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(By Matty Staudt) I have had a smile on my face ever since I left our last day of Podcast Evolutions in L.A. Not only was I happy with the event, I was really excited about some of the things I heard both on the stages and in conversations with my fellow podcasters.
I have been in the business for 15 years, and seeing how it is growing and looking to the future continues to excite and inspire me. This was could have been my favorite podcasting event yet, and here are some reasons why.
I started the week working with 20-plus women podcast producers for a camp put on by OSSA Collective. It was so exciting, not only to see the skill these ladies have, but their passion for podcasting. It was also amazing to actually be in a studio working. For a lot of us, we haven’t been able to do that since 2020.
Our industry continues to make diversity and inclusion a cornerstone of our mission. This is something that was heard on and off stage.
The Ambies, held on Tuesday, were amazing. The Podcast Academy not only put on a great event, but it’s something special that will continue to grow and push our media to the respect level it deserves. I will also add that none of the winners went over their time limit, unlike other awards shows.
The turnout for Podcast Movement Evolutions was tremendous. A great mix of podcasters and industry professionals new, old, and everyone in between. It was the first time many of us had seen each other in a couple of years.
YouTube did a great job of explaining its plans for audio and podcasts, and many attendees were excited about it. It was the first time I really felt like our industry could embrace video and have the right tools to do it right and make money.
Our ad tech continues to improve, something that has benefited podcasters of all levels.
Indie podcasters continue to worry about being pushed out by the big players, but I felt a camaraderie amongst them to stay independent and work together on solutions.
PM continues to fill its stages with folks who give great information and solutions.
This event is smaller than the larger event in August, and I like it. For industry professionals, we really got to connect and have some fruitful conversations and meetings.
Finally, there is no industry that embraces fellowship like the podcast industryy. I am always worried that as new players come in, they will not understand how podcasters work. Helping each other, meeting with anyone who asks, and truly caring about our colleagues, even competitors, is what we as an industry are all about. I hope that continues, and I look forward to being back next year.
_Matty Staudt is the Chief Developement Officer at Amaze Media Labs and President of Jam Street Media. He was the first Director of Content for Stitcher and radio’s first VP of Podcast Programming at iHeartRadio. _