Monday Memo: Podcasting Pitfalls (and How to Avoid Them)
By Holland Cooke
Consultant
The most common mistake podcasters make is assuming the microphone alone creates an audience. Too many would-be hosts hit Record without a clear strategy for WHY they’re doing a show, WHO it’s for, and what makes it DIFFERENT from millions of other podcasts.
Here’s where radio people have an edge. They already understand what makes audio work, fundamentals instructive to pure-play podcasters:
Know your listener. The #1 podcasting error is failing to define the audience. A show that tries to appeal to “everyone” ends up resonating with no one. In radio, you wouldn’t program an AC station to please hard rock fans; the same logic applies here. Create a mental picture of your ideal listener and talk to that person… as an individual. A radio show might have thousands of listeners, but they’re listening one-at-a-time. Podcasting is even more intimate. It’s the opposite of “Hi everybody.”
Prep like it matters. Many podcasters think conversation is enough. But even the loosest-sounding successful shows are tightly structured. Radio taught you this already: segments, clocks, and story arcs keep things moving. Format your podcast.
Edit ruthlessly. The average podcast listener has thousands of options. Rambling is death. Trimming, pacing interviews, and cutting inside jokes shows respect for your listener’s time. Walking-the-walk, TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison takes a mere 44 seconds to explain in this video.
Be consistent. If your show drops sporadically, you won’t build loyalty. Listeners want reliability, whether weekly, biweekly, or monthly. Radio wouldn’t move a morning show around the schedule; don’t do it with your podcast.
Think discoverability. A podcast isn’t a “Field of Dreams” (if you build it, they will come). Great audio needs marketing: social media clips, smart SEO in show notes, cross-promotion, and ideally, visibility on your broadcast platforms.
Make it about them, not you. This is the big one. Too many podcasts are self-indulgent — hosts talking about what interests them. Successful shows flip the script: What does my audience care about, and how can I deliver it in a way only I can?
The bottom line: Radio has invested 100 years doing what podcasting is just learning — creating focused, disciplined, listener-first audio. Bring those habits with you, and you’ll click, while others are still figuring it out.
Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a media consultant working at the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke
sales effect within six months. Podcasts and AM/FM radio also performed strongly in long-term brand building with impressive brand effects beyond six months. The story notes that the Effie Awards are based on growth factors such as incremental revenue, profit, market share, new customers, loyalty, and price sensitivity. Brands that win Effie Awards drive impressive revenue, profit, and brand effects. The stronger the Effie performance, the greater the ROI and business results. The key takeaway is that “some media do well with short-term impact but have a harder time creating future demand (contesting, promotions, search, digital display). Other media are adept at brand building and creating future demand but have difficulty with short-term sales effect (creators/influencers, TV, PR, online video/CTV, and print). AM/FM radio and podcasts are unique in their ability to drive both short-term sales as well as long-term brand effects.” 
These aren’t just bulletin boards. They’re extensions of your station, where listeners expect to be acknowledged and advertisers expect to see results.
solutions organization Magid, the RTDNA examines trust in journalism among younger news consumers in 2025. It published the findings earlier this summer. Now, news pros can watch a recording of the webinar that the two organizations conducted to walk journalists through the findings and help them understand how they can improve trust among the next generation of news consumers. 
number of issues based on data from Edison Research’s ongoing Share of Ear study. One aspect of AM/FM radio’s strength is its ability to reach the country’s political segments. The post notes, “Among registered voters, AM/FM radio has a 67% share of ad-supported audio, followed by podcasts (20%). Whether the target is Independents, Republicans, or Democrats, AM/FM radio shares are in the mid-60s to low 70s.” 
Sure, radio’s superpower is that we’re live. But 75% of all advertising dollars are now spent on digital. And Netflix, YouTube, and podcast platforms have conditioned consumers to expect that their content will wait for them (“on-demand”), not the other way around (“linear,” meaning real-time on-air). If your best content disappears the moment it airs, you’re leaking value. Think: time-shifted, searchable, and shareable.
our airwaves free from government influence. The First Amendment affords our stations – and all Americans – this fundamental right, and the mere perception that broadcasters acted because of undue pressure is a problem for our credibility and the trust we have built with our audiences.
Don’t let Halloween sneak-up on you. The only holiday Americans spend more for is Christmas. So – to seem more in-touch than your robotic and/or non-local audio competitors – plan something spook-tacular.
her SiriusXM podcast, former FOX News Channel star Megyn Kelly criticized FOX for, as she calls it, talking like he was theirs. “It’s really bothering me how FOX News is talking about Charlie, like he was theirs — he wasn’t. It’s a lie. Just stop.” Kelly accuses FOX of making Kirk persona non grata after the company fired Tucker Carlson because Kirk was supportive of Carlson. The story from Newsmax adds that “Kirk appeared to be completely absent from FOX News in 2023 after Carlson’s firing and early 2024 – though Kelly claimed the network would give him brief appearances to cover for their effective ban.” The Newsmax piece goes on to quote Kirk on the matter. “Since Tucker’s departure, I haven’t been on. And so we had to do an event without FOX. And that was a great thing, man, because sometimes desperation is the mother of innovation, right?” 
that listening has grown across all demographics and time periods versus the Fall 2024 Nationwide report. Some key takeaways are: 1) Among persons 25-54, total U.S. AM/FM radio AQH has grown +6%, powered by a +19% increase in the Portable People Meter markets; 2) Weekends and nights have the greatest growth compared to Fall 2024; 3) Versus Fall 2024, Spring 2025 total U.S. audience growth is greater among men versus women and has increased in older demographics; and 4) Total U.S. Spring 2025 audience growth is up significantly among college graduates and upscale $75K+ income Americans. The blog post notes that the PPM audience growth is due to Nielsen’s three-minute qualifier modernization, which provides a significantly more comprehensive and realistic definition of AM/FM radio’s audience and their listening behavior. Nielsen found 23% of PPM listening occasions were three or four minutes. Under the old five-minute listening qualifier rule, none of this tuning would have received listening credit. Effective with the January 2025 PPM survey, Nielsen began crediting tuning occasions that are three minutes or greater. 
Radio programmers and sales managers know the drill: The GM drops an idea, a client makes a request, or a listener offers feedback – and the reflex is to jump straight into execution. But what if the real opportunity lies not in what’s asked for, but in what’s actually needed?
Bruce DuMont
The Museum of Broadcast Communications announces the selection of eight new Legends inductees into the Radio Hall of Fame for 2025, recognizing radio broadcasters who have passed away. This year’s inductees include longtime WLS-AM, Chicago morning drive cohost Don Wade and nationally syndicated host Dale Sommers “The Truckin’ Bozo.” Radio Hall of Fame co-chair Kraig Kitchin comments, “Each of these individuals contributed to the growth and vibrance of our radio industry and are worthy of induction. I’m thrilled to see recognition for their talents and efforts and heartened that their family, friends and colleagues can witness this well-deserved honor.” 
The Cumulus Media | Westwood One Audio Active Group unveils an audio planning guide based on data from Edison Research and Nielsen data. Saying that there are incorrect assumptions among strategists and media planners about which audio media have the most listeners, chief insights officer Pierre Bouvard underscores that AM/FM radio is still the dominant ad-supported audio platform with a 66% share. Podcasting is second with a 20% share and this is true across all demographics. For those who are all-in on digital audio only, Bouvard says they are missing 70% of the potential audience as ad-supported Spotify, Pandora and podcasts reach only 30% of the U.S. in a typical day. Further, Bouvard says the data suggests an optimal allocation of audio ad spend: “The ideal allocation for a 25-54 audio plan is 62% AM/FM radio, 24% podcasts, 12% music streaming (Pandora, Spotify, Amazon Music, and YouTube Music), and 2% SiriusXM satellite radio.” 
My kitchen faucet wouldn’t shut off. It died, of old age. Things start doing that when your “new” house turns 25.
After 40 years on the air in the Rochester market, legendary radio personality Brother Wease is exiting iHeartMedia’s talk WAIO-FM where he’s been hosting the late morning show for the past two years (he’d been hosting the morning drive show there since November of 2008). According to the Democrat & Chronicle, Brother Wease told his audience that the company is flipping the talk station to rock and he, along with air personality Deanna King, are being let go. Brother Wease launched his on-air career on rock WCMF in 1984 in overnights and moved to morning drive in 1985. The show took off and became a highly successful one in the market for years. He left WCMF in late 2007 after contract talks with then-Entercom broke down and resurfaced on WAIO. 
According to a report in Barron’s, Premiere Networks talk host Buck Sexton filing a federal lawsuit against RAD Diversified REIT, alleging they defrauded him of more than $100,000. In the complaint, Sexton alleges that RAD founders Dutch Mendenhall and Amy Vaughn solicited cash from him for investment coaching for property deals, neither of which ever happened. The story notes that this suit comes just weeks after Florida’s attorney general announced a probe into RAD saying the firm “appears to be a Ponzi scheme.” Sexton’s attorney writes in the complaint, “Despite being an experienced real estate investor, Mr. Sexton was taken in by the documents and investment returns touted by Mendenhall and his representatives. The defendants’ grand promises of sweeping returns never materialized.” 
Nashville “102.5 The Game” after being unable to strike a deal to renew his show. The new program will air live weekdays at 2:00 pm and goes online as a podcast by 3:30 pm that day. He tells the paper, “I was fortunate enough to have what I feel is an incredibly loyal core audience and I plan to provide for them a daily show every day that isn’t behind a paywall and 440 Sports gives me that opportunity. With very limited commercial interruption, the podcast should be able to get most people in Nashville through their afternoon commute.” 
He previously hosted his show on crosstown WJBE-AM. In making room for Basilio on WKGN, Bob Baskerville moved to afternoon drive to team up with Russell Smith in afternoons. Basilio says, “Bob has been really accommodating and gracious. They’ve got talented people on that station. I’m proud to be a part of it.” Read 
Why I love going on sales calls with station reps: Meeting retailers, who have SUCH a feel for their customers’ (our listeners’) mindset. Following-up
role is vital to bringing our brand to life through on-air, digital, and community engagement initiatives. The ideal candidate will thrive in a fast-paced environment, enjoy working with people, and bring creative energy to our promotions and marketing efforts.