014 - Dave Chapman - Real Organic Podcast

Description

Dave Chapman of Real Organic Podcast [https://realorganicproject.org/get-educated/real-organic-podcast/] --- SUMMARY Sebastian sits down with Dave Chapman, a lifelong organic vegetable farmer from Vermont and creator/host of the Real Organic Podcast [https://realorganicproject.org/get-educated/real-organic-podcast/]. Dave shares the origin story of the Real Organic Project [https://realorganicproject.org/], founded in 2018 as a response to what he sees as regulatory failures and corporate corruption within the National Organic Program. He explains how the podcast emerged almost by accident during COVID, evolving from a virtual conference into a long-running interview series that now spans over 280 episodes. The conversation explores the philosophy behind organic and "real organic" certification, the difference between organic and the increasingly popular but loosely defined "regenerative" label, and the regulatory capture that allows large corporations to influence food policy. Dave and Sebastian also discuss building an audience through grassroots community-building and email newsletters, the role of YouTube and video in podcast growth, balancing hope with realism when fighting systemic issues, and the importance of trust between podcasters and their audiences in an increasingly fractured media landscape. --- IN THIS EPISODE 0:12 – Introduction to Dave Chapman and the Real Organic Podcast 00:54 – Dave's background as an organic farmer and the founding of the Real Organic Project in 2018 03:10 – How the podcast started almost by accident during COVID, inspired by a virtual conference project 05:36 – How the show evolved from a farming-focused podcast into broader conversations about community, civilization, and integrity 08:24 – Discussion of regulatory capture and corporate influence on organic certification standards 11:46 – Dave's approach to choosing guests and topics for the podcast 13:02 – The connection between healthy soil and healthy communities, and Dave's personal history as a young organic farmer in the 1970s 15:11 – What "real organic" certification requires and the three core issues with the National Organic Program (hydroponics, animal welfare, and fraud in imported crops) 18:16 – Why organic food costs more and how institutional support for chemical agriculture distorts pricing 22:02 – Guests and interviews that have changed Dave's own thinking, including Zephyr Teachout, Seth Godin, Michael Pollan, and Paul Hawken 23:12 – Generational differences in how people view organic food, and the rise of "regenerative" as a competing term 28:00 – How Dave built his podcast audience through years of community organizing and a weekly newsletter 33:01 – The tension between sensationalism and integrity in podcast growth 34:21 – Video production, equipment setup, and why the Real Organic Podcast has always included a YouTube component 35:31 – Unexpectedly popular episodes, including an interview with Vandana Shiva and a baker from Stone Barns 38:06 – Helping farmers find and tell their stories on the podcast 39:33 – Advice for starting a mission-driven podcast without a big marketing budget 42:09 – Trust, distrust of institutions, and how that connects to podcasting's growth 46:41 – Navigating disagreements with guests and Dave's approach to "hostile" interviews 49:48 – Hope versus optimism, and an experiment illustrating the power of speaking the truth 54:18 – How future generations might view the fight for real organic agriculture 56:08 – Dave's podcast recommendations 57:14 – Where to find Dave and the Real Organic Project online --- RESOURCES & LINKS * Real Organic Project [https://www.realorganicproject.org/] * Real Organic Podcast [https://realorganicproject.org/get-educated/real-organic-podcast/] Guests and figures mentioned: * Zephyr Teachout [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zephyr_Teachout] * Seth Godin [https://www.sethgodin.com/] * Michael Pollan [https://michaelpollan.com/] * Paul Hawken [https://paulhawken.com/] * Vandana Shiva [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vandana_Shiva] * Eli Pitkin / Stone Barns Center [https://www.stonebarnscenter.org/] * Dan Barber [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Barber] * Lindley Dixon [https://realorganicproject.org/team/linley-dixon/]: co-host, Real Organic Podcast Podcasts recommended by Dave Chapman: * The Market Gardener Podcast [https://themarketgardener.com/podcast/] * Scene on Radio [https://sceneonradio.org/] * Revisionist History [https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/revisionist-history] --- TALK THAT POD Are you a podcaster or podcast industry figure and you want to be on this podcast? Fill out this form. [https://talkthatpod.net/be-on-the-show/] Watch or listen to Talk That Pod on YouTube. [https://www.youtube.com/@talkthatpodshow] Follow us: * Twitter / X [https://x.com/TalkThatPod] * Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61588411991733] * YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@talkthatpodshow] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/talkthatpodshow/] * TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@talkthatpod] * Threads [https://www.threads.com/@talkthatpodshow] --- FIND THAT POD Discover the best podcasts in the world. [https://findthatpod.com/] - A podcast discovery newsletter bringing you 5 great podcasts to discover every week. Subscribe today. [https://findthatpod.com/]

012 - Will Becton - Jett Road Studios

Will Becton of Jett Road Studios [https://www.jettroadstudios.com] --- SUMMARY Will Becton spent 12 years at Team Coco, where he served as videographer, editor, and eventually the engineer who built and ran the studio for Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend from its 2018 launch through 2022. In this conversation with Sebastian, Will traces his path from shooting Clueless Gamer segments to engineering one of the most downloaded comedy podcasts in history — and then walking away from a steady job to launch Jett Road Studios, the independent production company and network he runs with his wife and executive producer, Amber Becton, out of Studio City. It's a candid look at the craft and business of podcasting: the technical learning curve of going from video to audio, why three voices like Conan, Sona, and Matt Gourley "sit well in the mix," what it felt like when SiriusXM acquired the operation, and why he eventually took the leap to build his own thing. Will also digs into the realities indie podcasters face today — discoverability in a four-and-a-half-million-podcast marketplace, the pilot-as-development-slate model behind Jett Road Studios Presents, the YouTube tension, and his belief that podcasting, done with good intentions, may be the medium with the best shot at actually changing minds. --- IN THIS EPISODE (01:12) The origins of Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend — the in-house approval process at Team Coco where Conan owned the show, early experiments like Serious Jibber Jabber and writer-led test recordings, and how Adam Sachs (from Earwolf/Midroll) helped make the case as the TV show wound down. (05:21) Shooting Clueless Gamer and the Super Bowl segment with Marshawn Lynch and Rob Gronkowski — the kind of "constant state of readiness" backstage work that made Conan comfortable working with Will. (06:41) How Sona was set as co-host from the start, and how Matt Gourley went from veteran producer to on-mic third co-host almost immediately. (09:59) Building the first studio — cobbling together gear from the defunct Super Deluxe and the old basic cable band dressing room, and learning the Earwolf workflow from lead engineer Brett Morris. (10:51) The audio signature of three distinct voices — why Conan is the most challenging to mix for dynamic range, and the debate over compressing on the way in versus recording clean. (13:12) Memorable early sessions — Will Ferrell recording before the studio was finished, Marc Maron questioning the borrowed mics, Jeff Goldblum, Timothy Olyphant, and Ben Stiller being the first to ask to come on. (16:30) Whether Conan became more vulnerable and human on the podcast — the looseness versus the time pressure of TV tapings, the bananas Mila Kunis episode, and the David Sedaris session Will calls his favorite of the 2018–2022 run. (21:13) Will's surprise jump from video to audio engineering — the humbling compression learning curve and the lesson that there's "no default compression for the human voice." (24:18) How improv shaped his editing — his UCB years (2000–2004 in New York), the "yes, and" ethos, the Chicago influence on Conan's writing staff, and a love of editing "structured improv." (29:00) Leaving Team Coco after 12 years — the "Irish goodbye" during COVID, engineering three shows at once out of the sunroom, the move to Largo, and the Larchmont studio build-out. (32:21) Mixed feelings about the SiriusXM acquisition — the engineer role becoming narrower and "less playful," and losing the "lunatics running the asylum" vibe. (37:17) The 2 a.m. moment at June Lake when Amber told him they were starting their own studio, and building a home studio that mirrors his professional workflow. (41:19) The origin of the name "Jett Road" — his childhood street in Atlanta, the open-door "collection of misfits" environment, and the house later being sold to Andre 3000. (43:13) The Jett Road Studios Presents model — a podcast where every episode is a pilot for a different show, functioning as an "outward-facing development slate" or "sushi menu" of activatable concepts. Includes Mixed Generation, Three Day Champion, and the award-winning pilots. (56:20) What he looks for in a host or concept — chemistry, avoiding the "too many cooks" overcooking he saw at Team Coco, and getting the "pure distillation" of what the host has in mind. (59:43) The business of getting picked up — why "nobody's developing shows right now, they're acquiring shows," the 50,000-downloads-a-month threshold, and how making 12 pilots expanded his network. (01:02:04) The Bad Elizabeth success story — a Guardian write-up and Apple carousel placements, and the sense-memory of the download difference being on versus off the carousel. (01:04:10) What success looks like for Jet Road over five years — staying lean versus staffing up as a full network, a season two of Presents, and exploring TV/IP avenues (with Hulu in the conversation). (01:08:11) Podcast marketing for indies — the slow burn, getting on the Apple carousel, and being "all the places you can be," including Podnews. (01:09:18) The YouTube tension — why he sees video as the "next frontier" and a non-negotiable discovery platform, even as it multiplies editing workload, plus his measured take on AI tools. (01:16:14) Cross-promotion, feed swaps, and email — why he needs to "templatize" promotion, and his thinking on Substack versus Patreon as monetizable audience-retention tools. (01:22:58) Podcasting and public discourse — the Conan O'Brien Needs a Fan episodes (including the blind rock climber that inspired Conan's travel show), the echo-chamber problem, and why podcasting has the best shot at changing minds. (01:26:46) Will's three podcast recommendations and where to find him online. --- RESOURCES & LINKS Will Becton & Jett Road Studios * Website [https://www.jettroadstudios.com] * YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@JettRoadStudios] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/jettroadstudios] * Substack [https://jettroadstudios.substack.com] Shows mentioned * Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend [https://pod.link/conan] https://pod.link/conan(Team Coco / Earwolf) - Best episodes of Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend [https://findthatpod.com/best-episodes-of-conan-obrien-needs-a-friend/] * Jett Road Studios Presents [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jett-road-studios-presents/id1776366616] — the pilot-per-episode development slate * Bad Elizabeth [https://pod.link/1832614771], Mixed Generation, Three Day Champion [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/three-day-champion/id1832383571] https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/three-day-champion/id1832383571— Jett Road pilots/shows * Serious Jibber Jabber [https://teamcoco.com/serious] with Conan O'Brien * Clueless Gamer [https://teamcoco.com/cluelessgamer] https://teamcoco.com/cluelessgamer(Team Coco) * Never Not Funny [https://pod.link/142348028] (Jimmy Pardo) * Superego [https://pod.link/129558037] and I Was There Too [https://pod.link/1657009592] (Matt Gourley) * Comedy Bang Bang [https://pod.link/316045799] / Bang Bang World (Scott Aukerman) * May I Elaborate? [https://pod.link/1562371862] (JB Smoove & Miles Gross, Team Coco) Will's three podcast recommendations * Wrong Turns [https://pod.link/1498855031] with Jameela Jamil [https://pod.link/1498855031] * Past Due [https://pod.link/1207507389] with Ana Marie Cox & Open Mike Eagle [https://pod.link/1207507389] * Origin Stories [https://pod.link/1833077585] with Matt Shaer [https://pod.link/1833077585] (Campside Media) People & industry figures referenced * Amber Becton (executive producer, Jett Road Studios) * Adam Sachs (former head of Team Coco / Earwolf-Midroll) * Brett Morris (lead engineer, Earwolf) * Matt Gourley, Sona Movsesian (co-hosts, Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend) * Ariellle Nissenblatt (EarBuds), James Cridland (Podnews), Tom Webster (Sounds Profitable), and the Signal Awards * UCB founders and alumni: Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts, Matt Besser, Matt Walsh; Conan writers Brian Stack and Brian McCann --- TALK THAT POD Want to be on this podcast? Fill out this form. [https://talkthatpod.net/be-on-the-show/] Watch or listen to Talk That Pod on YouTube. [https://www.youtube.com/@talkthatpodshow] --- FIND THAT POD Discover the best podcasts in the world. [https://findthatpod.com/] - A podcast discovery newsletter bringing you 5 great podcasts to discover every week. Subscribe today. [https://findthatpod.com/]

3. juni 20261 h 25 min

010 - James Cridland - Podnews

James Cridland of Podnews [https://podnews.net/] --- SUMMARY James Cridland, founder of Podnews — the podcast industry's go-to daily newsletter and podcast with over 33,000 subscribers — joins Sebastian for a wide-ranging conversation about nearly a decade of covering the podcasting world. James pulls back the curtain on how he's built a sustainable, editorially independent media business, why he deliberately keeps Podnews at its current size, and the ethical tightrope of reporting on companies that also advertise with you (including one memorable story of a sponsor trying to buy his silence). The conversation moves into the current state of the industry: the rise of YouTube as a podcast platform, the video-versus-audio debate, and a frank takedown of AI-generated podcast factories like Inception Point AI. James and Sebastian also dig into podcasting's role in politics, the right-wing dominance of podcast charts, and why the democratization of audio remains one of the most exciting things happening in media today. --- IN THIS EPISODE [00:00] Introduction Sebastian introduces James Cridland and the Podnews newsletter. [00:31] The Origin Story of Podnews James recounts how Podnews was born from a single question in a bar after a radio conference: "Where do you find your news about podcasting?" With no comprehensive source available, he launched the newsletter within a month and has published it every weekday for nearly nine years without a single day off. [02:00] Building a Global, Differentiated Newsletter James explains his workflow-first philosophy — bullet points, a fixed publish time, and a one-to-two hour production window — and how writing for a global audience (not just US/NPR-focused podcasting) became a key differentiator. [04:13] A Career in Audio: Virgin Radio, the BBC, and Beyond How decades working in radio — including legal training as a presenter — shaped James's editorial instincts. He argues that running and understanding businesses makes for better journalism than a purely academic journalism background. [06:38] Editorial Judgment: What Makes the Cut James's primary editorial filter is simple: does he find it interesting? He notes, with amusement, that the stories he finds most compelling are almost never the ones that get the most clicks. [08:53] Awards, the Podcast Hall of Fame, and the Isolation of Podcasting James reflects on industry recognition and touches on a broader truth: podcasting is a lonely craft, which makes every review, rating, or piece of listener feedback feel disproportionately meaningful. [12:07] Newsletter Growth, Saturation, and Succession With ~34,000 subscribers and flat growth over 18 months, James questions whether chasing scale is even the right goal — and shares his real concern: growing just enough to one day hire and train a successor. [15:51] Editorial Independence and the Tightrope of Sponsor Relationships A deeply honest conversation about how Podnews maintains journalistic integrity with advertisers. James describes a confrontation at an industry event where a company tried to buy positive coverage — and he responded by publishing his most aggressive piece about them directly on top of their newly purchased ad spot. [21:07] YouTube: Dominant Platform or Overhyped? James pushes back on the narrative that YouTube has "won" podcasting, questioning whether usage data reflects actual podcast consumption. He warns that a YouTube-dominated world would hollow out the open podcast ecosystem — hosting companies, ad networks, and independent infrastructure would all become irrelevant. [24:37] The Video Podcast Debate Is video a must-have or a nice-to-have? James argues that the pressure to go on camera is deterring newcomers and, worse, degrading the audio product — citing an example of a popular UK podcast that opened with "as you can see..." while many listeners were, of course, only listening. [29:16] AI-Generated Podcasts and Inception Point AI A pointed critique of companies mass-producing AI podcasts — 261 new shows per day in Inception Point AI's case — that flood directories with unverified, undisclosed AI content, including fake medical advice. James shares a jaw-dropping example of an AI-generated episode that broke into English mid-show to say it was confused by its own prompts. [35:05] Where AI Can Add Legitimate Value in Podcasting James draws a line: AI for show notes, transcripts, and clip selection is genuinely useful. AI replacing human voices and creativity, without disclosure, is not. He revisits the Luddites — misunderstood as anti-technology when they were really pro-quality. [36:43] Podcast Discoverability The platforms are getting better, but there's still room to grow. James champions the open "Podroll" standard — where podcasters recommend other shows — as more valuable than any algorithm, and advocates for real-world advertising over podcast-to-podcast cross-promotion. [40:34] How to Launch a Podcast with No Audience James's strategy: be where your niche audience already is. Don't spam your show — become a valued community member first. And reframe success: "self-sustaining creativity" (covering your car payment, taking your partner to dinner) is a legitimate and worthy goal. [43:57] Podcasting and Political Influence Did podcasts make Trump president? James is skeptical, arguing that people's political priors are rarely shifted by a single podcast appearance. He explores why right-wing content thrives on audio (outrage is easier to package than nuance) and what Australia's ranked-choice voting system reveals about healthier political discourse. [50:16] Podcast Regulation: How Much Is Coming? James argues podcasts are already regulated — libel law, advertising standards, copyright — and that the real tension is between two different definitions of freedom: the American "freedom to do anything" versus the European "freedom from harm." [52:48] How Will Future Media Historians View Podcasting? Podcasting reversed the soundbite era, letting people speak at length and be heard as full human beings. James sees the democratization of media — anyone on the same platform as Joe Rogan — as podcasting's most enduring contribution. [56:04] Three Podcast Recommendations James's picks: Death in Ice Valley (BBC/NRK co-production), The Bugle (long-running satirical news podcast), and This Week in Tech (nearly 20 years of video and audio podcasting done right). [58:42] Where to Find James Podnews newsletter, his personal site, and Mastodon. --- RESOURCES & LINKS James Cridland * Podnews newsletter: podnews.net [https://podnews.net/] * Personal website: james.crid.land [https://james.crid.land/] * Mastodon/Fediverse: @james@bne.social Mentioned Publications & Newsletters * Podcast Business Journal [https://podcastbusinessjournal.com/] — James's weekly newsletter focused on the business of podcasting Platforms & Tools Discussed * Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/] * Spotify [https://spotify.com/] * YouTube [https://youtube.com/] * Pocket Casts [https://pocketcasts.com/] — mentioned for its "Podroll" recommendation feature * Riverside.fm [https://riverside.fm/] — used to record this episode * Buzzsprout [https://buzzsprout.com/] — mentioned as a hosting platform * Captivate [https://captivate.fm/] — mentioned podcast hosting platform * Libsyn [https://libsyn.com/] — mentioned podcast hosting platform Topics & Companies Referenced * Inception Point AI [https://inceptionpoint.ai/] — AI podcast generation company discussed * iHeart / Spreaker [https://spreaker.com/] — mentioned as an ad enabler for AI-generated content * Edison Research Infinite Dial [https://www.edisonresearch.com/infinite-dial/] — cited for YouTube podcast listening data * Air America [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_America_(radio_network)] — mentioned as an example of a failed left-wing radio network Podcasts Recommended by James * Death in Ice Valley [https://pod.link/1357695290] — BBC/NRK true crime co-production * The Bugle [https://pod.link/TheBugle] — long-running satirical news podcast * This Week in Tech [https://pod.link/73329404] (TWiT) — nearly 20 years of tech podcasting in audio and video * Buzz Out Loud (CNET) — James's first podcast; no longer active * The Rest Is Politics [https://pod.link/1611374685] — popular UK politics podcast, mentioned in the video-vs-audio discussion --- TALK THAT POD Want to be on this podcast? Fill out this form. [https://talkthatpod.net/be-on-the-show/] Watch or listen to Talk That Pod on YouTube. [https://www.youtube.com/@talkthatpodshow] --- FIND THAT POD Discover the best podcasts in the world. [https://findthatpod.com/] - A podcast discovery newsletter bringing you 5 great podcasts to discover every week. Subscribe today. [https://findthatpod.com/]

20. maj 20261 h 0 min

014 - Dave Chapman - Real Organic Podcast

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