Ryan Pauley Joins The Show

Grateful to have Ryan on the show this week.

A couple of quick thoughts on my end.

First, the similarities between Vox Media and Spotify are astounding. Yes, they both dominate the podcasting space, but more importantly, they both always seem to be on the cutting edge of what’s next in the industry. As Ryan mentioned, Vox Media has evolved from being an audio platform, to a full on multimedia platform.

The modern media consumer no longer just wants to engage with their favorite podcasters, journalists or influencers on one medium. They want to have an interactive experience that promotes authenticity and engagement, which is only possible through a multi-medium approach. This is why Vox Media’s dive into live shows should pay enormous dividends for the shows and talent in their network.

Additionally, as Ryan was talking about the potential of Bluespace as an X alternative, I couldn’t help but think of Clubhouse. Similar to Bluespace, Clubhouse had a huge initial spike in users and seemed like the new big thing. But, as history has shown, it’s pretty hard to knock the major legacy social networks off their pedestal.

Well, MySpace investors may like a word with me, but I was like four, so don’t come for me.

Finally, it is clear that AI is going to play a significant role in the future of media. That’s pretty obvious. The bigger, and more important question, is whether AI is going to damage or enhance the creativity and sanctity of independent journalism.