We're back, dear listeners! It's been a second, we know. Good thing not a lot has happened since our last episode. Kidding, of course. SO much has transpired that we figured we would focus this appendix of an episode on how COVID has impacted our industry - and our lives - in countless ways. And we invited a couple of our favorite industry veterans to help us with the convo - Brad Agens from Glocally and Jeremy Pope from Hearts & Science. Enjoy and - as always - let us know what you think!  

open/close music credit:

Artist: Coop a Loop

Song: Eat Your Fruit

Recorded just before the holidays, in this episode we were thrilled to speak with Jason Schulweis from MediaLink about 2019 trends in content. Topics include:

-Expectations for content creation and syndication in 2019 - innovation & trends for monetary gains in which areas etc.

-Regarding content syndication specifically - trends in how Americans are consuming content, and from what devices? 

-Will we start seeing more content creation coming from brands? E.g. brand as content studio, rather than product manufacturer. What does this mean for traditional networks and studios competing in the space? What are the pain points for brands when it comes to creating their own content? 

-How can consumers adequately select their content with so much to choose from - what do the searching and vetting options look like in 2019? Are there limits with so many choices? How can all these streaming options thrive?

-Are there any technological innovations coming in the content arena that will have a large impact in 2019?

-Demographic trends in content - are creators focused on certain generations in creating content?

-And of course, we launch with another segment of "What are we listening to this week?"  

Kristen and Dave speak with Jennifer Lane - Industry Lead for Audio from the IAB - to discuss some of the exciting developments in Audio. With podcasting and streaming audio exploding, and the potential for marketers continuing to grow & evolve, we were thrilled to speak to Jennifer about the following: 

-Why is an audio resurgence occurring -- what can we attribute such a quick rise in revenue growth to, and what makes audio so addicting for consumers? -A status on on programmatic audio -An update on where the IAB is with regard to audio measurement -How do metrics and tracking capabilities differ for radio, streaming and podcasting? -What are some of the new formats audio advertising is adopting outside of the 15 or 30 second spot?  +some thoughts on consolidation regarding technology players in the industry and potential for future growth

Kristen & Dave connect for an unscripted episode that encompasses:

-Exciting examples of how a news story can evolve from print journalism into a podcast and even into a TV series. 

-Cord-cutting - Kristen, a cord-cutter, asks Dave "Why haven't you cut the cord?"

-Viewpoints on the subscription/advertising debate & addressability in TV ads- the ads are starting to seem targeted.

+ some candid conversation on travel and podcast DIY fun!

Kristen and Dave were thrilled to welcome Michelle Aragon, SVP of Business Solutions at Magna Global, to discuss what the latest media mega-mergers--AT&T/Time Warner and Disney/Fox--mean for the rest of us? While these mergers generate excitement and headlines--what if you don't work for one of those companies or perhaps Google, Facebook, or Amazon--how do you add value for an advertiser? Michelle shares her perspective.  Please check out the episode, complete with another installment of "What are we listening to this week?"

Please check out our episode on self-publishing where Andrew gives us an amazing rundown on his process in getting his book, Hollywood's a Bitch, published.

Kristen and Dave welcome Marc Goldberg, CEO of Trust Metrics, for a state of the state regarding Brand Safety.

Kristen and Dave have a conversation with Jesse Grushack from ConsenSys, spanning some of the latest happenings in the cryptocurrency world, as well as how blockchain technology is currently impacting the media business, and what trends for the technology look like in the coming months. Also introduced in Episode 3: a new "What are we listening to?" feature!