The Sound Off Podcast

This week’s episode marks nine years of the Sound Off Podcast, and it’s a moment to reflect on how far we’ve come—and where we’re going. From upgrading our sound and socials, bringing on sponsors, to adding video in a world that now scrolls for connection, our show has evolved alongside the media landscape.

In this episode, I dig into what’s broken in radio: a system that stretches talent like Stretch Armstrong—asking for more with less—and a stubborn over-reliance on music in an era where listeners can get any song, any time. What keeps people tuning in? Spoiler: it’s not the music—it’s the personalities. So why aren’t we hearing more from them?

We also talk about recent radio layoffs, a nostalgic Winnipeg radio reunion, and why spoken word content is more valuable than ever. Plus, I share the details on my new Studiobricks booth. Yes Matt Cundill voiceovers is still a thing; even though I don't talk about it a lot on the show.

The listener survey can be found here. Complete it and I'll share with you, my Top 10 Podcast Hacks for 2025. 

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

Take our SURVEY Here!

Both the Sound Off Podcast and The Podcast Superfriends are apart of 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.

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

I've known Neil Veglio from his ongoing posts on LinkedIn, but I thought it would be fun to just say hello in a line up at the Podcast Show in London last month. Neal is the founder of PodKnows, a podcast production and coaching company out of the UK. He agreed to come on the show to share his journey from radio to podcasting, and why it is important to create value-driven content rather than focusing solely on monetization. We discussed the challenges of podcast marketing, including the pitfalls of buying downloads and gaming platform algorithms.

We talked about many of the podcast strategies he covers on his show Podcasting Insights with The Podmaster: growth advice for people and brands, such as the significance of websites, proper SEO, and audience engagement. Neil provides insights into podcast auditing, recommending creators critically listen to their older episodes and focus on improving content quality. Neal pointed out accurately that the current trend of video podcasting is excellent to disuss, but creators need to focus on the basics like the importance of choosing meaningful podcast titles.

Don't expect any knock 'em down drag 'em out fighting in this. We both believe success comes from creating authentic content that provides genuine value to listeners, rather than chasing vanity metrics.

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

Take our SURVEY Here!

Both the Sound Off Podcast and The Podcast Superfriends are apart of 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.

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

What is a podcast in 2025? We called in Rob Greenlee to provide insights into the evolving landscape of podcasting, focusing on the rise of video podcasting. He discusses how platforms like YouTube and Spotify are reshaping the industry, challenging traditional RSS-based distribution. We tried to land on the definition of a podcast, emphasizing content over distribution method.

We talked metrics, monetization, and content creation for new podcasters. Rob highlighted the importance of personal branding and adapting to technological changes, including the potential impact of AI on media. The group debates the future of local podcasting and the difficulties creators face in generating revenue. Things are changing. Fast.

⁠⁠A full transcription of the episode is available on our website.⁠⁠

Check out more from the Superfriends below:

Johnny Peterson - ⁠⁠⁠Johnny Podcasts⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.johnnypodcasts.com⁠⁠⁠

Catherine O’Brien -⁠⁠⁠ Branch Out Programs ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.branchoutprograms.com/⁠⁠⁠ 

Jon Gay: Jag in Detroit ⁠⁠⁠https://www.jagindetroit.com⁠⁠⁠

David Yas: Pod 617 -⁠⁠⁠ The Boston Podcast Network⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.pod617.com/⁠⁠⁠

Matt Cundill - ⁠⁠⁠The Sound Off Media Company⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://soundoff.network⁠⁠⁠ 

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

Both the Sound Off Podcast and The Podcast Superfriends are apart of 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

Take Our Survey here!

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

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.

I get back together with Terry Evans, the morning host at Edmonton's K97, to discuss life family and his new podcast Reluctantly. I warn you, we don't spend a ton of time talking about radio; more about radio life and family. Terry shares insights into his family's remarkable achievements: his son Riley, a drummer who has played at major international venues like Lollapalooza and Coachella, and his daughter Katie, who was recently crowned Canada's top bartender and will represent the country in a global competition.

The conversation explores Terry's long radio career, his initial hesitation about podcasting, and the vibrant Edmonton music scene that nurtured his son's talent. We reflect on the city's evolution, its diversity, and the supportive community that helped shape his family's success.

With humour and warmth, Terry discusses his health, multiple home moves, and the challenges of early morning radio. Terry has launched his new podcast Reluctantly, which my company is more than happy to assist with. His reaction to podcast creation has been much like the 1970's commercial for Life Cereal.

A Transcript and video of the show is available on our network page.

Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. Full of all the things 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.

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.

Steve Jones is the president of Stingray Radio. If you have been following him on Linked In, (and you should) you have been presented with many wild examples of what qualifies as Canadian content on the radio. We all have our favourites. Mine are the collection of songs circa 1991 like Rod Stewart's Rhythm of my Heart and Bonnie Riatt's Something to Talk About qualifying as Cancon, while the entire album of Bryan Adams' Waking Up The Neighbours is not. Over the years the list has grown, and now that our planet is more connected than ever with technology, there is a need for Canada to update how Cancon is determined.

Steve recognizes the lack of Canadian content recognition on streaming platforms and calls for a collaborative approach to modernize Canadian content rules.

I suggest during this conversation that the regulations for radio should also include spoken word content; the regs are already in place for television. Yes, we do this close to an hour and likely could have gone another hour.

A Transcript and video of the show is available on our network page.

Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. Full of all the things 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.

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.

It's been 8 and a half years since Fred has been on the show. He's not being ignored. I see him every year on various trips to Toronto. This year, I missed my spring trip so I thought we'd just record our usual call. We talked about Fred shares his transition from mornings at Edge 102 to afternoons at Q107, discussing the challenges of radio, mental health, and other crazy industry transitions. He reflects on mentors like Darrin Harvey and Dean Blundell who shaped his career, and candidly talks about his experiences with workplace changes and personal growth.

Fred has this love of comic books that I will never understand (and rather envy), his family and family life, and radio. We also explore critical industry topics like the impact of AI on creative fields, with Fred expressing strong concerns about intellectual property theft. I pushed back as I always do. (I also once suggested to Art Alexakis from Everclear that Napster was a good thing so you know how that conversation went, right?)

A Transcript and video of the show is available on our network page.

Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. Full of all the things 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.

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.

Michael Osborne is the co-host of the podcast Famous and Gravy - a podcast that explores the lives of deceased celebrities, going beyond typical obituaries to uncover lesser-known aspects of their stories. Co-created with Ahmed Kapoor during the COVID-19 lockdown, the podcast aims to understand celebrities as symbolic representations of societal dreams and fears. As the bio says on their website, they are "close friends and back patio academics who are not what they once thought they were."

Michael shares his story from being a PhD student in climate science to becoming a podcast creator. Starting with early inspirations like "This American Life" and Marc Maron, he developed a passion for storytelling through audio.

After gaining traction as an independent show, "Famous and Gravy" was picked up by Wondery, a major podcast network. Osborne emphasizes the importance of thorough research, engaging storytelling, and maintaining creative control while providing inspiration for emerging podcast creators.

A Transcript and video of the show is available on our network page.

Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. Full of all the things 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.

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.

Valerie Geller is back with an updated edition of Beyond Powerful Radio, a must-have guide for today’s audio communicators navigating podcasting, social media, storytelling, and AI. Six years in the making, the book will continue to act as a companion for any content creator.

Staying true to her core principles—tell the truth, never be boring, and make it matter—Valerie urges content creators to focus on authenticity, listener relevance, and compelling storytelling. We dove into th "prism method," a storytelling technique that adds depth by exploring multiple perspectives.

We also covered the rise of AI and reaffirm the need for human creativity to be apart of that process. I zeroed in carefully on what has been lacking in broadcasting over the last decade, and that's risk-taking. Valerie's words offer actionable advice for podcasters, including how to craft promos, conduct meaningful interviews through deep listening, and how to build a consistent content strategy. She emphasizes the importance of refining content before promotion and understanding the difference between writing for the eye and the ear.

Drawing on her work with over 500 radio and TV stations and 100 podcasts, Beyond Powerful Radio is invigorating and inspiring—ideal for broadcasters, podcasters, and journalists adapting to new platforms and striving to truly connect with their audiences.

You can get your copy of the book through the publisher, Routledge or Amazon.

If you teach or train? There’s a full accompanying Instructor Manual available for download here:   

If you would like Valerie to work with your performers and creators, please contact her through her website.

A Transcript and video of the show is available on our network page.

Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. Full of all the things 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.

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.

Jordan Blair first fell in love with the storytelling in podcasts. Then she started a bedtime story podcast called Dreamful Bedtime Stories; initially for her children, but unexpectedly evolving to attract a diverse audience of adults seeking relaxing content. Her podcasting journey involved extensive research like listener surveya and using Buzzsprout's resources and community. She experimented with monetization strategies like listener support, affiliate marketing, and sponsorships, always prioritizing brand alignment.

Jordan became deeply involved with Buzzsprout, first as a community moderator and later as a co-host of the Buzzcast podcast. She is a big fan of the Rodecaster Duo and we spent a litte time at the end of the show geeking out over a few tech toys.

Buzzsprout is a great places to host your podcast, especially if you are starting out. There is an excellent Facebook Group (where you can find Jordan moderating), a great Tuesday Newsletter and companion podcast, and now a Reddit group.

A Transcript and video of the show is available on our network page.

Please sign up for the SOUNDING OFF Newsletter. Full of all the things 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.

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.