🎧 The Smart Way to Repurpose Written Work into a Podcast

Hello,

Podcast discovery seems to be top of the agenda for the platforms this week. Spotify announced it would be moving recommendations to the Home page of the app. Within days both Acast and Pocket Casts had announced new discovery tools too. Check out this week’s Rewind section for all the details.

With the Publisher Podcast Summit just a few weeks away, I’ve been thinking about one of the biggest questions publishers ask - how do you take content from the page to the podcast feed?

If your team’s already producing strong editorial - newsletters, opinion pieces, explainers, long form - you’re halfway there. Too often, audio gets treated as something totally separate when in fact your next podcast might be hiding in your archive.

I’ve worked with publishers who simply asked writers to read their own long form features aloud - a smart way to make great writing work harder.

And it really did work. Listeners heard the tone of the publication in the writer’s own voice. New audiences discovered the journalism. All supporting the the publication’s goal of increasing digital and print subscriptions. It worked because they were using what they already had - with purpose.

In this week’s podcast, I break down how to turn written content into a sustainable, strategic podcasting approach:

🗂 Audit your archive: columns, Q&As, explainers, and op-eds can all become episodes
🎙 Match format to function: not everything needs a theme tune or a panel
🧪 Start small: one strong pilot is better than a rushed series
🛠 Get help where it counts: freelance editors and scriptwriters can keep your team from burning out

Your publication already has a voice. Make sure people can hear it.

💬 Are you already doing this? I’d love to hear how it’s going - just hit reply.

Smart links for sound people - this week we Rewind on news about an AI-generated Orson Welles, predictive podcast tools, sonic branding breakthroughs, and whether ‘vodcasts’ are just crap telly...

🎧 #Podcasting

• Independent Podcast Forum event put on hold - here’s what we know | Podcasting Today

• Spotify add podcast recommendations to Home page | Spotify Newsroom

• Acast introduces Smart Recommendations to boost podcast discoverability | Acast

• Pocket Casts launches curated recommendations to help users discover new shows | Pocket Casts Blog

• Podcast spotlights military veterans building careers in commercial real estate | Commercial Observer

• One-third of podcast views now come from TV screens—what it means for creators and brands | Hello Partner

• Podcasting drives microphone sales to the masses | AV Network

• Quill Podcast Awards 2025 winners announced | Quill

• The BelTel podcast wins at New York Radio Awards for second year running | Belfast Telegraph

• ‘Vodcasts’ - the future or just crap telly? | The Guardian

• 39% of UK adults now listen to podcasts weekly, says Infinite Dial 2025 | Edison Research

• The Good Fight creators launch podcast for new series Rise: A Literary Thriller | Deadline

• Flightpath unveils predictive video tools to boost YouTube performance | Podcasting Today

• Global and ARN strike podcast sales and distribution deal | RadioToday

• Shopify leads podcast ad spend as Q1 2025 sees major growth | Mediaweek

• VeePod launches with aim to reshape the future of video podcasting | Podcasting Today

• Why Goalhanger is betting big on YouTube for podcast growth | Press Gazette

• Good Tape opens call for pitches for Issue 03 | Good Tape

🎶 #SoundDesign

• amp Sound Branding launches world’s first end-to-end AI audio operating system | LBBOnline

• Why sonic branding deserves a louder voice in building brand love | BW Marketing World

• The sound of Eurovision 2025, unpacked with sound designer Bea Day | LBBOnline

• 'Voice of Anfield' to step down after more than 50 years with Liverpool | BBC

• Feel the Sound: Inside the Barbican’s new immersive audio exhibition | Blooloop

• New sonic identity debuts for the Islamic Arts Biennale 2025 | LBBOnline

• Damien Escobar named CEO of Havas’ new music-led venture Art of Sound | PR Newswire

🔮 #AudioFutures

• Amazon's Alexa AI accused of lifting content from The New York Times | CNBC

• AI brings Orson Welles’ voice to life in new audio storytelling app | Variety

• Google unveils Veo 3 with advanced audio capabilities | Digital Watch

• OpenAI acquires Jony Ive’s startup io to design voice-first, AI-native devices | TechRepublic

• How VR’s immersive success in gaming and film could inspire music | X-Press Magazine

• High-quality OLED displays set to enhance next-gen audio-visual experiences | Tech Xplore

• Can immersive audio work at a festival? Polygon Live puts it to the test | MusicRadar

• WhatsApp rolls out audio chat to all group conversations | Social Media Today

• New Omaha opera uses tech to give voice to two non-verbal actors | NPR

• ScotRail defends AI announcer Iona | BBC

• Scientists build 3D audio dome with ultra-high fidelity that tricks your ears | Live Science

• Anthropic launches real-time voice chat for Claude AI on iOS and Android | BizzBuzz