Welcome back to Stop Rewind Play - and welcome to the first-ever podcast edition!
After a bit of a break, I’m easing back into writing and experimenting with Substack’s podcast tools. I’ll share how that’s going once I’ve had time to test things properly.
Working on my own show again has reminded me just how much thought goes into sounding effortless. I’ve spent days tweaking mic placement, adjusting sound treatment, and creating a music bed (and re-mixing it more times than I want to admit!). But if I’d waited for everything to be perfect, I’d still be waiting and I really wanted to be back up and running ahead of The Podcast Show in London later this month - so here we are.
Like many of the podcasters I work with, I don’t have a professional studio - I’ve done my best with the tools I’ve got. Which feels a bit ironic given that this issue is about audio quality. But also proves the point: thoughtful choices matter more than fancy setups. Hopefully, you'll hear that too.
With so many slick, studio-produced shows from newsrooms and brands, the gap between “well-produced” and “hard to hear” has never been wider. Bad audio doesn’t just sound unprofessional. It weakens trust. And when your podcast represents your brand, poor sound quality can damage your credibility more than you realise.
🎧 In this week’s podcast episode:
✅ A real-world editing nightmare (and the bad review that still stings)
✅ Why listeners don’t need perfection - but do need clarity
✅ How to make your podcast sound better, even in a non-studio setup
Next time on Stop Rewind Play, I’ll flip the script. Because sometimes, bad audio is worth it. The crackle of a phone line, the atmosphere of a field recording - when used with purpose, it can add intimacy and immediacy. But knowing when that’s true takes a sharp ear and editorial judgment.
🎧 #Podcasting
IAB UK reports podcast ad growth is slowing | Podnews
Goalhanger hits 1 billion streams across podcasts and video | Podcasting Today
Daily Mail launches subscription true crime podcast The Crime Desk | Press Gazette
Deloitte: Media companies turn to audio and AI to stay competitive | Inside Radio
Puma enters podcasting to deepen consumer connection | FashionUnited
Independent Podcast Awards 2025 now open for entries | Independent Podcast Awards
Whole Foods Market launches its first podcast | The Packer
New data shows historians are dominating the podcast charts | Podcasting Today
Pocket Casts adds AI-generated transcripts to improve accessibility | 9to5Google
Headliner’s Podcast Promo adds 6 integrations to boost ad transparency | Headliner
🎶 #SoundDesign
How Magnum’s signature crack shows sound’s growing power in media | Creativebrief
World Cup 2026 posters pair host cities with local artists | The Drum
DeepMind expands Music AI Sandbox with new features and wider access | DeepMind
The sound of innovation: music, technology, and intellectual property | The Parliament Magazine
Inside the new sound exhibition from immersive theatre legends | Euronews
Want a real human to record your podcast ident? | Clare Reeves
🔮 #AudioFuture
How digital audio is evolving to meet data and privacy challenges | AdweekGrok
Vision adds multilingual audio support and real-time search | Observer Voice
How AI is revolutionising spatial audio | Nokia
NotebookLM now offers audio overviews in 50+ languages | Google Blog
