New Media Show (Video)

Rob Greenlee

New Media Show with Host Rob Greenlee formerly co-hosted with Todd Cochrane RIP discussing the new media and podcasting space with new weekly guest co-hosts.

  1. Is New Media Replacing the Creator Economy? | Ollie Forsyth #668 (Video)

    2d ago ·  Video

    Is New Media Replacing the Creator Economy? | Ollie Forsyth #668 (Video)

    In episode 668 of the New Media Show, host Rob Greenlee talks with Ollie Forsyth, founder of New Economies and New-Media.co, about the fast-changing meaning of “New Media” and why creator-led media is becoming one of the most important shifts in digital publishing, podcasting, video, newsletters, live streaming, and AI-powered content. The conversation begins with a bigger question: what does “New Media” mean now? For years, the term New Media has described digital media outside traditional broadcast, print, and cable. But in 2026, the meaning is changing again. New Media is becoming less about a format and more about who the audience trusts, where attention is moving, and how creators are building direct relationships through podcasts, YouTube channels, newsletters, X, Instagram, live shows, private communities, short-form clips, and emerging AI-generated formats. Ollie shares how New-Media.co started as a mapping project focused on tech newsletters, podcasts, and creator-led media brands, and quickly became a broader signal that a new category is forming. New Media is no longer just a description of online content. It is becoming a business, creator, and distribution category. Rob and Ollie explore whether podcasting is still its own category or is becoming one lane within a larger New Media ecosystem. Rob brings the long history of podcasting, RSS, video podcasting, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Netflix, and creator platforms into the discussion, asking whether the word “podcast” is still enough to describe what audiences now consume. A major theme in this episode is the difference between audience size and audience value. Ollie argues that creators do not always need massive audiences if they have focused, valuable, trusted communities. A show with 5,000 highly relevant listeners or viewers can be more valuable than a much larger audience that does not convert or engage. The discussion also moves into traditional media and why legacy media companies may struggle to adapt to this new creator-led environment. Ollie says the difference is not just production quality. It is the vibe, the trust, the format, and the feeling that audiences are getting access to something more direct and less institutional. Rob and Ollie also talk about how X, Instagram, YouTube, newsletters, and short-form clips are becoming the new media distribution stack. YouTube remains central for video and long-form discovery, while X and Instagram are becoming powerful platforms for attention and conversation for creators and media brands. The final part of the episode turns to AI-generated content, synthetic media, AI micro-dramas, AI-generated podcasts, disclosure, and audience trust. Rob raises the tension around the term “AI slop” and whether the podcast industry is reacting differently to bad AI content than it has historically reacted to bad human-created content. Ollie argues that AI can help create new forms of content, but it cannot replace the human element, charisma, taste, and trust that make a real show work. This episode lands on a core New Media Show idea: podcasting helped build the foundation of today’s creator-led media world, but the next era is broader, more video-driven, more AI-assisted, more platform-diverse, and more dependent on human trust than ever before. Key Topics: What “New Media” means in 2026 Why creator-led media is gaining cultural and business influence New Media vs. the creator economy How New-Media.co maps creators, newsletters, podcasts, and media brands Why podcasting may now be one lane inside a broader media ecosystem Audience size vs. audience value Why niche audiences can be more powerful than mass reach How creators are building multi-platform distribution systems YouTube, X, Instagram, Substack, newsletters, and short-form video The role of clips in modern media growth Why traditional media struggles to capture the creator-led “vibe” How legacy media companies could partner with creators Why “podcast” may be an audience term more than a creator identity Netflix, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and the shifting meaning of shows AI-generated podcasts, AI micro-dramas, and synthetic content Disclosure and transparency around AI-created media Why human taste, trust, charisma, and curation still matter The future of podcasting inside the larger New Media category Chapter Markers: 00:00 Welcome to New Media Show #668 00:30 Why New Media Is Entering a New Era 01:30 Introducing Ollie Forsyth 03:00 What New Media Means Now 04:00 How New-Media.co Started 05:30 Why the New Media Category Is Gaining Attention 06:30 Mapping the New Media Landscape 08:00 How Creators Get Discovered 10:00 Creator Economy vs. New Media 11:30 Why OpenAI and TBPN Became a Signal 13:30 Audience Value vs. Audience Size 16:30 Timely vs. Timeless Content 18:00 Why Distribution Channels Matter 20:00 Are Podcasters Becoming Creators? 21:30 AI Micro-Dramas and New Entertainment Formats 23:00 Short-Form Content and Creator ROI 25:00 Building Multiple Distribution Channels 27:00 Is Podcasting Still the Right Term? 29:00 Apple Podcasts, HLS Video, and YouTube’s Influence 31:30 New Media as a Broader Category 32:30 Why AI Companies Want New Media Shows 33:30 Why Legacy Media Struggles to Adapt 35:00 The Vibe Difference Between Traditional Media and Creator Media 37:00 X, Instagram, and the New Distribution Stack 40:30 YouTube, Video, and Future-Proofing Media Brands 43:00 Planning Content Like a Media Company 45:00 Is Podcasting One Lane on a Bigger Freeway? 48:00 Why Creators Need More Than One Channel 50:00 Does the Audience Care What We Call It? 52:00 Is It Just a Show Now? 53:30 Netflix, YouTube, and Audience Expectations 55:00 Is New Media Here to Stay? 56:30 Taste, Attention, and Human Connection 58:30 AI-Generated Content and Podcasting’s Reaction 01:00:30 AI Disclosure and Transparency 01:02:00 AI Micro-Dramas and Synthetic Media 01:03:30 Can AI Replace the Human Element? 01:05:00 Bad AI Content vs. Bad Human Content 01:07:00 Why YouTube Raises the Production Bar 01:09:00 Why Human Curation Still Matters 01:11:00 Where New Media Goes Next 01:13:00 Closing Thoughts Guest and Host Links Guest: Ollie Forsyth Founder, New Economies and New-Media.co New Media: new-media.co New Economies: neweconomies.co Host: Rob Greenlee New Media Show: NewMediaShow.com Rob Greenlee: RobGreenlee.com Podcast Hall of Fame: PodcastHall.com Rob Greenlee on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/robgreenlee Rob Greenlee Booking: calendly.com/robgreenlee About the Host/Author: Rob Greenlee is a 2017 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee and Chair, a global new-media leader who bridges podcasting’s human roots and its AI-driven future. As founder of Trust Factor Lab and host of the New Media Show and Spoken Human, Rob helps creators start, grow, monetize, and future-proof their content. He has held leadership roles at Microsoft, Spreaker, Libsyn, StreamYard, Podbean, and PodcastOne, and serves as Chairperson of the Podcast Hall of Fame. Personal / AI Disclosure Note: I used AI tools to help organize and edit this episode description and generate show notes from the episode transcript. The views, clarifications, responsibility, and industry perspective are mine and my guest’s. I have been working in podcasting, digital media, and platform adoption for more than two decades, and this article reflects my own position and editorial direction. The post Is New Media Replacing the Creator Economy? | Ollie Forsyth #668 first appeared on New Media Show.

  2. Real-Time AI Is Changing Live Sports Media | Shalini Ananda, Ph.D. #667 (Video)

    5d ago ·  Video

    Real-Time AI Is Changing Live Sports Media | Shalini Ananda, Ph.D. #667 (Video)

    In episode 667 of the New Media Show, hosted by 2017 Podcast Hall of Famer Rob Greenlee, Rob talks with  Shalini Ananda, Ph.D., Founder and CEO of Neuron Systems, about how real-time AI is changing live sports media, fan engagement, creator workflows, and the future of interactive content. This episode starts with sports, but it becomes a broader New Media conversation about the next-generation layer of interaction between humans and AI-generated media infrastructure. Neuron Systems is building a multi-agent AI platform for live sports content, including NBA and FIFA World Cup 2026 debates, video clips, quote cards, viral social media scripts, real-time voice commentary, fan-driven questions, and multilingual interaction. Rob and Shalini discuss how custom roles given to AI agents can become part of a new interactive media experience in which fans do more than just watch or listen. They can ask questions, shape debates, co-sign takes, create clips, and interact with AI-powered sports personalities in real time. Shalini also walks through how Neuron Systems works as a creator platform. Fans can join live huddles, talk with AI agents, follow different AI personalities, participate in faction-style engagement, and use higher-level creator tools to build agents, automate content pipelines, and connect content workflows to platforms like YouTube. The conversation also explores what this means beyond sports, including podcasting, live video, audience participation, AI-generated content, labeling, guardrails, trust, and the future of human-AI collaboration. Rob frames the larger question this way: if podcasting and digital media have long wanted deeper audience interaction, is real-time AI becoming the infrastructure layer that finally makes that possible at scale? Key Topics Timestamps: 0:00 — Intro & Welcome 1:04 — Meet Shalini & Neuron Systems 1:59 — Vision: Real-Time Fan Engagement with AI Agents 3:19 — Hybrid Human + AI Experience 4:10 — Personalization & Cross-Language Connection 7:12 — Specialized Agents & LoRA Fine-Tuning 10:03 — The Human’s Role in an AI World 11:28 — AI Doomsday vs. Reality 16:21 — Platform Walkthrough: Huddles & Live Agents 19:48 — Subscription Tiers & Faction HQ 23:30 — Creating Your Own Agents & Sentiment Engine 26:01 — Factions, Followers & Fan Communities 28:50 — Evolution of Podcasting into AI Conversations 31:16 — Guardrails, Hallucinations & AI Labeling 32:38 — AI Slop vs. Human Slop 37:15 — Spinning Up Shows Every Hour 41:16 — Leagues, Broadcasters & Generational Shift 45:59 — Shalini’s Background & Path to Neuron 47:25 — What’s Next: Beyond Sports 52:00 — Simplifying the Platform & Final Thoughts 53:17 — Outro Guest and Show Links Shalini Ananda, Ph.D., Founder and CEO of Neuron Systems Neuron Systems: https://neuronsystems.org/ Shalini Ananda LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shalinianandaphd Shalini Ananda on X: https://x.com/Shalini_Ananda Host Rob Greenlee and Show Links: New Media Show: https://newmediashow.com/ Rob Greenlee: https://robgreenlee.com/ Adore Network: https://adorenetwork.com/ Podcast Hall of Fame: https://podcasthall.com/ Rob Greenlee YouTube: https://youtube.com/@robgreenlee Rob Greenlee LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/robgreenlee The New Media Show YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thenewmediashow About the Host/Author: Rob Greenlee is a 2017 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee and Chair, a global new-media leader who bridges podcasting’s human roots and its AI-driven future. As founder of Trust Factor Lab and host of the “New Media Show” and “Spoken Human”, Rob helps creators start, grow, monetize, and future-proof their content. He’s held leadership roles at Microsoft, Spreaker, Libsyn, StreamYard, and PodcastOne, and serves as Chairperson of the Podcast Hall of Fame. Learn more at RobGreenlee.com and join the Trust Factor Lab Creator/Podcast Services. Personal/AI Disclosure Note: I used AI tools to help organize and edit this episode and generate show notes. I have made hand edits; the views, clarifications, responsibility, and industry perspective are mine and my guest’s. I have been working in podcasting and platform adoption for more than two decades, and this article reflects my own position. The post Real-Time AI Is Changing Live Sports Media | Shalini Ananda, Ph.D. #667 first appeared on New Media Show.

    1h 27m
  3. Are Podcast Networks becoming Creator Networks? | Greg Wasserman #666 (Video)

    Jun 8 ·  Video

    Are Podcast Networks becoming Creator Networks? | Greg Wasserman #666 (Video)

    In episode 666 of the New Media Show, hosted by 2017 Podcast Hall of Famer Rob Greenlee, Rob talks with Greg Wasserman, Head of Relationships at RSS.com and host of Podcast Network Insights, for a deep conversation about one of the biggest questions facing podcasting, video, creator media, and digital networks right now: Podcast networks were originally built for an audio-first industry, but audiences have already moved the definition of a podcast beyond audio. Today, a podcast can be a YouTube show, a Spotify video, an Apple video podcast, a livestream, a short clip, a newsletter, a community, or part of a larger creator-led media brand. Greg brings a unique perspective from his work at RSS.com and from interviewing the leaders behind podcast networks, collectives, production companies, and niche media groups on Podcast Network Insights. He explains that podcast networks are no longer one simple model. Some are media-sales businesses. Some are community-driven groups. Some operate more like production companies, collectives, or full creator networks. Rob and Greg explore how the network model is shifting as video, live streaming, AI, Apple Podcasts, HLS video, YouTube, Netflix, Spotify, FAST channels, private communities, and creator monetization reshape what podcasting can become. The conversation also asks whether independent podcasters should join networks, what creators need to understand before making that decision, and why the future may depend less on downloads alone and more on trust, audience relationships, collaboration, niche value, and direct monetization. 00:00 Welcome to New Media Show #666 00:32 Are podcast networks becoming creator networks? 01:00 How audiences have already redefined podcasting 02:00 Introducing Greg Wasserman from RSS.com 03:00 Why Greg created Podcast Network Insights 04:00 How different podcast networks define community 05:00 Monetization, growth, and the changing role of networks 06:00 Internal network community vs audience community 07:00 Private communities, subscriptions, and audience relationships 08:00 Nova Podcast Network and media-company network models 09:00 Cross-promotion and collaboration inside networks 10:00 Are creators returning to collaboration? 11:00 Podcast networks as media companies 13:00 Owned-and-operated shows vs independent rev-share shows 15:00 Why ad revenue is not the only network business model 16:00 Marketing Podcast Network and niche value 17:00 Jay Shetty, Netflix, and platform exclusivity 18:00 Is Netflix becoming a podcast network? 19:00 Collectives, media companies, and different network definitions 20:00 What is a podcast network today? 21:00 Production companies and network partnerships 23:00 How creators should decide whether to join a network 24:00 Understanding your “why” before joining a network 25:00 iHeart, ad inventory, and the volume-based network model 26:00 Why sponsor status can distract from real monetization 27:00 Does network branding still matter? 28:00 Pineapple Street, GZM, Disney, and network identity 30:00 MCNs, YouTube networks, and the return of multi-channel networks 31:00 Silicon Valley, new media networks, and digital-native media 34:00 Traditional media adopts podcasting, video, and companion content 35:00 Apple Podcasts HLS video as a future distribution channel 36:00 Why video attracts higher media dollars 37:00 Know, like, and trust as a creator value 38:00 Will Apple Podcasts HLS video matter? 39:00 Free platforms, hidden costs, and creator control 41:00 Future ad dashboards across Spotify, Apple, YouTube, and Twitch 42:00 Platform exclusivity, Jay Shetty, Joe Rogan, and audience loss 44:00 Creator hustle and why networks cannot do all the work 46:00 Subscription fatigue and fragmented media access 47:00 More than 20 ways creators can make money 48:00 Lean creator teams, production help, and content scale 49:00 How podcast networks are using AI 50:00 AI-generated voices, sleep content, and audience behavior 52:00 AI for ads, scripts, show notes, social, and workflows 53:00 AI podcast networks and automated show creation 54:00 Agentic workflows and creator production systems 56:00 AI-generated content, humanity, and audience trust 57:00 Algorithms, AI interfaces, and future discovery 58:00 Platform algorithm changes and creator risk 59:00 Human connection, live events, and AI video podcasts 01:00:00 Why human storytelling still matters 01:01:00 Could creators build AI clones of themselves? 01:02:00 Avatars, HeyGen, Gemini, and disclosure 01:03:00 Human-hosted content labels and AI transparency 01:04:00 Video-first creators and separate audio/video feeds 01:05:00 Why The New Media Show still uses separate audio and video feeds 01:06:00 Audio-first creators, social media, and growth challenges 01:07:00 Different networks play different games 01:08:00 The future of compelling audio experiences 01:09:00 Spatial audio, AI audio, and interactive media 01:10:00 Personalized audience experiences and liquid content 01:11:00 Can audiences be moved from YouTube to Netflix? 01:12:00 Bundling, subscriptions, and platform experiments 01:15:00 Algorithms vs human curation 01:16:00 Netflix, FAST channels, and new distribution models 01:17:00 The technology challenge behind FAST channels 01:23:00 Greg’s Tesla and the future of in-car video podcast listening 01:24:00 RSS.com, Podcasting 2.0, and AI labeling standards 01:25:00 Closing thoughts and where podcasting is heading Guest and Host Links Guest: Greg Wasserman Head of Relationships at RSS.com and host of Podcast Network Insights RSS.com: https://rss.com Greg Wasserman at RSS.com: https://rss.com/blog/greg-wasserman/ Podcast Network Insights: https://rss.com/podcasts/podcast-network-insights/ Greg Wasserman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregwasserman Host: Rob Greenlee New Media Show: https://newmediashow.com Rob Greenlee: https://robgreenlee.com Podcast Hall of Fame: https://podcasthall.com Rob Greenlee on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robgreenlee Rob Greenlee Booking: https://calendly.com/robgreenlee About the Host/Author: Rob Greenlee is a 2017 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee and Chair, a global new-media leader who bridges podcasting’s human roots and its AI-driven future. As founder of Trust Factor Lab and host of the “New Media Show” and “Spoken Human”, Rob helps creators start, grow, monetize, and future-proof their content. He’s held leadership roles at Microsoft, Spreaker, Libsyn, StreamYard, and PodcastOne, and serves as Chairperson of the Podcast Hall of Fame. Learn more at RobGreenlee.com and join the Trust Factor Lab Creator/Podcast Services. Personal/AI Disclosure Note: I used AI tools to help organize and edit this episode and generate show notes. I have made hand edits; the views, clarifications, responsibility, and industry perspective are mine and my guest’s. I have been working in podcasting and platform adoption for more than two decades, and this article reflects my own position. The post Are Podcast Networks becoming Creator Networks? | Greg Wasserman #666 first appeared on New Media Show.

  4. What Is New Media Now vs Podcasting? | Ashley Christenson #665 (Video)

    May 31 ·  Video

    What Is New Media Now vs Podcasting? | Ashley Christenson #665 (Video)

    In episode 665 of the New Media Show, hosted by 2017 Podcast Hall of Famer Rob Greenlee, Rob talks with Ashley Christenson, also known as Ashni, for a deep conversation about one of the most important questions facing podcasting, streaming, creator media, startups, and traditional media right now: What does “New Media” actually mean today? The term “New Media” has been around since the late 1990s, but its meaning is shifting again. What once described digital media outside traditional broadcast and print is now being used by creators, VCs, startups, streaming strategists, AI companies, and professional communities to refer to something more specific: creator-led media that builds trust, influence, industry position, and direct audience relationships. Ashley brings a unique perspective from 13 years in online media, Twitch streaming, YouTube education, startup marketing, community building, and creator strategy. She explains that she sees the creator economy as building an audience as the asset, whereas the emerging version of New Media is more about building status and position within an industry conversation. In her view, the key difference is not simply between consumer and professional audiences, but about what the media operation is designed to build and protect. Rob brings the longer history of podcasting and digital media into the discussion, asking whether podcasting was one of the first major expressions of New Media and whether it now sits within a much larger creator-led ecosystem. The conversation explores how podcasting, YouTube, streaming video, newsletters, live shows, X, AI-generated content, and Apple Podcasts’ move toward HLS video streaming are all blurring the old lines between podcasting, creator media, and professional media. A major theme in this episode is whether podcasting is still its own category or has become a powerful format within the broader New Media industry. Rob argues that the word “podcast” is increasingly defined by audiences and platforms, while creators may need to think more broadly as show builders, media operators, and participants in the creator economy. Ashley and Rob also explore how X is becoming a real-time professional media layer, why founders, investors, executives, and AI builders are returning to the platform, and why companies are experimenting with live streaming, clipping, launch videos, short-form content, and creator-style formats to reach professional audiences. The episode also moves into AI-generated media, human-hosted content, AI clones, disclosure, and trust. Rob argues that human-created and AI-created content may both need clear labeling, while Ashley points out that long-form podcasts may remain more defensible because listeners often build real relationships with hosts over time. This conversation lands on a bigger media reality: New Media is no longer just a technology term. It is becoming a business category, a creator category, a trust category, and a professional influence category. Podcasting helped build the foundation, but the next version of New Media is broader, more video-driven, more AI-assisted, more platform-diverse, and more dependent on trust than ever before. Key Topics: What “New Media” means in 2026 Creator economy vs. New Media Audience as an asset vs. status as an asset Why podcasting helped define early New Media Whether podcasters should now think more like creators and show builders Apple Podcasts HLS video and the return of video podcasting YouTube, Spotify, X, and the platform shift around shows Why VCs and startups are using the term New Media X is a professional media and live content platform Traditional media is trying to become more internet-native AI-generated podcasts, AI clones, and synthetic media Human-hosted content, disclosure, and audience trust Why long-form podcasts may remain defensible in the AI era Chapter Markers: 00:00 Cold Open and Welcome 00:32 What Does New Media Mean 02:08 Podcasting Meets Multi Format 03:14 Meet Rob Greenlee 04:01 Introducing Ashley Christensen 04:53 Ashley’s Creator Economy Journey 08:26 AI Definitions of New Media 12:35 Creator Economy vs New Media 16:29 The Kill Switch Test 21:38 Is VC Rebranding New Media 24:10 Niche Status Media Examples 31:55 Traditional Media Goes Internet Native 34:59 Podcasting Identity and Convergence 41:35 Creator as a Catch-All Term 43:56 Naming New Media 46:11 Podcast Term Debate 51:02 X Shapes Media 55:35 X Video Creator Push 01:00:51 Twitter Podcast Roots 01:04:38 AI Flooding Podcasts 01:07:48 Human Trust Labels 01:11:34 Clones and Disclosure 01:17:49 Trust Factor Wrap 01:18:19 Closing and Where to Follow Guest and Host Links Guest: Ashley Christenson / Ashni Streaming strategist, creator economy, and new media operator X: https://x.com/ashnichrist YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ashnichrist Hype Partners: https://x.com/hypepartners Host: Rob Greenlee New Media Show: https://newmediashow.com Rob Greenlee: https://robgreenlee.com Podcast Hall of Fame: https://podcasthall.com Rob Greenlee on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robgreenlee Rob Greenlee Booking: https://calendly.com/robgreenlee About the Host/Author: Rob Greenlee is a 2017 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee and Chair, a global new-media leader who bridges podcasting’s human roots and its AI-driven future. As founder of Trust Factor Lab and host of the “New Media Show” and “Spoken Human”, Rob helps creators start, grow, monetize, and future-proof their content. He’s held leadership roles at Microsoft, Spreaker, Libsyn, StreamYard, and PodcastOne, and serves as Chairperson of the Podcast Hall of Fame. Learn more at RobGreenlee.com and join the Trust Factor Lab Creator/Podcast Services. Personal/AI Disclosure Note: I used AI tools to help organize and edit this episode and generate show notes. I have many hand edits; the views, clarifications, responsibility, and industry perspective are mine and my guests’. I have been working in podcasting and platform adoption for more than two decades, and this article reflects my own position. The original word choice was mine, and so is the clarification. The post What Is New Media Now vs Podcasting? | Ashley Christenson / @Ashni #665 first appeared on New Media Show.

  5. How Creators Are Using AI Agents to Work Smarter | Mike Russell #664 (Video)

    May 24 ·  Video

    How Creators Are Using AI Agents to Work Smarter | Mike Russell #664 (Video)

    AI use with creators is moving beyond simple tools for transcripts, show notes, image generation, and editing. In this episode 664 of the New Media Show, host Rob Greenlee, 2017 Podcast Hall of Famer, talks with Mike Russell, founder of CreatorMagic.ai and longtime audio producer behind Music Radio Creative, about how new media creators, podcasters, and video producers can begin building their own “AI creator employee.” Mike explains how AI agents are becoming active collaborators capable of controlling studio lighting, camera settings, thumbnails, content workflows, research, WordPress optimization, and production tasks. The conversation explores the shift from podcasting as an audio-first medium to a broader video-first creator economy, where YouTube, Apple Podcasts HLS video, AI workflows, and agentic automation are reshaping how content is made, distributed, measured, and monetized. Rob and Mike also dig into the tension between human-created and AI-assisted media, why “taste” still matters, how creators can avoid generic AI slop, and why the next competitive advantage may come from combining human judgment with powerful AI systems. What happens when AI stops being just a tool and starts acting like a real creative team member? Rob Greenlee and Mike Russell explore how AI agents, video-first media, and creator workflows are changing podcasting, YouTube, and the future of new media. Topic Chapters: 00:00, Welcome to New Media Show #664 with Mike Russell 01:00, Why AI is becoming more than a creator tool 02:00, Building your own “AI creator employee.” 03:00, Using AI agents to control studio lighting, cameras, and production settings 05:00, The growing complexity of being a modern creator 07:00, Why video quality is becoming a bigger creator advantage 08:00, YouTube as the new TV and the move toward 4K content 09:00, Podcasting, YouTube, and the digital replacement for broadcast 11:00, Mike Russell’s shift from audio production to video and AI 12:00, Early YouTube lessons and why creators need to be on camera 14:00, Why video matters now for creators 15:00, Audio versus video consumption and the risk of treating audio listeners as secondary 18:00, Apple Podcasts HLS video, deeper metrics, and YouTube analytics envy 20:00, How streaming video could help podcasting catch up on measurement 22:00, Creator Magic, community growth, and helping creators adopt AI 23:00, Mike’s AI-focused YouTube channel and 200,000 subscriber milestone 25:00, From Adobe Audition expert to AI creator educator 26:00, Why human taste still matters in an AI content world 28:00, Using AI as a creative director, not a replacement 30:00, AI agent experiments, crypto wallets, OpenClaw, and automation 32:00, AI tools versus AI agents 33:00, How agents connect tools across transcripts, thumbnails, analytics, and publishing 35:00, Moving from Zapier-style workflows to agentic AI systems 37:00, OpenClaw, Hermes, and self-healing AI workflows 38:00, Keeping the human layer in AI-generated content 39:00, Training AI agents on your own creative style and back catalog 40:00, Studying successful creators without copying them 42:00, Orchestrating AI tools to create output that feels personal 43:00, How AI models are improving creator workflows 45:00, Prompting for better thumbnail style, text, and simplicity 47:00, The tension between human-created and AI-created content 48:00, AI in communication, negotiation, and personal reflection 50:00, Embodied AI, Tesla, robots, and real-world AI systems 51:00, AI moving into cameras, microphones, appliances, and creator devices 53:00, Polished production versus raw human authenticity 54:00, Where shorts, live streaming, and long-form video each fit 55:00, Human clones, AI-generated versions, and trust labeling 57:00, Will AI-generated content become as good as or better than human content? 58:00, First steps for creators moving toward agentic AI 59:00, Claude, Codex, Gemini, and easier entry points for non-technical creators 01:01:00, How Claude Code can connect with WordPress and audit content 01:03:00, CreatorMagic.ai community and YouTube resources 01:04:00, Why AI agents are becoming practical for everyday creators 01:24:00, AI search optimization, answer engines, and formatting content for discovery 01:25:00, Why creators should direct AI instead of rejecting it 01:26:00, The “AI slop” debate and why humans also create low-quality content 01:28:00, Where to find Mike Russell and Creator Magic 01:29:00, Rob’s closing thoughts on the expanded New Media Show mission Host: Rob Greenlee New Media Show: https://newmediashow.com Adore Network: https://adorenetwork.com Rob Greenlee: https://robgreenlee.com Podcast Hall of Fame: https://podcasthall.com Rob Greenlee on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robgreenlee Rob Greenlee Booking: https://calendly.com/robgreenlee Guest: Mike Russell, Founder of Creator Magic AI Music Radio Creative: https://www.MusicRadioCreative.com Creator Magic AI: https://CreatorMagic.ai  Mike Russell YouTube: https://youtube.com/@MikeRussell About the Host/Author: Rob Greenlee is a 2017 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee and Chair, a global new-media leader who bridges podcasting’s human roots and its AI-driven future. As founder of Trust Factor Lab and host of the “New Media Show” and “Spoken Human”, Rob helps creators start, grow, monetize, and future-proof their content. He’s held leadership roles at Microsoft, Spreaker, Libsyn, StreamYard, and PodcastOne, and serves as Chairperson of the Podcast Hall of Fame. Learn more at RobGreenlee.com and join the Trust Factor Lab Creator/Podcast Services. Personal/AI Disclosure Note: I used AI tools to help organize and edit this episode and generate show notes. I have many hand edits; the views, clarifications, responsibility, and industry perspective are mine and my guests’. I have been working in podcasting and platform adoption for more than two decades, and this article reflects my own position. The original word choice was mine, and so is the clarification. The post How Creators Are Using AI Agents to Work Smarter | Mike Russell #664 first appeared on New Media Show.

    1h 30m
  6. When AI Content Stops Looking and Sounding Artificial | Jeanine Wright + Robert Scoble #663 (Video)

    May 21 ·  Video

    When AI Content Stops Looking and Sounding Artificial | Jeanine Wright + Robert Scoble #663 (Video)

    In episode 663 of the New Media Show, hosted by 2017 Podcast Hall of Famer Rob Greenlee, Rob talks with Jeanine Wright, CEO of Inception Point AI, and Robert Scoble, known as Scobleizer, Founder of AlignedNews.ai for a deep conversation about one of the biggest and most uncomfortable questions facing podcasting, video, social media, and the creator economy: what happens when AI-generated content stops sounding and looking artificial?  I apologize for the lower audio quality of this episode, which was affected by recording source errors, and I used the best audio enhancement tools to improve it. AI-generated media is no longer just an experiment. It is becoming shows, hosts, voices, personalities, clips, channels, avatars, and soon, live interactive media experiences. Podcasting has always been built around voice, trust, authenticity, and human connection. But that foundation is now being challenged by AI-generated voices, cloned likenesses, synthetic video, autonomous podcasters, and AI systems that can research, write, produce, publish, and personalize content at a scale human creators cannot match. The conversation explores whether the podcasting/new media industry is reacting too broadly by labeling AI-generated media as “AI slop” while missing the bigger shift beneath the surface. Some AI content is low quality, deceptive, or spammy. Some AI content is becoming polished, useful, creative, and scalable. Some human-created content is also low quality, misleading, or poorly produced. The real issue may not be whether content is human-made or AI-made. The better question may be whether it is transparent, authentically-human, accurate, consent-based, valuable, and trustworthy. Jeanine joins Rob to discuss what Inception Point AI is building with AI-generated personalities, autonomous creators, synthetic audio, video characters, quality control systems, and AI-native media workflows. She explains why the future may include AI podcasters, AI influencers, AI brand personalities, and AI-generated shows that serve audiences in ways traditional human production cannot easily support. Robert brings a broader technology lens to the conversation, connecting AI-generated media to agents, real-time news systems, spatial computing, glasses, robots, synthetic people, and the next phase of human-computer interaction. He also discusses his own work using AI systems to read large volumes of AI industry activity and turn that into new forms of media intelligence. The conversation asks whether “AI slop” is a useful label or is becoming a way to dismiss an entire category before quality, ethics, and trust systems have had time to mature. Rob, Jeanine, and Robert also dig into the complicated issue of AI disclosure. Should every AI voice be labeled? Should AI-written scripts be disclosed? What about human voices reading AI-written material? What about cloned voices using human-written scripts? And if most media becomes materially assisted by AI, will audiences still care in the same way? The episode also explores the darker side of synthetic media, including unauthorized voice cloning, fake likenesses, impersonation, fraud, deceptive content, misinformation, platform abuse, and AI bias. The discussion makes a clear distinction between ethical AI-generated media and synthetic media designed to mislead audiences. This is not a simple pro-AI or anti-AI conversation. It is a discussion about the future of media trust. The bigger question is whether podcasting and new media should reject AI-generated content outright or help build better standards around disclosure, quality, consent, ownership, monetization, brand safety, platform rules, and audience transparency. The future may not be human versus AI. It may be human plus AI, human extended by AI, AI personalities supervised by humans, and audiences deciding what they trust based on usefulness, quality, transparency, and connection. Key Topics Covered AI-generated podcasts, video, and synthetic media Why the phrase “AI slop” may be too broad How AI-generated voices and video hosts are becoming more realistic The difference between low-quality AI content and responsible AI media Why podcasting is emotionally tied to human voice and trust How AI personalities and autonomous podcasters are being created What Inception Point AI is building with synthetic creators Robert Scoble’s view of AI agents, X, and real-time AI media systems Whether audiences care more about quality than human authorship Why AI-generated content may outperform average human-created content AI disclosure, labeling, and transparency challenges Human voice, cloned voice, AI-written scripts, and hybrid production Fraud, fake voices, synthetic likenesses, and deceptive media AI bias, culture, representation, and training data concerns Platform rules across YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, X, and social platforms The rise of live AI-human-like media experiences Human creators using AI clones and brand extensions Why the future of media may be human plus AI, not human versus AI Guest: Jeanine Wright, CEO of Inception Point AI  Guest: Robert Scoble, Scobleizer X: https://x.com/scobleizer Robert Scoble Blog: https://scobleizer.blog Aligned News AI: https://alignednews.com/ai Host: Rob Greenlee New Media Show: https://newmediashow.com Adore Network: https://adorenetwork.com Rob Greenlee: https://robgreenlee.com Podcast Hall of Fame: https://podcasthall.com Rob Greenlee on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robgreenlee Rob Greenlee Booking: https://calendly.com/robgreenlee About the Author Rob Greenlee is a 2017 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee and Chair, a global new media leader who bridges podcasting’s human roots with its AI-driven future. As founder of Trust Factor Lab and host of the “New Media Show” and “Spoken Human”, Rob helps creators start, grow, monetize, and future-proof their content. He’s held leadership roles at Microsoft, Spreaker, Libsyn, StreamYard, and PodcastOne, and serves as Chairperson of the Podcast Hall of Fame. Learn more at RobGreenlee.com and join the Trust Factor Lab Creator/Podcast Services. Personal note: I used AI tools to help organize and edit this episode and generate show notes. I have many hand edits; the views, clarifications, responsibility, and industry perspective are mine and my guests’. I have been working in podcasting and platform adoption for more than two decades, and this article reflects my own position. The original word choice was mine, and so is the clarification. The post When AI Content Stops Looking and Sounding Artificial | Jeanine Wright + Robert Scoble #663 first appeared on New Media Show.

    1h 21m
  7. Can Human Critics Improve Podcast Discovery? | Imran Ahmed, Great Pods #662 (Video)

    May 7 ·  Video

    Can Human Critics Improve Podcast Discovery? | Imran Ahmed, Great Pods #662 (Video)

    In episode 662 from May 6th, 2026, of the New Media Show, hosted by 2017 Podcast Hall of Famer Rob Greenlee, he talks with Imran Ahmed, founder of Great Pods, for a deep conversation about one of podcasting’s longest-running controversies: Discovery. Podcasting has never had a shortage of content. The bigger challenge has always been helping listeners find the right shows and helping quality creators get noticed. Charts often reward scale. Algorithms can miss the human context. Social media attention does not always create trust. But human recommendations, professional reviews, and transparency. editorial signals may still play an important role. Imran joins Rob to discuss how Great Pods is building a podcast discovery and decision-making platform around critic reviews, ratings, attribution, podcast search, user reviews, badges, and curated discovery. The conversation explores why reviews differ from basic listener comments, why constructive criticism can help creators, and how professional critics can serve as trusted filters for listeners trying to decide what to hear next. Rob and Imran also dig into the broader evolution of podcasting, including the role of word-of-mouth discovery, the limits of podcast app charts, the rise of YouTube as a major discovery platform, and the ongoing tension around what defines a podcast in a world of audio, video, RSS feeds, platform exclusives, APIs, Netflix-style talk shows, and AI-generated content. The episode also connects Great Pods to larger trust and transparency issues in new media. As AI-generated shows, algorithmic recommendations, and platform-controlled discovery continue to grow. Rob and Imran discuss why human editorial judgment, clear labeling, attribution, and credible review systems may become even more important for listeners, creators, and platforms. Key Topics Covered Podcast discovery in 2026 Why podcast charts and algorithms often fall short The difference between reviews, ratings, and listener comments Why constructive criticism can help creators improve How Great Pods uses professional reviews and attribution Why human critics can become trusted discovery filters The role of word-of-mouth recommendations in podcast growth Why YouTube has become a major podcast discovery platform How video, RSS, APIs, and platform exclusives are changing podcast definitions Why AI-generated content increases the need for labeling and transparency How podcasters can use reviews, badges, backlinks, and SEO to build credibility What creators should do to make their shows more discoverable Guest and Host Links Guest: Imran Ahmed, Founder of Great Pods Great Pods: https://www.greatpods.co Great Pods Blog: https://blog.greatpods.co Host: Rob Greenlee New Media Show: https://newmediashow.com Rob Greenlee: https://robgreenlee.com Podcast Hall of Fame: https://podcasthall.com Rob Greenlee on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robgreenlee Rob Greenlee Booking: https://calendly.com/robgreenlee The post Can Human Critics Improve Podcast Discovery? | Imran Ahmed, Great Pods #662 first appeared on New Media Show.

  8. Can Indie Podcasters and Creators Still Win? | Dave Jackson #661 (Video)

    May 2 ·  Video

    Can Indie Podcasters and Creators Still Win? | Dave Jackson #661 (Video)

    On Episode 661 of The New Media Show, host Rob Greenlee, 2017 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee, Chairperson of the Podcast Hall of Fame, and longtime new media executive, is joined by Dave Jackson, 2018 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee, founder of School of Podcasting, and Head of Podcasting at Podpage.com, for a deep conversation about whether independent podcasters and media creators can still win in today’s rapidly changing creator economy. This episode centers on a question many creators are quietly asking right now: Can indie podcasters still grow, monetize, and build trust in a market being reshaped by video, AI, platform control, and professionalized media production? Rob and Dave discuss the recent combination of Podpage and School of Podcasting, why podcast education matters more than ever, and how websites, email lists, communities, video, RSS, and AI-assisted workflows are becoming essential parts of a creator’s survival strategy. Dave joined Podpage as Head of Podcasting in 2024, and School of Podcasting has been helping creators launch, grow, and monetize podcasts since 2005.  The conversation also moves into some of the biggest issues facing podcasting and new media in 2026, including AI-generated shows, human voice and video cloning, creator burnout, YouTube’s influence on podcast identity, Apple’s HLS video podcast direction, and why human trust may become the most valuable asset creators have left. Rob and Dave bring decades of experience to this discussion. Both have seen podcasting shift through multiple technology waves, from the early RSS era to platform consolidation, video podcasting, AI tools, and the rise of creator-led media. That history makes this episode a practical and honest look at what indie creators need to do now to stay relevant, trusted, and discoverable. What does this episode cover? Can independent podcasters still succeed in a noisier, more competitive market? What does “winning” even mean now: downloads, money, trust, community, authority, or sustainability? Why the Podpage and School of Podcasting connection matters for podcast education and creator websites Why podcasters need a home base beyond social platforms and YouTube How AI is changing show notes, images, writing, research, production, and creator workflows Why AI-generated content should not all be treated as spam, but fraud and abuse must be addressed How human storytelling, lived experience, and trust help creators stand apart from AI content Why video is becoming harder to ignore, but audio-only creators should not panic How YouTube has changed public perception of what a podcast is What Apple’s HLS video direction could mean for audio, video, RSS, and creator workflows Why websites, email lists, communities, and audience ownership still matter How indie creators can avoid burnout while adapting to new media expectations Key Takeaways: Indie podcasters can still win, but the definition of winning has changed. Creators need more than a microphone and a media host. They need clarity, a trusted point of view, a website, a distribution plan, and a realistic path to audience growth. AI is not going away. The smartest creators will learn how to use it without losing their human voice. Video will continue reshaping podcasting, but not every creator has to become a full-scale video studio overnight. Human-created content still has a powerful advantage when it is rooted in story, experience, transparency, and trust. Websites are becoming more important again because creators need a stable home base that is not controlled by a single platform. Podcast education matters because the barrier to starting is low, but the barrier to standing out is much higher. Guest Dave Jackson Founder, School of Podcasting Head of Podcasting, Podpage.com 2018 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee Author of Profit From Your Podcast Dave Jackson has been helping creators launch and improve podcasts since 2005 through the School of Podcasting. He is also Head of Podcasting at Podpage, where he supports podcasters using websites as a central hub for discovery, audience ownership, and long-term growth. (The School of Podcasting) Guest links: School of Podcasting: https://www.schoolofpodcasting.com/ Podpage: https://www.podpage.com/ Dave Jackson: https://davidjackson.org/ Podcast Consultant: https://www.podcastconsultant.com/ Host Rob Greenlee Host, The New Media Show Podcast Hall of Fame inductee Chairperson, Podcast Hall of Fame Founder, Trust Factor Lab and Adore Network Co-Founder, Passion Struck Network Host and show links: New Media Show: https://newmediashow.com/ Rob Greenlee: https://robgreenlee.com/ Podcast Hall of Fame: https://podcasthall.com/ Adore Network: https://adorenetwork.com/ Trust Factor Lab: https://trustfactorlab.com/ Passion Struck Network: https://passionstrucknetwork.com/ Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robgreenlee/ Bottom Line in this Episode: This episode answers a major creator economy question for 2026: Can indie podcasters and independent media creators still compete as podcasting becomes more professional, more video-driven, and more influenced by AI? Rob Greenlee and Dave Jackson explain why the answer is yes, but only if creators evolve. The winning indie creator now needs a clear purpose, a strong human voice, trusted expertise, a discoverable website, owned audience channels, thoughtful use of AI, and a strategy that works across audio, video, search, social, and community. The episode is especially useful for podcasters, YouTube creators, podcast consultants, media educators, creator economy leaders, podcast hosting companies, AI media startups, and independent showrunners trying to understand the next phase of podcasting and new media. The post Can Indie Podcasters and Media Creators Still Win? | Dave Jackson #661 first appeared on New Media Show.

3.4
out of 5
17 Ratings

About

New Media Show with Host Rob Greenlee formerly co-hosted with Todd Cochrane RIP discussing the new media and podcasting space with new weekly guest co-hosts.

More From Tech Podcast Network

You Might Also Like