Digest

Arquez interviews James Carter, the host of the long-running trivia podcast Pod Quiz, discussing the podcast's origins, evolution, and James's thoughts on the current podcasting landscape. James shares how he was inspired to start Pod Quiz after listening to a trivia segment on the Daily Source Code podcast, and how the format of the podcast closely mirrors the structure of pub quizzes in the UK. He also discusses the podcast's evolution over the years, including the increasing internationalization of the audience and the consistency of the format, which has remained largely unchanged since the first episode. James emphasizes the importance of keeping the podcast a hobby rather than a job, and his reluctance to monetize it or move it to a platform like YouTube. He also shares his thoughts on the current podcasting landscape, noting the shift from audio-only to video podcasts and the challenges of discoverability. The interview concludes with a fun segment where James attempts to type the alphabet as fast as he can, showcasing his surprisingly average typing skills.

Outlines

00:00:00

Introduction and Sponsor

This Chapter introduces the episode and its sponsors, Read Write Own and Carbana.

00:01:01

Interview with James Carter

This Chapter features an interview with James Carter, the host of the long-running trivia podcast Pod Quiz. Arquez and Andrew discuss James's podcasting journey, including the origins of Pod Quiz, its evolution over the years, and James's thoughts on the current podcasting landscape.

00:26:31

Sponsor: Miro

This Chapter features a sponsorship from Miro, a visual collaboration platform that helps teams run effective retrospectives.

00:27:39

Developing Categories and Rounds

This Chapter delves into the creative process behind James's podcast categories and rounds, exploring how he comes up with new ideas and the challenges of avoiding repetition. James shares his favorite categories, including "Old News," "Who Am I," and "Natural World," and discusses the importance of varying the difficulty of questions within each round.

00:37:46

Production Process and Setup

This Chapter explores the production process and setup behind Pod Quiz. James reveals his surprisingly simple setup, using a Rode NT-USB microphone and Audacity software. He also discusses the time commitment involved in creating each episode, which has decreased significantly over the years.

00:42:20

Audience and Metrics

This Chapter delves into the audience and metrics of Pod Quiz. James shares his approximate number of downloads and discusses the challenges of accurately measuring podcast listenership. He also reveals a fascinating anecdote about a listener who receives the podcast on audio cassette through a service for the blind.

00:45:43

Monetization and the Future of Pod Quiz

This Chapter explores James's decision not to monetize Pod Quiz and his thoughts on the future of the podcast. He expresses his reluctance to move the podcast to a platform like YouTube, citing concerns about control and ownership. James also shares his perspective on podcast discoverability and the challenges of reaching new listeners.

00:52:31

Final Thoughts and Typing Test

This Chapter concludes the interview with James's final thoughts on the future of Pod Quiz and a fun segment where he attempts to type the alphabet as fast as he can.

00:56:50

Outro

This Chapter concludes the episode with a final message from Arquez and Andrew, thanking James for joining the show and teasing the next episode, which will feature trivia questions created by James himself.

Keywords

Q&A

• What inspired James Carter to start Pod Quiz?

  James was inspired to start Pod Quiz after listening to a trivia segment on the Daily Source Code podcast, which was one of the first popular podcasts.

• How does the format of Pod Quiz compare to pub quizzes in the UK?

  The format of Pod Quiz closely mirrors the structure of pub quizzes in the UK, with four rounds of trivia questions, each with a different category. James notes that pub quizzes in the UK are generally more relaxed than those in North America.

• How has Pod Quiz evolved over the years?

  Pod Quiz has evolved over the years, with the audience becoming increasingly international and the format remaining largely unchanged. James has also become more proficient at recording and editing the podcast, reducing the time it takes to produce each episode.

• Why has James chosen not to monetize Pod Quiz?

  James has chosen not to monetize Pod Quiz because he wants to keep it a hobby rather than a job. He believes that monetizing the podcast would turn it into a job and he would not enjoy it as much.

• What are James's thoughts on the current podcasting landscape?

  James believes that the podcasting landscape has shifted from audio-only to video podcasts, and that the challenges of discoverability remain a major issue. He is reluctant to move Pod Quiz to a platform like YouTube, citing concerns about control and ownership.

• What are some of James's favorite categories and rounds on Pod Quiz?

  James's favorite categories include "Old News," "Who Am I," and "Natural World." He also enjoys quickfire rounds, where listeners have to answer a series of questions on a specific topic, such as directors' first films.

• What is James's production setup for Pod Quiz?

  James uses a surprisingly simple setup for Pod Quiz, using a Rode NT-USB microphone and Audacity software. He has become very efficient at recording and editing the podcast, reducing the time it takes to produce each episode from eight hours to an hour and a half.

• How does James feel about the future of Pod Quiz?

  James is not planning any major changes to Pod Quiz and is committed to keeping the podcast consistent. He is excited to continue creating new rounds and categories, but does not have any specific milestones in mind.

• What is James's perspective on podcast discoverability?

  James believes that podcast discoverability is a major challenge, and that word of mouth is still the best way for podcasts to reach new listeners. He is reluctant to move Pod Quiz to a platform like YouTube, which relies on algorithms for discoverability.

• What is James's typing speed?

  James's typing speed is surprisingly average, with a best time of 6.7 seconds to type the alphabet. He admits that he is not a fast typist, but enjoys the challenge of the typing test.

Show Notes