As video continues to dominate conversations about podcasting, Caloroga Shark Media co-founder John McDermott believes independent creators should think carefully before following the trend.
Speaking to PodcastingToday, McDermott said the debate around video podcasts has become increasingly blurred, with audiences and platforms often using different definitions of what actually qualifies as a podcast.
He pointed to the growing number of celebrity led productions appearing on streaming platforms, arguing that while consumers may see them as podcasts, they are very different from the audio first productions created by most independent publishers.
“The question of what is a podcast and what is a video podcast is extremely muddled at the moment,” he said. “Whatever the consumer thinks is a podcast is a podcast.”
McDermott accepts that video has become an important discovery tool, helped by recommendation algorithms on platforms such as YouTube and Spotify, but believes audio still offers unique advantages that are difficult to replace.
“Podcasting is something for your ears when your eyes are busy,” he said, quoting podcast industry figure James Cridland. “You can listen while driving, running or sitting on the beach. Audio is simply easier to take with you.”
He also believes the production demands of video are often underestimated. While recording high quality video has become cheaper thanks to smartphones and affordable equipment, creators are increasingly competing with professionally produced shows featuring Hollywood stars, multiple cameras and studio sets.
“If you’re filming a video podcast, you’re competing with Amy Poehler interviewing Will Ferrell or The Joe Rogan Experience,” he said. “That’s a very tough hill to climb for hobby podcasters and the middle class of podcasting.”
Instead of trying to match those productions, McDermott suggested smaller creators should focus on making sustainable businesses by using their resources wisely.
“If your time, your humans and your money make sense to shoot a video podcast, and you see the return, then great,” he said. “But for a lot of podcasts, it makes more sense to produce an audio podcast, make money from that, and use those resources to create more content.”
He was encouraged by ideas shared during The Podcast Show London, where some creators advocated moving away from polished studio productions and embracing more authentic video recorded on smartphones.
McDermott believes these shorter, informal clips could work well as promotional content that encourages audiences to discover a full audio podcast.
“Don’t even try to compete with the fancy setup,” he said. “Be more authentic.”
When it comes to advertising, however, he recognises why the industry’s largest platforms are investing heavily in video.
“YouTube is a monster business,” he acknowledged. “Apple making advertising available on HLS video and Spotify steering creators towards video advertising shows the big players think there’s an opportunity there.”
Even so, he believes advertisers will ultimately follow audiences rather than formats.
“If you can get an audience, an advertiser will go wherever you want.”
Drawing on his own background in radio, McDermott said audio has always relied on imagination rather than pictures, something he believes still resonates with listeners today.
He recalled working on legendary New York broadcaster John Gambling’s breakfast show, where listeners happily accepted sound effects that created the illusion that the programme was broadcasting from beside a swimming pool.
“It was all theatre of the mind,” he said.
That philosophy continues with his own podcast, Daily Comedy News, where he sees little value in filming himself reading headlines simply because video has become fashionable.
“I’m not trying to do Amy Poehler and Will Ferrell,” he said. “People seem to like the show and it supports my lifestyle. I’m not sure they need to stare at me reading headlines for ten minutes every day.”
McDermott co-founded Caloroga Shark Media, a small company specialising in short form daily podcasts. Its best-known show is Palace Intrigue, covering the British royal family, alongside Daily Comedy News, 5 Good News Stories and a number of experimental series.
The company also uses artificial intelligence to speed up parts of its production process, helping a small team create more content without increasing costs.
For McDermott, the message to independent podcasters remains straightforward.
“Watch your budget,” he said. “Don’t spend more than you make.”
Rather than trying to compete with the biggest names in video, he believes many creators will find greater success by producing strong audio shows that fit naturally into listeners’ daily lives.
As he put it: “Let me plug the USB microphone into the MacBook, and you can listen to me while walking the dog!”
