New Media Show (Audio)

When AI can make anything look polished, what earns an audience’s trust? Watch episode 694 on YouTube Can creators still build trust when AI can generate convincing voices, polished videos, personalized messages, and entire digital personalities? The harder question is what makes someone worth following when production quality becomes easier to reproduce. In New Media Show #694, Rob Greenlee talks with Yuri Kleban, introduced as a Global Product Lead Manager in Partnerships at Google, about the human contribution to AI-assisted media. They explore originality, disclosure, storytelling, creative judgment, and the relationship between creators and audiences. The conversation moves from Yuri’s experiment with a disclosed workplace bot to AI-assisted games, fan-created entertainment, and the practical limits of automation. Both speakers see creative opportunities, while examining permission, impersonation, workload, and the risk of handing over too much judgment. Their predictions and examples reflect the discussion, not announcements of Google or YouTube products or policies. The central question: if AI can handle more of the production, what should the human creator remain responsible for? Three practical takeaways Make the audience’s problem your starting point. Rob and Yuri return to usefulness, a distinctive point of view, and storytelling. Choose an idea that helps a specific audience before deciding which AI tools or production techniques to use. Keep a person accountable for the result. Review AI-assisted work for accuracy, meaning, permission, and disclosure. Yuri describes a process of generating possibilities, choosing what works, and refining it. The first output is a starting point for judgment. Measure the whole workload. Faster production can lead to more projects and more supervision. When testing an AI workflow, count reviewing and correcting time as well as generation time, and set a limit on how much new work you take on. Why polish is becoming a weaker signal Yuri recalls the effort he once put into making his own video work look polished. He argues that when tools make professional-looking production widely available, polish alone becomes less useful as evidence of a creator’s effort or originality. That shifts attention toward the idea, the story, and the perspective behind the work. Rob connects this to human intuition: the choices a creator makes about what matters to other people. AI may help execute an idea, but the discussion keeps returning to the human who decides what is worth making and why. For podcasters and video creators, the practical implication is to explain something clearly, bring experience to the conversation, and make editorial choices an audience can recognize. Better tools can support that work; production quality by itself does not establish credibility. The disclosed bot that did not sound like Yuri One of the episode’s most revealing examples comes from Yuri’s workplace. He describes building a bot that answers colleagues’ questions using his knowledge. The bot is identified as a bot, but some colleagues tell him that its responses do not sound like him. Yuri experiments with familiar features of his own writing, including imperfect spelling and punctuation. He does not report a proven improvement in trust; he is still exploring the outcome. The example raises a useful distinction between a recognizable communication style and evidence that an answer is reliable. An editorial suggestion: if you use an assistant to represent your expertise, make its role clear and give people a way to reach the responsible human. Familiar phrasing can make communication easier to recognize, but it should not substitute for disclosure or checking an answer. Human, AI, and hybrid media can serve different audiences Rob and Yuri consider a future with human-created, AI-generated, and hybrid entertainment. Yuri expects different audiences to value different experiences. Human unpredictability, personal history, and relationships may remain important even when synthetic media becomes more capable. The conversation also challenges the idea that all AI-assisted work belongs in one category. Yuri emphasizes whether something is interesting, useful, and distinctive. Rob brings the discussion back to the purpose and experience behind the content. Their views argue for audience value, not evidence that any particular format will succeed. Fan-created episodes need permission and clear boundaries Could audiences create alternative endings or new episodes featuring familiar performers and fictional worlds? Rob and Yuri explore that possibility as a future creative model. Yuri’s version includes permission, clear labeling, limits set by the original participants, and compensation for the people whose work or identity is being used. These are proposals discussed in the episode, not a claim that creators already have permission to reuse someone’s voice, likeness, or characters. The important question for a media business is who can authorize the use, what they have agreed to, and how an audience will understand what it is watching. That distinction matters to trust. A clearly identified creative extension and an impersonation presented as the real person create very different expectations. AI can expand creative participation Yuri describes building a custom game with his children, combining their ideas with AI-assisted development. The example illustrates a broader theme: tools can let people try ideas they would otherwise struggle to produce, while human direction and iteration still shape the result. He also describes asking for multiple possibilities when developing creative material, then selecting and refining them. Rob connects that approach to his experience building websites and production workflows. Both describe collaboration with tools, rather than a finished creative product emerging without review. The productivity paradox: faster tools, more work Rob’s experience with AI is that it can make him busier. As production becomes easier, he takes on more projects, each of which still needs attention and decisions. Yuri suggests that people may need time to develop healthier limits around tools that keep expanding what feels possible. For an independent creator, more output is not automatically a better business outcome. A workflow can save time on one task while adding review, coordination, or maintenance elsewhere. The episode invites creators to decide what they want to do with the saved time before filling it with another project. Optimism with room for disagreement Yuri is optimistic about wider access to creative tools, but he also acknowledges fears about work, misuse, and impersonation. He describes fraudulent attempts to use a copied voice as an example of how the technology can erode trust. Rob and Yuri discuss possible futures for employment and media, without resolving how quickly those changes will arrive. They emphasize learning how the tools work, weighing benefits and risks, and keeping human responsibility central. Specific scenarios in the conversation are forecasts and thought experiments, not guaranteed outcomes. One practical next step Choose one small task in your next episode workflow, such as organizing research or drafting a description. Write down how long your usual process takes. Try an AI-assisted version, review it for accuracy, meaning, and appropriate disclosure, and include correction time in the comparison. Decide whether the result serves your audience better before expanding the experiment. About Yuri Kleban Yuri Kleban works at Google and is introduced in this episode as a Global Product Lead Manager in Partnerships. He brings experience across products, cloud, advertising, and partnerships to a discussion about AI and human creativity. The conversation includes his own experiments, observations, and predictions. Episode transcript Read the complete episode 694 transcript (text) · Download the timed transcript (WebVTT) The transcript was exported from the final edited recording. Machine-generated transcription may contain errors; the audio and video are authoritative. Timed transcripts are also provided in both podcast feeds for compatible apps. Episode resources and links Watch the full conversation with Yuri Kleban on YouTube Explore NewMediaShow.com for more creator media conversations Read Rob’s work on media, AI, and audience trust at RobGreenlee.com Explore practical trust and creator business work at TrustFactorLab.com Related New Media Show conversations AI editing and human creative direction with Descript CEO Laura Burkhauser — episode 690 Creator identity, AI, and the human premium with Jim Louderback — episode 689 Voice, likeness, and creator identity with Anne Kavanagh — episode 684 About the host and the show Rob Greenlee hosts New Media Show and founded Trust Factor Lab. He is a 2017 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee. New Media Show explores podcasting, video, AI, audience trust, and the business of creator media. Build an audience. Earn trust. Grow a media business. AI disclosure AI tools helped organize and draft these show notes from the supplied episode transcript. The summary paraphrases the conversation between human host Rob Greenlee and human guest Yuri Kleban. Practical suggestions labeled editorial are interpretations of the discussion.The post Can Creators Still Build Trust in the AI Era? | Yuri Kleban, Google #694 first appeared on New Media Show.

Creators are businesses. What does SBA recognition actually change? Watch episode 693 on YouTube Creators produce content, build audiences, sell products, hire people, and take financial risks. So what changes when the federal government more clearly recognizes that work as a small business? In New Media Show #693, Rob Greenlee talks with Avi Gandhi, Chair of Government Advocacy at the Creators Guild of America and founder of Creator Access Network, about the Small Business Administration’s October 15, 2026 guidance on qualifying creator businesses. Avi explains how the effort came together, what the NAICS 5121 classification means, and why access to capital and business support could help creators build beyond their next sponsorship. The conversation moves from policy to the business a creator can build: original products, services, memberships, physical locations, and assets with value beyond an individual post or platform payout. Rob and Avi also explore AI, self-employment, verified professional work, and the responsibilities that come with running a business. The central question: can clearer recognition help podcasters, YouTubers, and other creators turn audience relationships into more sustainable businesses? Three practical takeaways Understand the classification before pursuing funding. NAICS 5121 is the Motion Picture and Video Industries group, with more specific six-digit codes beneath it. Qualifying creators should identify the code that matches their primary business activity for SBA program purposes. Recognition does not guarantee approval. Use business support as well as capital. Avi points creators toward the Guild’s free SBA 101 course and local Small Business Development Centers. Mentorship can help clarify a business model and its needs before borrowing becomes part of the plan. Think about what you own. Sponsorships and affiliate sales can generate income. Rob and Avi examine how creator-owned products, services, and businesses can also build lasting value from the trust an audience has already developed. What the SBA creator classification guidance means Avi describes the announcement as a milestone in recognizing creators as entrepreneurs. Behind a podcast, video channel, or newsletter is often a business handling production, distribution, customer acquisition, monetization, and expenses. The SBA’s guidance places qualifying creator businesses within the existing NAICS 5121 — Motion Picture and Video Industries framework for program eligibility. That is an industry group, rather than a new six-digit code reserved exclusively for creators. The applicable six-digit classification depends on what a business principally does. The SBA’s announcement also makes a useful distinction: creator businesses have long been eligible for support when they meet the relevant requirements. The clarification addresses uncertainty about classification. It does not mean every creator automatically qualifies for a loan or government contract. Financing, contracting, and mentorship Rob and Avi discuss three areas where clearer recognition can matter: SBA-backed lending, federal contracting opportunities, and small business counseling. A creator might need capital for production equipment, product development, inventory, or a physical space. Whether financing is available depends on the business, the use of funds, the lender, and the program’s requirements. SBA-backed financing is borrowing that must be repaid. For example, the SBA’s 7(a) program requires creditworthiness and a reasonable ability to repay, and applications go through participating lenders. The SBA guarantee supports the lender; it does not remove the borrower’s obligations. Contracting is another potential path where a creator’s services fit an agency’s needs and applicable requirements. Avi presents that as an opportunity to develop, rather than a promise of immediate work. For creators who first need help understanding their business, local mentorship and counseling may be the more useful starting point. How creator advocacy reached Washington Avi explains the collaborative effort behind the guidance, including the Creators Guild of America, Shira Lazar and Creators for Mental Health, industry participants, congressional offices, and the SBA. A recurring request from creators was recognition: a clearer place within the systems other small businesses use. He describes two related efforts: working within an existing classification to address immediate access, and continuing to advocate for a classification that would make the creator economy easier to measure. A dedicated category, he argues, could help policymakers better understand creator employment, business activity, and economic contributions. The guidance discussed in this episode is an interim step in that broader effort. From selling someone else’s product to building your own One of the episode’s biggest business questions is who receives the long-term value generated by a creator’s influence. Rob brings up TikTok Shop and Whatnot as examples of content and commerce coming together. The discussion distinguishes between promoting another company’s products and building a product business a creator owns. Avi sees access to capital as a possible catalyst for creators developing physical goods, opening retail locations, and producing in-person experiences. Those businesses require money for development, samples, inventory, rent, and operations. His larger argument is that creators can bring an existing audience relationship to a business that might otherwise need to build demand from scratch. Rob also notes that some live sellers already make and sell their own creations. The opportunity spans several models, from an individual artist selling original work to a creator developing a repeatable product line. Each has different costs, risks, and potential value. AI, self-employment, and the future of creator businesses Rob and Avi consider how AI and automation could change the relationship between employment and entrepreneurship. Avi sees creators as part of a broader move toward self-employment, with content helping people sell expertise, services, products, and community access. Rob shares his experience using AI to build websites with business processes and platform capabilities. The tools can expand what one person can produce, while still requiring skills, judgment, and a clear purpose. Both speakers connect that change to a larger question: how people can turn their experience and ideas into businesses they control. Avi’s view is that the creator economy is increasingly becoming part of the wider economy. Founders, executives, established companies, and local businesses are all using content to reach customers. The episode explores what that convergence might mean over the next several years. Verified work, brand deals, and professional support Avi introduces other Creators Guild of America initiatives, including Mosaic, which he describes as a way to showcase professional work and have participating partners verify their involvement. For a creator discussing a new sponsorship, evidence of past collaborations can help establish credibility. He also discusses the Guild’s Brand Deal Rider, designed to bring baseline protections into sponsorship negotiations, and education on business practices and disclosures. Through Creator Access Network, Avi shares interviews about creator business models and offers access to discounts on tools and professional services. Where creators can start Avi’s recommended first step is the Creators Guild of America’s free SBA 101 course. It explains classification, preparation for capital, loan programs, counseling, and contracting. Creators seeking financing apply through the relevant lender or program; there is no single general SBA registration that automatically unlocks every benefit. The closing discussion covers recordkeeping, business bank accounts, legal structure, and liability. Rob and Avi acknowledge that creators are at different stages, from experimenting with content to handling sponsor commitments and meaningful revenue. An LLC is not blanket protection from liability. Business structure and financing decisions should fit the creator’s actual activities and circumstances. A useful next step: identify the business you are building, the revenue it already produces, and the constraint you need to solve. Then decide whether education, professional support, or capital would make the most practical difference. Video chapters Approximate chapter times follow the supplied transcript’s minute markers. The separate audio edition may differ. 00:00 — Creators get SBA recognition: what actually changes? 01:00 — Meet Avi Gandhi and his creator industry background 03:00 — Why recognition as a small business matters 07:00 — NAICS 5121 and SBA-backed lending 10:00 — Contracting opportunities and small business mentorship 11:00 — The Creators Guild, Mosaic, and brand deal protections 14:00 — The advocacy effort and the push for a dedicated creator code 20:00 — Measuring the creator economy 23:00 — Creators, customer acquisition, and the broader economy 27:00 — Working with Congress and the SBA 30:00 — Why traditional media began taking creators seriously 33:00 — AI, self-employment, and the future of work 37:00 — Capital for physical products and real-world businesses 40:00 — TikTok Shop, Whatnot, and creator-owned business value 45:00 — Creator education and Creator Access Network 47:00 — Finding SBA 101 and local business support 52:00 — Choosing resources that fit your creator business 55:00 — Recordkeeping, business structure, and liability 59:00 — Resources, final thoughts, and audience comments About Avi Gandhi Avi Gandhi is Chair of Government Advocacy at the Creators Guild of America and founder of Creator Access Network. His experience spans creator representation, production, partnerships, and platforms, including WME, Wheelhouse, and Patreon. I

Video podcast production at Gotham Production Studios In New Media Show #692, Rob Greenlee takes the conversation into Gotham Production Studios in New York City for an in-person discussion with co-founders Brianna Peters and Matt Peters about the changing business of video podcast production. From a quick studio tour to a conversation about cameras, content strategy, AI, and audience relationships, this episode explores what it takes to create a show people keep coming back to. The key question: how can creators improve video production quality, build a sustainable business, and preserve the human connection that makes podcasting valuable? Three practical takeaways Build an audience: give a strong show a clear path to discovery. Matt describes using refreshed thumbnails, clips, guest appearances, and show websites to help people find and return to the full conversation. Earn trust: use professional production to support a recognizable human voice. Rob, Brianna, and Matt discuss authenticity, staged content, and why in-person experiences could become more valuable as AI-generated media expands. Grow a media business: match production decisions to your purpose, audience, resources, and goals. A corporate marketing show, an independent creator business, and a hobby podcast need different levels of investment and support. Identify the biggest constraint on your next episode: the content, sound, lighting, editing time, or discovery. Choose one improvement you can sustain, define the result you want, and review what changes over your next four episodes. This editorial exercise draws on the discussion. From an audio hobby to a video production business Gotham began in 2017 with a practical problem: Matt needed a better place to record his own podcast. What started as an audio recording space grew into a service business as clients asked for help producing their shows. Brianna and Matt explain how an early webcam setup evolved into multicamera studios, with a more substantial video investment in 2019 and a shift toward brands and professional creators after the pandemic. That change reached beyond cameras. Lighting, furniture, set design, and the in-room experience became part of the production offering. Matt explains why Gotham increasingly refers to its clients’ productions as shows and encourages businesses to consider them as part of a broader marketing strategy. Better production, realistic budgets, and room for independent creators Matt describes Gotham’s usual three-camera approach and why some visual effects are more practical to create in post-production than with additional camera operators. The discussion also examines the pressure created by celebrity shows and television-scale expectations. Matt worries that expensive productions can discourage people from starting; Brianna emphasizes that a strong concept and audience connection can still stand out on a smaller budget. For creators, the question becomes how much production serves the show. Rob and his guests explore the balance between polish, accessibility, and the natural conversation that audiences associate with podcasting. Custom sets and the next studio experience Brianna and Matt explain the challenge of giving each show a distinctive look inside a shared studio. Small branding elements can work within existing rooms, while dedicated sets require more space and planning. They describe past custom productions and their plans for a future location with more flexible sets and space for live recordings, ticketed events, and brand activations. These are plans for Gotham’s next phase. Strategy that fits the creator Brianna shares her coaching approach: cut the noise from generic advice, clarify why someone is creating a show, and build actionable steps around that person’s goals. The conversation challenges the idea that one workbook, formula, or celebrity example can provide the right plan for every creator. Matt explains Gotham’s internal approach to assessing a show and finding manageable improvements. Thumbnails, clips, websites, guest selection, and appearances on other podcasts can all play a role. Drawing on his work with Greg Fitzsimmons’ Fitzdog Radio and Sunday Papers, he describes refreshing the packaging and discovery strategy while keeping the host’s established voice. AI and the value of being in the room Brianna describes using AI to support operations, marketing, discoverability, and editing. She also predicts that uncertainty about synthetic and staged media could increase demand for tangible, in-person experiences. Rob connects that possibility to audience trust and the value of direct human interaction. The discussion considers how creators can use new tools while maintaining their judgment and identity. For Gotham, that includes exploring a studio environment where recording, community, and live experiences can happen in the same place. Solo creators, direct relationships, and sustainable support Can one person still do it all? Matt believes there is still room for creators working with a microphone and webcam, while suggesting that outside help can relieve production bottlenecks when resources allow. Rob reflects on running New Media Show himself to understand the tools and workflows shaping the industry. The conversation closes with the value of smaller, engaged audiences, newsletters, memberships, merchandise, and direct support. Rob and Matt also discuss their concerns about ad skipping and how AI might affect advertising models. Their broader point is to consider the relationship a show creates, alongside its reach and production quality. Video chapters Approximate chapter times follow the supplied video transcript’s minute markers. The separate audio edition may differ. 00:00 — Inside Gotham Production Studios 01:00 — What does a video podcast need to compete? 04:00 — Meet Brianna and Matt: how Gotham began 09:00 — Video-first clients, lighting, and set design 12:00 — From hobby podcasts to professional shows 14:00 — Multicamera production and editing decisions 20:00 — Branding a show inside a shared studio 24:00 — Flexible sets and plans for live events 26:00 — Television expectations and production budgets 32:00 — Content, coaching, and realistic creator goals 36:00 — AI and the future of in-person experiences 39:00 — AI-assisted workflows and staged content 42:00 — Thumbnails, clips, and audience discovery 45:00 — Studio rental, creative support, and show refreshes 49:00 — The Gotham system and content across formats 51:00 — Can solo creators still do it all? 55:00 — Direct audience relationships and smaller communities 58:00 — Newsletters, memberships, and audience support 59:00 — Ad skipping, AI, and monetization questions 1:01:00 — Connecting with Gotham and closing thoughts Guest resources Brianna Peters and Matt Peters are the co-founders of Gotham Production Studios in New York City. Brianna discusses strategy, coaching, client relationships, and business development; Matt shares his perspective on production, storytelling, editing, and show growth. Gotham Production Studios: explore studio options, inquire about production support, or arrange a tour. Related New Media Show conversations Video podcasting costs and creator revenue with Losh Moodaley — episode 691 Building a creator media company with Roberto Blake — episode 687 About the host and the show Rob Greenlee hosts New Media Show and founded Trust Factor Lab. He is a 2017 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee. New Media Show explores podcasting, video, AI, audience trust, and the business of creator media. Build an audience. Earn trust. Grow a media business. AI disclosure AI tools helped organize and draft these show notes from the supplied episode transcript. The summary paraphrases the recorded conversation. The conversation features human host Rob Greenlee and human guests Brianna Peters and Matt Peters. The transcript also identifies an AI-generated voice introduction.The post What Does a Video Podcast Need to Compete? At Gotham Production Studios in NYC | #692 first appeared on New Media Show.

Show notes In New Media Show #691, Rob Greenlee and podcast sponsorship strategist Losh Moodaley examine a practical question: when does the cost of video serve the creator’s business? Their conversation connects production economics, audience relationships, sponsorships and human creativity in an AI-driven media environment. Three practical takeaways Build an audience: connect platform discovery to a direct relationship. Rob and Losh discuss newsletters, websites and subscriptions as ways to reduce dependence on one distribution platform. Earn trust: make relevance and human connection part of the experience. Their discussion of sponsorships considers how a useful integration can serve the audience, rather than simply increasing the number of ads. Grow a media business: evaluate video against a defined goal and its full cost. Losh suggests considering customer acquisition and business value alongside advertising revenue and download counts. Try this: Add up the time and money behind one episode. Choose the outcome it should support—such as a qualified inquiry, a subscription or a useful audience response—and track the available evidence over a defined period. Compare that evidence with the cost before expanding production. This is an editorial exercise, not a prediction of revenue or growth. Who benefits from the move to video? Losh’s article, The Price of Visibility: The Hidden Economics of Podcast Video, frames the discussion. Video can introduce a show to new people, but equipment, editing, lighting and publishing work add costs. More viewing time does not automatically produce a sustainable business for the creator. Rob and Losh discuss changing viewing habits and the distinction between discovery, attention and commercial value. Their views on platform incentives and the future of distribution are interpretations and predictions expressed in the conversation. Evaluate the investment around your business Losh argues that the right decision depends on the purpose of the show. A hobby, an advertising-supported podcast and a show that supports consulting or product sales have different economics. She suggests looking at video as a possible customer-acquisition and marketing investment, rather than relying on one measure such as CPM or downloads. The useful test is what happens after someone discovers the content. A new viewer might become a subscriber, customer, community participant or professional contact. Those outcomes need evidence; they cannot be inferred from views alone. Build relationships and retain control Rob and Losh discuss using websites, newsletters, subscriptions and communities to maintain direct audience relationships. They also emphasize the value of intellectual property and the risks of relying entirely on another company’s distribution rules. The conversation considers direct brand relationships, memberships, services and experiences alongside conventional advertising. Losh questions generic sponsor integrations and discusses approaches that create a useful audience experience. These are opportunities to evaluate, not evidence of a particular show’s revenue. Community, commerce and the audience experience Rob describes his observations of Whatnot, including live sales, audience participation and collaborations between creators. He and Losh explore how elements of that experience might apply to other media businesses. They also consider where the model may not fit. Some visual content loses meaning when heard without a screen. Rob explains why he has sometimes edited audio and video separately, and questions whether a single production approach serves every audience. Measurement, AI and the human connection The discussion moves from what audiences call a podcast to how creators evaluate attention and business outcomes. Rob speculates that AI might eventually help reconcile fragmented metrics. This is a prediction, not a claim that a reliable unified measurement system already exists. Rob and Losh distinguish human-created work, AI-assisted human work and fully synthetic media. They explore the possibilities for new characters and experiences while returning to human connection, judgment and responsibility. Their forecasts about synthetic media should be understood as opinions about possible developments. Build for your audience and your own goals Losh’s closing advice emphasizes consistency, a suitable niche, understanding the audience and considering business models beyond standard advertising. Rob argues for testing whether a workflow and idea are sustainable before making a larger investment. The central editorial takeaway is to assess what video contributes to the creator’s goals, rather than treating platform visibility as an end in itself. Video chapters Choose a chapter to jump within the video player. These timings follow the edited video; the separate audio edition may differ. 00:00 — Who profits from video? 02:14 — Meet Losh Moodaley 06:22 — Demand for video and changing consumption 14:19 — Production costs and revenue pressure 15:13 — Video as customer acquisition 20:33 — Audience relationships and ownership 28:20 — HLS and distribution predictions 32:54 — Host reads and sponsor integration 35:47 — Direct audience support 38:19 — Live commerce and creator collaboration 43:08 — Different audio and video experiences 50:32 — Podcast definitions and measurement 53:48 — The human trust layer 55:47 — Human, AI-assisted and synthetic content 1:05:32 — Creative possibility and responsibility 1:10:24 — Creator purpose and business goals 1:14:36 — Advice for new creators 1:16:59 — Connect with Losh Guest resources Losh Moodaley is a podcast sponsorship and brand-partnerships strategist. Losh Moodaley on LinkedIn The Price of Visibility: The Hidden Economics of Podcast Video Beyond the CPM About the host and the show Rob Greenlee hosts New Media Show and founded Trust Factor Lab. He is a 2017 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee. Explore the episode library and episode newsletter. AI disclosure AI tools assisted with transcription, organization and editing of these show notes. The summary paraphrases the recorded conversation; the “Try this” exercise is an editorial suggestion. The episode features human host Rob Greenlee and human guest Losh Moodaley.The post Who Profits From Video? The Real Cost of Video Podcasting | #691 first appeared on New Media Show.

WATCH OR LISTEN · EPISODE 690 Watch video  |  Listen to audio  |  Read show notes Watch video Prefer audio? Listen here. Open audio in a new window  |  Download audio Follow the audio podcast: Apple Podcasts  |  Spotify  |  RSS Show notes In New Media Show #690, Rob Greenlee talks with Laura Burkhauser, CEO of Descript, about AI editing, creative direction and the decisions that make a creator’s work distinctive. The conversation asks what becomes more valuable about human judgment as production tools become more capable. Three practical takeaways Build an audience: give people a recognizable perspective and a useful story. More effects or faster output do not, by themselves, give an audience a reason to return. Earn trust: review an automated edit for meaning and context. Laura argues that thoughtful editing can clarify a conversation; preserving authenticity still requires human decisions. Grow a media business: choose production work that supports the audience and business you want to build. The discussion considers community support, relevant sponsors and media that helps a professional demonstrate expertise. Try this: Choose one repetitive editing task for AI assistance. Write down the intended story, compare the automated result with the original, and record the time saved and corrections needed before publishing. This is an editorial exercise informed by the conversation, not a promise of a particular result. Editing as craft, and editing as a production task Laura distinguishes between creators whose art is editing and creators whose primary art is storytelling. An experienced editor may want precise control over individual choices. A storyteller may want help removing the technical obstacles between an idea and an audience. Those needs call for different workflows. Rob and Laura explore the shift toward directing AI tools. A useful prompt depends on knowing the intended result, communicating it clearly and judging what the tool produces. Laura’s point is that a creator’s perspective remains important even when the technical work becomes easier. Reduce tool friction while keeping human judgment Laura describes an approach that reduces repetitive production work while leaving the creator responsible for the vision and story. Rob connects that to his experience assembling radio programs manually and using newer editing tools. The discussion also considers the expectations AI companies create. Claims about effortless production can overlook the creative decisions that still need attention. The practical question is which work should be automated and which choices deserve deliberate human review. Authenticity depends on the choices behind the edit Rob asks whether an unedited recording is necessarily more authentic than an edited conversation. Laura argues that editing can make meaning easier to understand. A close-up or reaction shot can clarify an emotional moment, provided it serves the conversation rather than changing its meaning. They also discuss the tension between being authentic and performing authenticity online. Laura emphasizes a recognizable human presence and engagement with a community. Rob relates this to his work with Trust Factor Lab and the importance of human connection as synthetic media becomes more common. Start creating, then learn what the business needs Laura was a Descript customer before joining the company. Producing a podcast with a friend helped her discover that she could create and share work without first mastering a complicated production process. Her advice in the conversation is to start recording, editing and learning. Rob and Laura question whether pressure to monetize immediately can discourage experimentation. They distinguish media sold as a product from media that supports another business, such as consulting, coaching or a founder-led company. They also consider community support and sponsorships relevant to a specific audience. These are possible models, not guaranteed outcomes. Algorithms, attention and the next creator workflow Laura explains her preference for intentional viewing, including turning off YouTube recommendations. Rob describes using both subscriptions and discovery. Their discussion asks what personalization systems optimize for and whether engagement alone captures a useful human outcome. In the closing discussion, Laura outlines a direction for Descript beyond individual editing tasks: helping creators develop subject areas, build a useful content library, distribute work and learn from it. These comments describe her perspective on future development at the time of the recording, not a list of features independently verified as available today. Video chapters Choose a chapter to jump within the video player. These timings follow the edited video; the separate audio edition may differ. 00:00 — AI workflows and the human creator 03:47 — Is editing becoming directing? 08:15 — Communicating a creative vision 13:44 — Reducing tool friction 16:46 — Authenticity and thoughtful editing 26:49 — Laura's experience as a creator 30:01 — Creating before expecting revenue 35:33 — Community support and relevant sponsors 39:35 — Intentional viewing and recommendations 42:43 — Personalization and human outcomes 46:22 — What comes next for Descript Guest resources Laura Burkhauser is the guest and Descript CEO in this episode. Descript Descript Underlord Laura Burkhauser on the Descript blog About the host and the show Rob Greenlee hosts New Media Show and founded Trust Factor Lab. He is a 2017 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee. Find more conversations in the episode library or receive the episode newsletter. AI disclosure AI tools assisted with transcription, organization and editing of these show notes. The summary paraphrases the recorded conversation; the “Try this” exercise is an editorial suggestion. The episode features human host Rob Greenlee and human guest Laura Burkhauser.The post How AI Is Changing the Creator Workflow | Descript CEO Laura Burkhauser #690 first appeared on New Media Show.