Rob Greenlee

Creators Get SBA Classification. Now What? Live on New Media Show Tonight xitter.gq/i/broadcasts/1RJjpbgOV…

This episode #691 conversation with Losh strayed into the AI content side in ways I have not talked about yet on the NewMediaShow com the audio and video podcast version of this show should be out on Sat at the latest. In NYC today (Friday) doing a full interview recording in person at a multi-camera studio for next week’s episode #692

How AI is Changing the Creator Workflow with Laura Burkhauser, CEO of Descript xitter.gq/i/broadcasts/1YxNrbVvZ…

The Creator Reset: AI, Trust & What’s Next with Jim Louderback xitter.gq/i/broadcasts/1pKdRDvep…

Happy International Podcast Day! I started podcasting on September 16, 2004, with the WebTalk World Radio Show. It’s hard to believe that was 22 years ago. September and especially the 30th has always felt like podcasting’s birth month and day to me. I remember the excitement of those early days, when we were figuring out how to publish shows by hand editing RSS feeds and the amazing ability to reach listeners directly. There was no clear roadmap and being a geek was required. We learned by doing and sharing what worked in the very collaborative and small community. Podcasting helped lead the independent media revolution we’ve seen over the past 22 years. It gave more people a chance to be heard, without needing a radio station or a large media company to give them airtime and a voice. Some built businesses. Others found a community or simply had something worth sharing. I’ve spent much of my career helping this medium grow, and I’m still doing it through the New Media Show. What has stayed with me most is the people I’ve met and the relationships that began with a conversation behind a microphone. Thank you to everyone who has listened, joined me on a show, or supported this work over the years. New Media Show is live again tonight at 6 pm EST / 3 pm PST here on LinkedIn. What was the first podcast you listened to? Do we still have the same spirit as the earlier era had or have we lost something as it matured?

*Don’t Just Make Videos or Podcasts* Build a Creator Company! Roberto Blake joins me Getting views is not the same as building a business. Subscribers aren't automatically customers, and a successful YouTube channel doesn't necessarily mean you have built something sustainable. In New Media Show #687, I talk with Roberto Blake about what comes after becoming a content creator and why more creators need to think of themselves as independent media companies rather than defining themselves by one format or platform. Roberto argues that being a podcaster, YouTuber, streamer, or blogger is increasingly just a distribution choice. The bigger issue is the value you create, the audience relationship you build, and what you actually own. We get into the shift from audio-first thinking to broader creator media, why professionalism is more about preparation and performance than polished production, and how AI is changing the economics of being a creator. Roberto sees some of the strongest uses of AI in the operational work around content, including research, data analysis, transcription, organization, editing workflows, and other tasks that can free creators to spend more time on judgment, ideas, and relationships. A major part of the conversation is about turning attention into a real business. Roberto describes his framework as “reach, reputation, revenue,” or in a business context, “traffic, trust, transaction.” Getting attention is only the beginning. The real value comes from earning trust and then creating products, services, memberships, intellectual property, or other business models around that relationship. We also talk about what creators should own. That includes their brand, intellectual property, expertise, direct audience relationships, and the parts of the business that can survive changes at YouTube, Spotify, Apple, or any other platform. Roberto breaks creator businesses into three broad paths: entertainer, lifestyle brand, and thought leader, with different revenue and growth opportunities for each. The conversation goes much deeper into AI, human creativity, likeness rights, AI labeling, synthetic media, and why Roberto believes the bigger risk is not simply AI-generated entertainment but the potential misuse of synthetic media by institutions or people trying to manipulate audiences. The larger point is simple: creators should stop thinking only about the next piece of content and start thinking about what they are building around it.

Podcasting’s Identity Crisis: Who Controls Podcasts NOW? xitter.gq/i/broadcasts/1AxRnZEZW…

I’ll be at Podcast Movement in New York City at Terminal 5 on Thursday, September 17 only. I have been to every Podcast Movement event except for two Evolutions events over the many years. Right now, it feels like we’re at one of the biggest change points podcasting has seen in years: video is becoming central, distribution and discovery are shifting fast by shorts and algorithms, and creators are becoming media brands and companies in their own right as AI changes how content gets made and found it is kinda a mess. I have hope and growing trust that we will get through it. We’ve been talking about all three and more a lot recently on the New Media Show. Mostly, I’m looking forward to seeing a lot of longtime friends, catching up, and hearing what everyone is building next. If you’re there Thursday, come say hello. You can’t miss me as I will be the tallest person in the room. Yes, the image below 👇 was made using AI.

“TRUST” building is being discussed on every session at the IAB CREATORSFronts conference in NYC Today. It is the #1 audience metric and aspiration now. The battle between Long-form vs Short-form or it is both now.