Anytime I see a legacy media brand stage a comeback, I don’t just get celebratory. Or nostalgic. Instead, I dig in to try to figure out how they did it. Once such triumph recently occurred for a magazine that was first launched in 1857 – before the Civil War. The fact it’s enjoying great success in 2024, a trying time for all media – makes it worthy of our time.

The relative health of the radio broadcasting industry is always a hot topic and a subject of much debate. But back in October of 2020, those conversations were being overshadowed by the pandemic, an event that even back then we knew would be a game changer. Four years ago, it was a different world – but not really. I think when you take a look back with me, you’ll gain some perspective about where we are now as an industry. And even better, you won’t have to social distance or wear a mask!

Watching and listening to Tom Brady try to get comfortable and learn an all new craft in the play-by-play booth is a reminder of how challenging a broadcasting career can be – even to a G.O.A.T. on the gridiron. It simply takes time to hone a new craft. As author Malcolm Gladwell prescribes, “10,000 hours of practice.” Well, look at the time!

Why would we be surprised to learn that one of the hot new applications of AI is the ability to create podcasts from basic input: books, research studies, movies – whatever? And that raises the question about whether we humans really want to listen to two bots discussing “War and Peace” or whether the human experience will win out in the end. That’s heady stuff for a Monday morning, but the examples I’ve included are worth the price of admission. Just click “READ MORE.”