We're back with Part 2 of our conversation with Arielle Hurst and Brett McGowan, the founders of Vinyl TV - a platform rethinking what streaming can be when you put people, community, local culture, and human creativityback at the center. In Part 1, we talked about where Vinyl TV came from, the problems with the current streaming landscape, and why the founders believe media needs more of a scene and less of an algorithm. Now we're getting into the how. Arielle and Brett take us inside some of Vinyl TV's upcoming features, including their Watch Party and City Layer, and explain how they're designing technology to create connections between viewers, creators, artists, and the places they live. We also talk about their backgrounds in tech, media, and business, the challenges of building a new media company, music licensing, the role of AI, and why Vinyl TV is intentionally focused on human-made work. And then we get nostalgic. From vinyl records and physical media to the feeling of discovering something because a person recommended it to you, we explore what digital platforms can learn from the tactile, communal experiences of the past - and how those ideas might help create a more connected media future. This conversation ultimately comes down to a simple question: What would media look like if it were built around people instead of platforms? Arielle Hurst and Brett McGowan's backgrounds in tech, media, and businessVinyl TV's upcoming Watch Party featureThe City Layer and connecting media to the places where we liveUsing technology to strengthen local community rather than replace itThe importance of local arts, events, and artistsThe realities of building a new media startupMusic licensing and the challenges facing independent platformsAI, creativity, and why Vinyl TV wants to preserve human-made mediaWhat physical media and vinyl can teach today's digital platformsNostalgia as a tool for creating connectionSupporting filmmakers, musicians, and local creators directlyBuilding a more affordable and accessible creator ecosystemThe relationship between technology, storytelling, art, and societyVinyl TV's vision for a more human-centered media landscape Vinyl TV Submit your film — films@vinyl.tv Vinyl TV on Instagram Vinyl TV on LinkedIn Looking for something cool to do in New York? Check out One Cool Thing NYC — a weekly newsletter highlighting interesting things happening around the city, from arts and culture to events and experiences worth getting off the couch for. Thanks for listening to GateCrashers! If you missed it, go back and listen to Part 1 of our conversation with Vinyl TV, and follow the show so you don't miss what's next. Connect Production: @foxandsiren.productions Makayla: @iammakaylamcintosh Cat: @catyudaintea Makayla’s Substack:Siren Makayla Substack Cat’s Substack:Cat Yudain Substack Email: foxandsirenproductions@gmail.com GateCrashers Podcast theme by the incomparable Derek Graham Sound //Website: DGSound.netInstagram: @dgrahamsound
