The Podcast Superfriends

Matt Cundill, Jon Gay, and Catherine O’Brien dig into the growing pile of tools, platforms, and metrics shaping podcast production today. The conversation starts with a key question for creators and clients: are downloads still the best measure of success, or is time spent listening becoming the more meaningful number? The group looks at the challenge of tracking audience behaviour across audio, video, Spotify, YouTube, and social platforms, where the old podcast measurement rules do not always apply. They also compare production tools including Riverside, Descript, Adobe, OneStream, and AI platforms, weighing features against cost, convenience, and workflow friction. Catherine highlights the importance of strong headlines and audience-first positioning, while Jon and Matt examine how subscription creep is forcing producers to rethink their software stack. It is a practical, candid episode about choosing tools that reduce hassle, improve output, and help podcasters focus on the work that actually matters. Both Johnny and David will be back next week. The Products we spoke about: Here’s a list of the products/services mentioned, with official links and approximate US prices (these change frequently) Riverside – from approx. $19/month (paid plans, annual discounts available)   StreamYard – https://streamyard.com – from approx. $25/month (Basic) and $49/month (Professional, annual billing)   OneStream Live – from approx. $10–$39/month depending on plan   Descript (incl. Rooms) – from approx. $15/month (Creator) and $30/month (Pro, annual billing)   Spotify for Podcasters – free hosting   Simplecast – from approx. $15/month (Basic)   ART19 – enterprise/network pricing (contact Roddy or Andy) - Matt can connect you. Libsyn – from approx. $7/month   Headliner – free tier; paid from approx. $8–$15/month   Adobe Audition – included in Adobe Creative Cloud (All Apps approx. $60–$70/month)   Adobe Premiere Pro – approx. $23–$35/month as a single app; also in All Apps   Adobe Podcast Enhance – limited free use; paid around $9.99/month or $99/year   iZotope RX – RX Elements often around $99; Standard/Advanced in the several‑hundred‑dollar range (frequent sales)   Levelator – free   ChatGPT Plus (OpenAI) – $20/month   Claude – free tier; Claude Pro around $20/month   Grok (via X) – included with some X Premium tiers; Premium/Premium+ roughly $8–$16/month   CoSchedule Headline Analyzer / Headline Studio – free tier; Pro/Headline Studio around $9–$20/month or about $100/year   Shure SM7B – street price around $399   Shure SM7dB – street price around $499   RØDE PodMic – https://rode.com – around $99   Focusrite Scarlett (e.g., 2i2) – common models around $130–$230   RØDECaster Duo – around $499   RØDECaster Pro II – around $699   Dropbox – personal plans from approx. $9.99–$11.99/month (annual billing)   Google Drive (Google One) – https://one.google.com – from $1.99/month (100 GB)   Starlink – hardware around $500+; service often $120–$150+/month depending on plan/region   X Premium (Twitter) – https://x.com/premium – roughly $8–$16/month depending on tier   Microsoft 365 – personal/family from approx. $6.99–$9.99/month (Copilot add‑ons extra)   See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There is stuff in Podcasting that keeps us up at night. So we tried to answer our own questions the best we could. We discussed various aspects of podcasting, including audience engagement, analytics, and budgeting. Johnny Podcasts emphasized the importance of email lists and surveys for long-term data collection. David Yas highlighted the need for high-quality microphones, recommending the Samson Q2U and Rode PodMic. The group debated the value of podcast awards, with Catherine O'Brien suggesting they can be a marketing opportunity. They also discussed using AI for thumbnails and the importance of vetting podcast studios. The episode concluded with a discussion on the cost-effectiveness of starting a podcast, estimating a budget of around $100 for essential equipment. Here are the links to a number of the products we talked about: Johnny talked about a product he is using called Remini which is an AI photo enhancement tool. It solves the problem of getting hi-resolution photos from your guests. Here is our Microphone Recommendation list: Samson Q2U (USB/XLR dynamic microphone)   RØDE PodMic (XLR dynamic broadcast mic)   Shure MV7 (USB/XLR dynamic podcast mic)   MOTU M2 (USB-C audio interface)   FIFINE USB/XLR microphone MAONO PD300x USB/XLR Dynamic Mic Under no circumstances should you be using a Blue Yeti. Interfaces: Focusrite Scarlett audio interfaces (e.g., 2i2, Solo, etc.)   See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

David Yas hosts with Johnny Podcasts, Matt Cundill, and Jon Gay (Jag) to dig into what makes podcast content truly compelling. Catherine is on vacation and we missed her dearly. They start with opening strategies, debating cold opens versus concise scripted intros. Johnny and Jag explain how they mine transcripts and use tools like Descript and Riverside to find strong teaser clips, while Matt argues for a tightly written 30–45 second intro that clearly explains why listeners should stay. The group then explores recurring segments—Jag in favor for structure and professionalism, Matt mostly against them unless they’re genuinely great, and Johnny suggesting they can help hosts “land the plane” at the end of an interview. They cover introducing guests without reading boring bios, prepping and calming guests technically and emotionally, and how to handle episodes that aren’t good enough to air. The episode closes with practical interview advice: listen deeply, avoid constant verbal tic responses, embrace silence, prep thoroughly so you can be spontaneous, and always protect your audience’s time and attention. Work With 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  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Apple’s new HLS-based video podcast initiative is the focus of this episode of Podcast Superfriends with guest Justin Jackson of Transistor.fm. Justin explains what HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) is, why it was originally created by Apple, and how chunked, adaptive streaming makes video more practical than traditional large downloads. He outlines Apple’s decision to deliver video via API partners rather than RSS, the ad-tech angle (Apple taking a fee per ad delivery), and why only certain ad-network-backed hosts are in the first wave. The group digs into technical hurdles (re-encoding, multiple resolutions, manifests, separate audio tracks), costs versus free hosting on YouTube/Spotify, and the new paradigm where one video file powers both video and audio experiences. They debate editing compromises, listener expectations, and how younger audiences increasingly define “podcasts” as YouTube-style video. Justin frames it all as “playing the game on the field” while still being bullish on RSS and the open ecosystem. Also, in case you missed Podcast Movement Evolutions at SXSW, there's a pretty big update on Apple Podcasts' upcoming HLS video feature: It will soon be supported by Transistor, Audiomeans, PodBean, Captivate, RSS.com and Podigee, alongside previously-announced supporters Acast, Omny, ART19 and Simplecast. Work With 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  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Podcast Superfriends welcome podcast editor and community leader Steve Stewart to discuss the craft and business of podcast editing. Steve shares how he went from financial blogger and podcaster in the FinCon community to a full‑time editor after well-known bloggers asked him to “just handle everything after we hit record.” He explains how early tools like Audacity and basic mics evolved into today’s ecosystem of AI-assisted workflows, transcription tools, and plugins, and why efficiency and smart processes are key to profitability. The group explores what “podcast editor” really means today—often extending into producer, manager, and strategist roles including show notes, media host management, dynamic ad insertion, and client coaching. Steve stresses niching down (his is personal finance), delivering excellent customer service, and getting clients through referrals, in‑person events, and industry conferences. He also describes his work building the Podcast Editors Club and Podcast Editor Academy to train and support editors worldwide. Sign Up For Steve's Newsletter here Join the Facebook Group here And finally - Steve mentioned a nice price for registering for his Podcast Editor's Academy. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.