Podcasters Can Create Better Shows and Win Listeners with Tried-and-True Help from Radio Experts
After entertaining millions of radio listeners for decades, two highly-accomplished broadcasters are teaming-up to help companies create irresistible and interesting podcasts for the right audiences, and improve the quality and effectiveness of existing podcasts.
Podcast PDs (www.podcastpds.com) is the name of the new company Jim “Jimbo” Kovacik and Robert “Scorpio” Michael are launching.
The “PD” in the company name purposefully refers to a Program Director, a principal role at a radio station whose responsibilities include selecting the format, shows and schedule for a radio station, and consistently delivering high-quality radio experiences to keep listeners hooked.
Kovacik and Michael have decades of experience in doing exactly that.
“Rob and I know great audio content. After all, we’ve created tens of thousands of hours of it. And we’re still doing it on our own podcasts and for radio station clients. It makes perfect sense to offer all that we’ve learned as ‘podcast program directors’ to help cultivate ideas and create original podcasts that listeners will crave,” said Kovacik.
Just like with on-demand video services, listeners have discovered a world of podcasts available on their smartphones and via online streaming channels, like Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music Podcasts, Spotify and others.
It is estimated that more than 1 million active podcasts are available for listeners. More tellingly, advertising revenue via podcasting is projected to balloon to $1.6 billion by 2022.
“If a podcaster wants to attract advertising revenue, they need to attract listeners—and keep them. That means you need to create great, high quality podcasting content that listeners will seek-out and then share with everyone they know. We know how to create shows that are extremely popular and remarkable,” said Kovacik.
The Podcast PDs caution that it’s not necessarily easy to find listeners. Moreover, podcasters are liable to lose listeners if their podcast suffers in creativity or quality.
“There are so many great ideas for podcasts. The problem is, people don’t know how to execute them. Or they create a show that just sounds bad, so very few download it or listen. That’s where we can help. We can help create an original podcast for a niche audience. Maybe you want to launch a new business and wonder if a podcast could help? Either way, we have the expertise to help you create it faster and better entertain your listeners, so they’ll keep coming back for more,” said Michael.
At the start of their careers, Kovacik and Michael worked together at 97.9 FM or “The Box” in Houston, and helped make it one of the most successful Hip-Hop stations in the country. Kovacik was the creative force behind four of its most successful morning shows. Michael focused on the station’s programming and helped “The Box” hit Number 1 in his first year.
Kovacik spent the majority of his career at “The Box” and became well-known in Houston by his radio personality, Jimbo, on the highly-popular “Madd Hatta Show.” He currently produces and hosts two podcasts: “The Jimbo Podcast,” which that features radio, showbiz and business legends; and “Crispy Coated Robots,” a very funny and surprisingly informative “Top 5” pop culture show.
Michael gained extensive experience and earned several awards while managing stations all over the country. Highlights include managing top-tier talent on “The Steve Harvey Morning Radio Show” in Los Angeles and “The Donnie Simpson Radio Show” in Washington D.C. He also played an integral role in the launch of the “The Ron Burgundy Podcast” in San Diego.
