast Perspectives and you should give it follow.

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 thrive.

In this episode of Podcast Perspectives, Jeff Umbro, host and The Podglomerate’s CEO and Founder, talks with Sean Howard, the founder and CEO of Flightpath, a predictive analytics platform for podcasting. Sean is also the founder of Fable and Folly, which is a network of fiction podcasts.

Sean and Jeff chat about his predictive dashboard, the data that goes into Flightpath, stories from Sean's past, and hints about the podcast industry's future.

You can listen to other Podcast Perspectives episodes here

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.