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Colossus | Investing & Business Podcasts

How to build a media business by two outsiders learning the craft. Matt Reustle and Dom Cooke have decades of experience in investing but almost none in the media industry. In each episode, they talk to great media operators, document their own media building efforts, and dissect their favorite business content. Join these two content junkies in their fight to save long-form media against the attention span crisis. Join the resistance. Learn more and stay up to date at www.joincolossus.com. An entrepreneurship show, by entrepreneurs, for the entrepreneur.

Making Media

Welcome to Making Media, where Colossus colleagues Matt Reustle and Dom Cooke will talk to the best media operators, document their own media-building efforts, and dissect their favorite business content in preposterous detail. In this primer, Matt and Dom describe the show’s origin story, what you can expect on a weekly basis, and why it matters. 
 
 The first two episodes will launch on Monday, January 30.
 
 Subscribe so you don’t miss an episode.

The Origin Story - Making Media - EP.00

For episode number 1 - we sat down with the father of Colossus, Patrick O'Shaughnessy. 
You likely listen to Patrick's Invest Like the Best podcast but in the small chance you don't - I'd highlight it's the magnet that brought everyone at Colossus to Colossus.
We had this conversation between Christmas and New Years of 2022. It was originally intended to be an annual recap episode but Dom and I decided to cover a variety of topics: Patrick's path to media, how he views Colossus the business, and what he thinks about behind the scenes.
After the interview, you will hear Dom and I debrief on the conversation. It's something that we plan to do after each interview. It's something we hear every once in a while on other podcasts and personally I love it. It's the ideal breaking of the 4th wall where you get some extra juice. Enjoy.
 
For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page here.
 
-----
 
Scribe is the presenting sponsor of this episode of Making Media and the magic behind the Colossus transcripts. One of the best decisions we made at Colossus was transcribing all of our audio into a searchable transcript library. We had been using another provide up until the summer of 2022 but we were constantly having issues with the accuracy if our audio was just the slightest bit impaired. Whether it's training sessions, internal Q&As, or for media purposes, the value of transcripts is huge.
And we are not alone. Scribe is the transcription service that powers all of S&P Global - like CapIQ - and the client list includes our friends at Tegus. Go to joincolossus.com/scribe to unlock 150 minutes of free transcription and test their capabilities.
 
-----
 
Making Media is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Making Media, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.
 
Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here.
 
Follow us on Twitter: @ReustleMatt | @domcooke | @JoinColossus 
 
Show Notes
[00:01:30] - INTRO
[00:02:34] - The catalyst for launching Colossus Media 
[00:07:00] - Expectations for the business vs. where it is today 
[00:09:49] - Goals vs. output
[00:12:32] - Why it's easier to start a media business and what makes a great one
[00:15:05] - Media brands Patrick admires
[00:17:17] - Traits that make a great interviewer
[00:18:43] - Content before dollars 
[00:20:53] - How the Invest Like the Best curse has made them rethink things 
[00:24:44] - How the audience plays into picking guests/topics 
[00:26:22] - Any future evolution of Invest Like the Best
[00:29:09] - Video’s role in the future of the business
[00:31:00] - Success for Invest Like the Best moving forward 
[00:33:54] - Knowing when a conversation will be successful
[00:35:41] - Advice to folks looking to host a podcast 
[00:39:12] - What plays into the success of Business Breakdown 
[00:41:59] - Lessons about building a brand 
[00:47:11] - Maintaining standards for a brand 
[00:49:27] - Finding magicians to interview and work with - Aliens, Jedi & Cults
[00:59:30] - Behind-the-scenes experiences that stand out
[01:04:50] - Debrief

Patrick O’Shaughnessy - Hunting for Magicians - [Making Media, EP.01]

For this episode of Making Media, Dom and I sit down with Sean Griffey, CEO and Co-Founder of Industry Dive. When I first heard Sean talk about B2B media and his strategy for building Industry Dive, I needed to hear more. I devoured a ton of his podcast appearances and various interviews that he did because I often feel like conversations on media strategy purely focus on audience growth. They don't ever mention the nuances of who those people are in your audiences, how much you spent to acquire those audiences, and the realities of running a company that can actually just stay in business. Sean is the exact opposite of that and he has built a fascinating business with Industry Dive, which recently sold at an enterprise value north of $500 million. Sean is a great example of the success you can have with a focused strategy. I think there's something to learn regardless of whether you're a content creator or just on the business side of things. Enjoy this interview and our debrief after the conversation.
 For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page here.
 
 -----
 
 This episode is brought to you by Scribe. Scribe is the presenting sponsor of this episode of Making Media and the magic behind the Colossus transcripts. One of the best decisions we made at Colossus was transcribing all of our audio into a searchable transcript library. We had been using another provider up until the summer of 2022 but we were constantly having issues with accuracy if our audio was just the slightest bit impaired. Whether it's training sessions, internal Q&As, or for media purposes, the value of transcripts is huge. And we are not alone. Scribe is the transcription service that powers all of S&P Global - like CapIQ - and the client list includes our friends at Tegus. Go to joincolossus.com/scribe to unlock 150 minutes of free transcription and test their capabilities.
 
 -----
 
 Making Media is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Making Media, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.
 
 Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here.
 
 Follow us on Twitter: @ReustleMatt | @domcooke | @JoinColossus 
 
 Show Notes
 [00:02:45] - [First question] - Overview of Industry Dive and the B2B media industry
 [00:04:41] - The state of advertisement media versus subscription-based models
 [00:06:20] - How they maintain consumer trust within their advertising model
 [00:08:12] - Their strategy for launching into new markets
 [00:11:42] - How Industry Dive has been able to accelerate their new launches 
 [00:13:44] - The amount of investment runway they give to new publications
 [00:15:35] - Industry Dive’s standardization across both talent and systems
 [00:17:40] - Their perspective on advertisement sales
 [00:19:49] - How they maintain their content production volume at scale
 [00:21:36] - Their audience growth strategies
 [00:23:16] - Why consumer platforms like TikTok don’t always work for B2B advertising
 [00:24:45] - How they gather audience feedback
 [00:26:35] - The importance of their tech stack in audience growth and maintenance 
 [00:28:30] - How they collaborate with brands in their content studio
 [00:31:33] - The proportions of their different sources of content
 [00:32:27] - How margins differ between their content studio and advertising sales
 [00:33:16] - How they might look to expand their business model in the future
 [00:34:41] - Why he thinks of marketers as their primary customer
 [00:35:55] - Their model for reinvestment to further grow their audience
 [00:37:43] - How the team took advantage of increased digital ad budgets during COVID
 [00:40:30] - What he worries about most regarding the future of Industry Dive
 [00:42:12] - Debrief

Sean Griffey - Big Bucks in Narrow Niches - [Making Media, EP.02]

What goes into a podcast launch, how does this launch compare to previous ones, and why is Jimmy Chin a bucket list guest? We go behind the scenes of launch week to share the chaos and reflect on the numbers after the first two episodes. Enjoy, subscribe, and get in touch.
 
 For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page here.
 
 -----
 
 This episode is brought to you by Scribe. Scribe is the presenting sponsor of this episode of Making Media and the magic behind the Colossus transcripts. One of the best decisions we made at Colossus was transcribing all of our audio into a searchable transcript library. We had been using another provider up until the summer of 2022 but we were constantly having issues with accuracy if our audio was just the slightest bit impaired. Whether it's training sessions, internal Q&As, or for media purposes, the value of transcripts is huge. And we are not alone. Scribe is the transcription service that powers all of S&P Global - like CapIQ - and the client list includes our friends at Tegus. Go to joincolossus.com/scribe to unlock 150 minutes of free transcription and test their capabilities.
 
 -----
 
 Making Media is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Making Media, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.
 
 Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here.
 
 Follow us on Twitter: @ReustleMatt | @domcooke | @JoinColossus 
 
 Show Notes
 [00:01:35] - [First question] - The chaos surrounding the recent launch experience
 [00:07:02] - The inception of the Making Media concept
 [00:10:14] - Touching on the launch experiences for previous Colossus shows
 [00:11:01] - How Colossus sometimes decides to not run an episode based on content quality
 [00:13:30] - The impact of a pre-launch beta audience including colleagues
 [00:15:06] - How interview guests power the potential of Making Media 
 [00:16:08] - How organizing a podcast can influence one’s career trajectory
 [00:17:46] - Transitioning from an investor mindset to that of a media operator
 [00:19:46] - The dynamic nature of a new podcast that needs fine-tuning
 [00:21:24] - Reflecting on what went well with the launch and comparing it to other launches
 [00:26:40] - How future launches could be made bigger and better
 [00:28:08] - When to implement paid promotion for a new podcast
 [00:29:14] - Launch details and feelings about the first few episode releases
 [00:30:32] - Using honest clickbait, snappy titles, and controversial ideas to build hype
 [00:33:13] - Dealing with listener feedback and sourcing guests effectively 
 [00:34:12] - Comparing Making Media’s early listenership to stats from other Colossus shows
 [00:37:48] - Growth strategy ideas for Making Media going forward
 [00:39:20] - A score from one to ten for the launch and an explanation of the score
 [00:40:20] - Securing sponsors for Making Media
 [00:43:02] - Ideal guests and topics for the show in the coming three months
 [00:45:23] - Closing thoughts on launch week and looking to the future of the show

Inside Colossus - Spilling the Secrets of Our Launch - [Making Media, EP.03]

If you make a podcast or like sports, you're gonna enjoy this episode. We've brought on someone I consider to be an audio genius. Spike Eskin runs all of programming at New York's WFAN, the original and biggest sports talk radio station, and he's only the second person to ever have that job. Now you're probably thinking, doesn't everyone just listen to podcasts now? Well, the answer to that is no, but don't worry, he's also got a podcast. A big one. And his podcast, The Rights to Ricky Sanchez is frequently ranked atop the basketball podcast charts. It's only focused on a single team, the 76ers, but it's been big enough to get a full chapter in a book, and several audience gatherings have been featured on Sports Center highlights.
 So he is the coach and he is the talent. During our convo, we go through traits that Spike looks for in audio hosts, the benefits and challenges of having practitioners like athletes sitting in the hosting chair, strategies for getting audience feedback beyond maniacs on Twitter, while still keeping love for the maniacs on Twitter, and differences in sponsorship dynamics between radio and podcasting framework for good content. Lots of interesting lessons here, and once I wrap up with Spike, Dom and I will do our normal debrief on lessons from both the interview and the conversation more broadly about how we can apply this to the Colossus business. Enjoy this episode and conversation with Spike.
 
 For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page here. 
 
 -----
 
 Scribe is the presenting sponsor of this episode of Making Media and the magic behind the Colossus transcripts. One of the best decisions we made at Colossus was transcribing all of our audio into a searchable transcript library. We had been using another provide up until the summer of 2022 but we were constantly having issues with the accuracy if our audio was just the slightest bit impaired. Whether it's training sessions, internal Q&As, or for media purposes, the value of transcripts is huge. And we are not alone. Scribe is the transcription service that powers all of S&P Global - like CapIQ - and the client list includes our friends at Tegus. Go to joincolossus.com/scribe to unlock 150 minutes of free transcription and test their capabilities.
 
 -----
 
 Making Media is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Making Media, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.
 
 Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here.
 
 Follow us on Twitter: @ReustleMatt | @domcooke | @JoinColossus 
 
 Show Notes
 [00:03:09] - [First question] - Which traits he’d use to create the ideal audio host 
 [00:06:55] - Comparing podcasts to local radio and separating them into three categories
 [00:08:43] - Tricks to help hosts generate and create chemistry 
 [00:14:48] - Something that new hosts and newcomers to audio in general struggle with
 [00:17:00] - Effective ways to measure how the fans view your shows
 [00:20:52] - Whether you should place any weight on your most engaged listeners
 [00:25:01] - Differences in terms of a podcast covering a topic versus a local radio 
 [00:30:09] - The models and structure of the powerhouse that is radio advertising 
 [00:33:39] - Repeat advertising and his own sponsorship strategy 
 [00:39:19] - How much practitioner value comes into play about your show topic 
 [00:44:37] - The importance of non-consensus and controversial views 
 [00:49:57] - Whether or not official statements being made via social media is a passing trend or only the beginning 
 [00:53:51] - Coaching hosts when it comes to asking critical questions
 [00:55:51] - Debrief

Spike Eskin - What Sports Media Can Teach Us - [Making Media, EP.04]

We hear you, you’re enjoying our debriefs and want more inside Colossus content. Here it is, we spend the first portion of this episode going over important events at Colossus HQ before diving into our conversation with podcast legend, Eric Nuzum. Eric has been podcasting for as long as podcasts have been a thing. He started NPR’s podcasting efforts in 2005 and was their chief creative director for a decade. He then went to Audible to lead their podcast team and has since co-founded his own audio business. Eric has seen it all and has written a wonderful book called, Make Noise, which was our gateway into his ideas. If you’re looking for podcasting literature, start with that book.
 
 For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page here. 
 
 -----
 
 Scribe is the presenting sponsor of this episode of Making Media and the magic behind the Colossus transcripts. One of the best decisions we made at Colossus was transcribing all of our audio into a searchable transcript library. We had been using another provider up until the summer of 2022 but we were constantly having issues with accuracy if our audio was just the slightest bit impaired. Whether it's training sessions, internal Q&As, or for media purposes, the value of transcripts is huge. And we are not alone. Scribe is the transcription service that powers all of S&P Global - like CapIQ - and the client list includes our friends at Tegus. Go to joincolossus.com/scribe to unlock 150 minutes of free transcription and test their capabilities.
 
 -----
 
 Making Media is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Making Media, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.
 
 Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here.
 
 Follow us on Twitter: @ReustleMatt | @domcooke | @JoinColossus 
 
 Show Notes
 [00:01:35] - Inside Colossus: Round-up of important events at Colossus HQ
 [00:17:57] - [First question] - Why he has a picture of Richard Branson in his office
 [00:20:58] - The power of differentiation for podcast hosts and their interview styles
 [00:24:00] - His focus on podcasters being authentic and its teachability
 [00:26:55] - To what extent a podcast host can play a character authentically
 [00:28:49] - Breaking the fourth wall and talking directly to podcast listeners
 [00:31:54] - Cardinal sins and best practices in communicating with listeners
 [00:34:00] - Navigating the pitfalls of marketing for a podcast
 [00:38:45] - His feedback on the Making Media description pitch and how every good podcast solves a problem
 [00:43:42] - How important it is to nail your format before launching
 [00:47:00] - Diversity versus specificity in podcast branding and demographics
 [00:54:17] - Determining when and how to discontinue a podcast or any project
 [00:55:48] - His thoughts on podcast charts and why the top 50 haven’t changed much
 [00:57:52] - Why he chooses to write books instead of making them into podcasts
 [00:59:54] - Debrief

Eric Nuzum - A Workshop on How to Podcast - [Making Media, EP.05]

We’re very excited for this one. Part of our mission with Making Media is to highlight great content across the internet. Today, we’re starting with business essays and to bring some wisdom to the conversation, we enlisted one of our favorite writers, Packy McCormick. Hear us break down our most influential business essays, read them through the links in the shownotes, and let us know what you think on Twitter or hello@joincolossus.com. Enjoy!
 
 For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page here. 
 
 -----
 
 Scribe is the presenting sponsor of this episode of Making Media and the magic behind the Colossus transcripts. One of the best decisions we made at Colossus was transcribing all of our audio into a searchable transcript library. We had been using another provider up until the summer of 2022 but we were constantly having issues with accuracy if our audio was just the slightest bit impaired. Whether it's training sessions, internal Q&As, or for media purposes, the value of transcripts is huge. And we are not alone. Scribe is the transcription service that powers all of S&P Global - like CapIQ - and the client list includes our friends at Tegus. Go to joincolossus.com/scribe to unlock 150 minutes of free transcription and test their capabilities.
 
 -----
 
 Making Media is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Making Media, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.
 
 Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here.
 
 Follow us on Twitter: @ReustleMatt | @domcooke | @JoinColossus 
 
 Show Notes
 (00:02:59) - [First question] - The Not Boring back story and what he learned from his time at Breather
 (00:05:06) - Aggregation Theory by Ben Thompson
 (00:09:42) - The Bus Ticket Theory of Genius by Paul Graham
 (00:13:45) - Letter to a friend who may start a new investment platform by Graham Duncan
 (00:17:05) - Positional Scarcity by Alex Danco
 (00:22:23] - The Three Sides of Risk by Morgan Housel
 (00:26:56) - Salary Negotiation by Patrick McKenzie
 (00:31:47) - Sam Hinkie’s resignation letter
 (00:37:10) - Increasing Returns and the New World of Business by W. Brian Arthur
 (00:41:54) - 10 Tips on Writing by David Ogilvy
 (00:44:46) - The next big thing will start out looking like a toy by Chris Dixon
 (00:49:08) - The Tail End by Tim Urban
 (00:53:41) - 1,000 True Fans by Kevin Kelly
 (00:59:07) - Honorable mention: The Great Online Game by Packy McCormick
 (01:03:26) - Honorable mention: Excel Never Dies by Packy McCormick 
 (01:05:58) - Packy’s closing thoughts and why he thinks people should read more Sci-Fi
 (01:08:37) - Honorable mention: Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson

Our 12 Most Influential Business Essays with Packy McCormick - [Making Media, EP.06]

Today, we speak with one of YouTube's biggest stars, Doug DeMuro. Doug has one of, if not the biggest, YouTube channels dedicated to cars. He's been on the platform for a decade and has amassed 4.6 million subscribers to date. But he's not wedded to the video aggregator and is keenly aware of its downfalls, which is why he launched a car auction business, Cars & Bids, in 2020. Earlier this year, The Chernin Group, announced it had bought a majority stake in Cars & Bids for $37 million. We seized the opportunity to speak with Doug about his shift from content to commerce and his advice for fellow creators out there. Enjoy!
 
For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page here. 
 
-----
 
Scribe is the presenting sponsor of this episode of Making Media and the magic behind the Colossus transcripts. One of the best decisions we made at Colossus was transcribing all of our audio into a searchable transcript library. We had been using another provider up until the summer of 2022 but we were constantly having issues with accuracy if our audio was just the slightest bit impaired. Whether it's training sessions, internal Q&As, or for media purposes, the value of transcripts is huge. And we are not alone. Scribe is the transcription service that powers all of S&P Global - like CapIQ - and the client list includes our friends at Tegus. Go to joincolossus.com/scribe to unlock 150 minutes of free transcription and test their capabilities.
 
-----
 
Making Media is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Making Media, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.
 
Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here.
 
Follow us on Twitter: @ReustleMatt | @domcooke | @MakingMediaPod | @JoinColossus 
 
Show Notes
[00:10:58] - [First question] - How he earned credibility among niche car communities and leveraged it
[00:13:34] - His car review philosophies and why he pays his own way to automaker events
[00:15:56] - How he got into videography and YouTube in the first place
[00:18:31] - Data, algorithms, major platform changes, and his performance on YouTube
[00:21:18] - The analytics parameters he pays the most attention to and why 
[00:22:15] - How he balances new content ideas and passions with tried-and-true formats
[00:24:13] - His takes on the widespread YouTube criticism by content creators
[00:26:22] - A look behind the scenes at his production process (or lack thereof)
[00:28:59] - How he capitalizes on public perception of his authenticity
[00:30:33] - How the YouTube landscape continues to evolve and become more competitive
[00:33:02] - Why he doesn’t focus on branching out onto other social media platforms
[00:34:33] - His view on paid growth and on Chernin Group in regard to growth 
[00:36:54] - How his business sense developed after his channel became a success
[00:40:18] - Going blindly into his new business venture with Cars and Bids
[00:41:42] - The simple marketing strategy for Cars and Bids
[00:42:51] - Challenges in data attribution and analytics on their marketplace
[00:45:07] - Why he chose to partner with the Chernin Group
[00:49:36] - What his day-to-day operations look like then and now
[00:51:43] - Why underwriting his business appealed to the Chernin Group
[00:53:42] - Advice he might give other creators for diversifying income streams
[00:54:54] - How he managed the transition into running multiple business arms
[00:56:53] - Where he thinks creator-led new media businesses will go in the next ten years
[00:58:43] - His second channel, “More Doug DeMuro,” as a creative outlet
[01:00:47] - His views on monolithic algorithms
[01:02:42] - De-Brief

Doug DeMuro - Driving Content to Commerce - [Making Media, EP.07]

We answer frequent questions sent to us over the past few weeks. Dom goes on the offensive over podcast show notes, Matt gets excited about episode artwork, and we debate the perfect length for an episode. Sprinkled between those topics, we discuss sponsorship and the end-to-end process for a show like Business Breakdowns.
 
 For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page here. 
 
 -----
 
 This episode is brought to you by Scribe. Scribe is the presenting sponsor of this episode of Making Media and the magic behind the Colossus transcripts. One of the best decisions we made at Colossus was transcribing all of our audio into a searchable transcript library. We had been using another provider up until the summer of 2022 but we were constantly having issues with accuracy if our audio was just the slightest bit impaired. Whether it's training sessions, internal Q&As, or for media purposes, the value of transcripts is huge. And we are not alone. Scribe is the transcription service that powers all of S&P Global - like CapIQ - and the client list includes our friends at Tegus. Go to joincolossus.com/scribe to unlock 150 minutes of free transcription and test their capabilities.
 
 -----
 
 Making Media is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Making Media, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.
 
 Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here.
 
 Follow us on Twitter: @ReustleMatt | @domcooke | @MakingMediaPod | @JoinColossus 
 
 Show Notes
 (00:02:15) - [First question] - Thoughts on podcast episode length, the potential correlation between length and popularity, and our personal preferences 
 (00:10:34) - The problem with podcasts that don’t have show notes and fixing existing ones
 (00:11:34) - Monetization, sponsorships, and the podcasting business model
 (00:14:56) - Ways to identify and source potential podcast sponsors 
 (00:19:43) - The importance of having access to detailed data about your show
 (00:19:48) - Sean Griffey - Big Bucks in Narrow Niches
 (00:20:12) - Securing payment, setting up contracts, deposits, and accounts receivable 
 (00:22:20) - Whether or not show artwork helps with growth and thoughts on branding 
 (00:27:23) - Episode preparation, sourcing guests, and production turnaround time 
 (00:32:24) - Rerecording episodes and inserting secondary recordings
 (00:35:14) - Potential platform changes and ways to tell guests their episodes won’t be used

Inside Colossus - Ideal Episode Length, Monetization, and Production Process - [Making Media, EP.08]

For this week's Making Media, we sit down with longtime journalist and media observer, Simon Owens. Simon started in newspapers, he’s worked with large brands like US News and World Report, PBS, the Atlantic, New York Magazine, ESPN, and now he writes independently on Substack. All of his perspectives are rooted from actual experience. He's a true practitioner in the industry he covers, which we love. This conversation covers a range of media topics, so please enjoy and stay tuned for our debrief to conclude this show.
 
For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page here. 
-----
 
This episode is brought to you by Scribe. Scribe is the presenting sponsor of this episode of Making Media and the magic behind the Colossus transcripts. One of the best decisions we made at Colossus was transcribing all of our audio into a searchable transcript library. We had been using another provider up until the summer of 2022 but we were constantly having issues with accuracy if our audio was just the slightest bit impaired. Whether it's training sessions, internal Q&As, or for media purposes, the value of transcripts is huge. And we are not alone. Scribe is the transcription service that powers all of S&P Global - like CapIQ - and the client list includes our friends at Tegus. Go to joincolossus.com/scribe to unlock 150 minutes of free transcription and test their capabilities.
 
-----
 
Making Media is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Making Media, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.
 
Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here.
 
Follow us on Twitter: @ReustleMatt | @domcooke | @MakingMediaPod | @JoinColossus 
 
Show Notes
(00:02:20) - (First question) - Simons’ history in media and what he thinks is happening right now with new companies compared to previously successful ones (00:05:20) - A case study for the archetypical 2023 media company 
(00:07:28) - A swing back towards advertising in media companies 
(00:08:59) - Thoughts on Substack and Puck and which model will emerge as the standard
(00:10:49) - What pulled him in the most to make the switch over to Substack 
(00:13:52) - Whether or not he’d stay on Substack if they changed their take rate 
(00:15:22) - Best practices for implementing subscription models
(00:20:34) - Lessons to take away from The Athletic experiment 
(00:22:58) - Whether or not there’s truth to the claim that investigative deep dive journalism is dying out
(00:24:51) - The narrative that every company wants to become a media company 
(00:26:59) - Ways where becoming a media company has worked well like Hubspot 
(00:28:23) - The push and pull between a company and their media arm 
(00:30:04) - Whether or not there will be dedicated mediums for multimedia brands 
(00:32:21) - Thoughts on YouTube shorts winning the short form video wars
(00:33:56) - How important events are for media companies and why they do them
(00:35:24) - Overall audience size and the shift in monetizing with advertising 
(00:39:09) - Different data points that can be collected from various platforms and the role they play in informing delivery writ large 
(00:40:39) - Whether or not the shift back towards email lists is here to stay or cyclical 
(00:43:14) - Cultivating community and where he stands on community building in media 
(00:45:19) - What creators and companies can do to build up their defensibility
(00:46:23) - Axios’ ten thousand dollar subscription product 
(00:49:17) - The one media business that’s likely to have a stronghold on the industry in ten years from now 
(00:51:35) - De-brief

The Origin Story - Making Media - EP.00

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