Pod-Crashing

We all get them... a spike in our daily podcast numbers. It could last a day or four. But don't let it poison your drive. When it goes down, oops your heart no longer feels like the second coming of Joe Rogan.

Pod Crashing episode 467 with Amanda Knox hosts of the podcast Doubt The Case Of Lucy Letby. It was a case that shocked the United Kingdom and the wider world. Lucy Letby, a young nurse, was found guilty of murdering premature babies. She was a serial killer whose target was not just the youngest, most vulnerable human beings alive, but also those entrusted to her care. But, is everything as clear as it seems? Host Amanda Knox asks if this case is really as open and shut as the world believes or if - in fact - there is reasonable doubt. Episodes available here:https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-doubt-the-case-of-lucy-le-321229564/about 

Pod Crashing episode 465 with Bobby Gumpright and Jermaine Hudson from the podcast Burden of Guilt season 2.  In 1999, an 18-year-old bartender named Bobby Gumpright told a lie t sent an innocent man, Jermaine Hudson, to prison for 22 years. Burden of Guilt explores the harsh realities of Jim Crow-era Louisiana in 1898 that helped seal Hudson's fate-and the unlikely friendship that has grown between the two men since Gumpright came forward with the truth.Episodes available here:https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-wrongful-conviction-27797564/episode/introducing-burden-of-guilt-s2-322781452/   

The FCC regulates American radio and television. We see how its currently leadership is locked in on bullying anyone willing to share sips and samples of free speech. Podcasting is still seen as a wild frontier but is it really that free? When will the government urge rules to be written to silence the podcasters?

You don't know what stories to believe only that those who've lived the days and nights of terrestrial radio were never given a fighting chance to truly show off their gifts of performance. We got to become professional liner card readers. Then came podcasting. Free form thinking as well as connecting. Will Terrestrial radio ever make the jump to drop their music format and truly let connection work?

Pod Crashing episode 463 with podcaster and ya author John R Miles from the podcast Passion Struck… A heartwarming story, it extends his mission to create a ripple effect of mattering across generations.  The book reminds people of all ages that kindness is not a small thing …it's a force.  Following the journey of a small bunny with big dreams, Luma gradually realizes her voice and stories matter, helped by a memorable menagerie of fellow animal mentors. 

Pod Crashing episode 461 with two actors Telma Hopkins and Kellie Williams from the podcast Family Matters Revisited. iHeartPodcasts, the no. 1 podcast publisher according to Podtrac, and Audiation announced "Welcome to the Family with Telma and Kellie," the ultimate insider's look at the hit 90s sitcom "Family Matters," told through the words of show stars Telma Hopkins (Aunt Rachel) and Kellie Williams (Laura Winslow) - castmates who have become like family over the years. In the new original podcast, the duo will recount every episode from the series in order, taking listeners behind the scenes to reveal never-before-heard stories, recount hilarious blunders and share their personal experiences as the show grew into one of the longest-running and most-watched series featuring a Black cast. Guests will include members of the cast and production team including series producer Bob Boyett, Reggie VelJohnson (Carl Winslow), Shawn Harrison (Waldo Faldo) and more. Additionally, Hopkins and Williams will answer listener questions about the showEpisodes available here;https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-welcome-to-the-family-wit-303353348/episode/introducing-welcome-to-the-family-with-telma-and-kellie-303353350   

Listen... in terrestrial radio we did it and it's taking place within the expectations of podcasting. Banging out an episode. Just doing it. No real thought. No editing. Just post your bang out. Is it a good or bad thing? It's actually both...

    Pod Crashing episode 459 with Menelek Lumumba and Hans Charles from the podcast T A Building… "The A Building," a powerful new documentary podcast that revisits one of the most extraordinary and rarely told moments in American civil rights and higher-education history-an event that changed the future of Historically Black Colleges and Universities and helped define the modern era of student protest. This is the seventh title to be released from Imagine Entertainment and iHeartMedia's slate of original iHeartPodcasts.The series tells the story of the 1969 student uprising at Morehouse College, where a group of students barricaded themselves inside the administration building-known on Historically Black Colleges and Universities campuses as "The A Building." Set against the backdrop of late-1960s America, "The A Building" explores a volatile period when student activism surged nationwide amid movements for civil rights, women's rights, labor justice, and opposition to the Vietnam War. At Morehouse, the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. intensified tensions between the administration and a student body demanding an education that reflected Black history, identity and lived experience-and ultimately led students to hold members of the Board of Trustees hostage for two days demanding reforms to curriculum and improvements to student life.One of the hostages was Martin Luther King Sr., president of the Board of Trustees. One of the student organizers was Samuel L. Jackson-years before he would become one of the most celebrated figures in Hollywood. Samuel L. Jackson and his friends devised a plan to hijack a Board of Trustees meeting to create change. A heist with a purpose.Blending immersive reenactments with firsthand testimony, archival research and expert analysis, the series unfolds with the tension of a true-crime heist-one driven by moral urgency. "The A Building" examines the risks students took, the consequences they faced, and the lasting impact of their actions on Historically Black Colleges and Universities and student activism nationwide.Co-created and produced by Menelek Lumumba and Hans Charles, the podcast traces the aftermath of the protest, including the expulsion of the students involved, the escalation of political pressure, and the pivotal moment that ultimately led Samuel L. Jackson back to Morehouse-where a change in academic focus quietly set him on the path toward acting."This project has been years in the making, but it feels more relevant than ever," said Menelek Lumumba, co-creator and producer. "I'm grateful we have the opportunity to tell this story about young people who took action, and how their one act of protest continues to reverberate through all those involved over 50 years later.""  

There are millions of podcasts released daily. Are the right people hosting them? The bigger question is with those who have chosen to stop in and listen, are you reaching them? It's a real question that doesn't need your ego. Are you really reaching people?

Spikes... you love them, but they can change you. Now pick up the pieces. Identifying your real audience while enjoying the occasional digital buzz without calling it an addiction. Facing your spikes.

Pod Crashing episode 456 with Drake Bennett and Jordan Robertson from The Bloomburg Report's 6th Bureau. It's an open secret that the Chinese government has, for years, engaged in a global campaign to steal intellectual property from Western tech and manufacturing firms. Those stolen secrets have helped Chinese companies, in industry after industry, close the gap and in many cases surpass their competitors elsewhere. And at the center of that campaign is the Ministry of State Security (MSS), China's pre-eminent intelligence agency. The US has apprehended hundreds of people linked to the MSS and its efforts, but its inner workings remained a mystery until one arrest unearthed a trove of confidential documents, covert communications and even a diary. The Sixth Bureau follows Xu Yanjun, the Deputy Division Director of the Sixth Bureau of the Jiangsu Province MSS office. Xu is a burnt-out spy with money problems, a crumbling marriage and a deep resentment for his boss - on a mission to snatch the crown jewel of American aerospace: GE jet engines. With dead drops, cyberattacks, aliases, blackmail and the occasional break-in, Xu played a role in one of the largest economic espionage operations in history, targeting corporate giants like DuPont, Boeing and General Motors. But in the end, his sloppiness - and a cunning FBI sting - led to a stunning reversal: Xu was lured to Belgium, extradited to the US and became the first Chinese intelligence officer ever convicted on American soil. Through undercover recordings, insider accounts and deep reporting, The Sixth Bureau reveals how one man's downfall pulled back the curtain on China's sprawling espionage machine. This isn't just a story about spies: It's about the people caught in the middle of a new kind of cold war.

Hosting a podcast is one thing. Knowing when to post it is a completely different department. Which is the best day? What about time?

Pod Crashing episode 454 with Rachel Naud from the podcast Midlife Mix. It can be emotionally complicated for women whose lives don't look the way they once imagined — whether they're divorced, empty nesters, newly single, or decades into marriage. Rachel reframes an opportunity to fall back in love with your life, not just a partner.

Pod Crashing episode 452 with DJ Hesta Prynn from the podcast DJ Hesta Prynn's Music Is Therapy. What if the song you can't stop playing isn't random?What if it's pointing to something you want - or someone you're becoming?DJ Hesta Prynn's Music Is Therapy is a podcast about identity - and how music shapes the way we see ourselves, make decisions, and move through the world.Hosted by Hesta Prynn, an NYC-based DJ and licensed therapist, each month focuses on one area of life - money, love, self-worth, relationships, career - using music not as entertainment, but as a tool.Through personal storytelling, conversations with experts, and Hesta's Music Connection Therapy method, the show explores how the songs you love can help you shift how you show up in your life.This is not just a podcast.It's unconventional therapy for your entire life.Music is Therapy - your session starts now.Episodes available here:https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-dj-hesta-prynns-music-is-314213684/about

This week's focus is on businesses that choose to create their own podcasts. How far will you go before you realize its more work and the return on the investment can suck. And no Martin from the trade school with two months training doesn't have the skills to pull you out.

Pod Crashing episode #450 with Sean Flynn from The Brothers Ortiz Podcast When Good Meets Darkness. The Brothers Ortiz is the story of two brothers-both successful, but in very different ways. Gabe Ortiz becomes a third-highest ranking officer in all of Texas; while his younger brother Larry climbs the ranks in Puro Tango Blast, a notorious Texas Prison gang.Gabe doesn't know all the details of his brother's nefarious dealings, and he's made a point not to ask, to protect their relationship. But when Larry is murdered during a home invasion in a rented beach house, Gabe has no choice but to look into what happened that night. To solve Larry's murder, Gabe, and the whole Ortiz family, must ask each other tough questions.Episodes available here: Https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-brothers-ortiz-308942436/   

Anyone who uses their voice daily loathes the idea of having morning voice. That gravely out of tune husky coughing hacking sound that says you're sick, but you aren't. Is it a bad thing? How can we utilize its presence?

Pod Crashing episode 448 with Dr Jesse Mills from the podcast The Male Room. As Director of The Men's Clinic at UCLA, Dr. Jesse Mills has spent his career helping men understand their bodies, their hormones, and their health. Now he's bringing that expertise to The Male Room - a podcast where data-driven medicine meets common sense. Each episode separates fact from hype, science from snake oil, and gives men the tools to live longer, stronger, and happier lives. With candor, humor, and real-world experience from the exam room and the operating room, Dr. Mills breaks down the latest health headlines, dissects trends, and explains what actually works - and what doesn't. Smart, straightforward, and entertaining, The Male Room is the show that helps men take charge of their health without the jargon.Episodes available here:Https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-male-room-with-dr-jes-306117711/ 

Making the move from terrestrial radio into podcasting isn't as easy as one might assume. A lot of ups, downs, spin outs and facing a new world of burn out. What can we identify in the way of having a stronger more outreaching podcast that leans more on success and not corporate radio research?

Everywhere you turn today people are telling podcasters to move toward video. Really? Why? And who has the time or team to keep it up? What are the positives and not so positives of adding video to your billion things to do today?

First... you don't need a trade school in order to host a successful podcast. Second... you do though need a school to understand what you're creating. There's a lot that goes into the physical creation and promotion of a podcast and the broadcasting God's aren't going to bless you with a team. You can learn recording techniques in a trade school but ultimately, they can't help you in the art of developing a connection with listeners with your points of view. But its up to you to decide.

Pod Crashing episode 445 with Nikki Richardson from the podcast The Girlfriends Untouchable. When Niko Quinn saw her favourite cousin murdered in broad daylight, her life turned upside down. She went looking for justice, but instead uncovered a dark scandal at the heart of her community: A police detective had spent decades targeting, threatening and sexually abusing black women across Kansas City Kansas. Detective Roger Golubski used the power of his badge to launch a reign of terror. He acted as if he was above the law, until Niko, and an incredible group of women, came together to take him down. The Girlfriends: Untouchable tells the story of a courageous sisterhood who exposed the dark underworld of a corrupt police officer, and brought their city's horrifying truths to light. Because when the women of Kansas City Kansas realised the police weren't coming to save them from their abuser, they stepped up to save themselves.Episodes available here: Https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-girlfriends-untouchab-118226591/ 

Pod Crashing episode 443 with author Joe Lex from the podcast All Bones Considered… Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia is the final resting place for many notable men, including Declaration of Independence signer Thomas McKean, Civil War General George Meade, locomotive magnate Matthias Baldwin, astronomer David Rittenhouse, and Phillies broadcaster Harry Kalas, plus many Union generals and even fictional characters like Adrian Balboa. But it is also home to tens of thousands of unique and accomplished women of the past three centuries. One man, Joe Lex, a retired emergency medicine doctor of 45 years, was inspired to learn of the history behind who is buried at this historical cemetery that tells not just Philadelphia's history, but a history of the nation since its founding in 1836. He penned a book that highlights 52 interesting or accomplished women who are buried there, All Bones Considered: 52 Laurel Hill Women This book is a collection of dozens of amazing stories about unique individuals who are long gone. They are based on several years of research, originally developed for the podcasts All Bones Considered: Laurel Hill Stories and Biographical Bytes from Bala: Laurel Hill West Stories. “I encourage fellow taphophiles who have the time and interest to undertake similar projects with their local historic cemeteries,” says Lex. “Every cemetery is an outdoor people museum, ready to be discovered by new generations.”

Podcasting is no different than broadcasting, it won't last forever. Where do the former podcasters run off to? Is there a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow?

Pod Crashing episode 441 with M William Phelps from the podcast Paper Ghosts. In the heart of Texas, teens are dying.Suspicious suicides, strange accidents, and brutal murders litter 1980's Parker County. Weatherford, the same town where the series"Yellowstone" was filmed, is hardest-hit. Locals have many theories: the KKK runs rampant... a corrupt sheriff's department... or could the Weatherford Police Department be covering up all of these crimes to protect a sadistic killer?Desperate to keep its deepest, darkest secrets from being exposed, could one sick individual be at the root of it all? Or are the killers working in tandem? M. William Phelps digs in and, after being warned to stay away (or else), he begins to piece together answers in many of these decades-old cold cases.EPISODES AVAILABLE HERE:Https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-paper-ghosts-the-texas-te-70977237/ 

Why does everyone think they can podcast? Because...we've made it possible. What we can't do is make sure you show up to maintain your efforts on a daily or weekly basis. What are most up and coming podcasters missing when it comes to the art of moving ahead?

I read somewhere that there are 1 million different podcasts released every week. How much did you pay for that microphone? Cutting through the mountain is going to require more than the bass in your vocal attempts and connecting. There are a lot of things to measure up against while understanding everything, you're doing is spot on because it's about your perspective and vision and listeners have to buy into it. So where do you find them? Right...

Pod Crashing episode 438 with Lee Baucom from the podcast Save The Marriage A conversation on the unconventional ways we can transform marriages, even when only one person is willing to change. With 45,000 active listeners on my Save The Marriage Podcast, seven books on relationships and thriving, and experience building online programs like the Un-Pause app, I have a broad perspective on self-driven growth and communication that echoes your curiosity about broadcasting and connection. My approach focuses on personal responsibility, mindset shifts, and treating marriage as a journey of empowerment rather than seeing it as a static state or a lost cause. 

There are movie and food critics. The government is always being criticized. Look at what we're endlessly doing to each other! The inner critic you hold can't hold back. Why aren't there visible podcasting critics?

Pod Crashing episode 436 with David Gura from The Big Daily Take from Bloomberg News. The Big Take Daily from Bloomberg News brings you inside what's shaping the world's economies with the smartest and most informed business reporters around the world. The context you need on the stories that can move markets. Every afternoon. Episodes available here: Https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1308-big-take-84969425/  

Pod Crashing episode 434 with Ben Westoff and Ryan Krull from The Peace Keeper podcast. The Peacemaker podcast explores a harrowing suicide cluster that unfolded in a rural college town. Hosted by BEN WESTHOFF and RYAN KRULL, this series is set at Truman State University, sometimes called the Harvard of the Midwest, where a few years back a string of suicides at the Alpha Kappa Lambda house shook the community to its core. As fraternity member after fraternity member took his own life, police realized they all had a common link- a fellow brother named Brandon Grossheim, who was close friends with each victim, discovered some of the bodies, and later dated some of the victims' girlfriends and wore one of the victim's clothes. Featuring shocking new revelations and vivid, untold details, Westhoff and Krull investigate whether Grossheim simply had bad luck, or if he somehow psychologically manipulated his friends into ending their lives, as some of the parents claim. As a civil lawsuit against Grossheim unfolds, The Peacemaker explores an unsettling case that has shaken an entire community and left lingering questions about accountability and the power of influence.Episodes available here:Https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-the-peacemaker-297896120/ 

Movies have it. TV shows and gaming also have one. Rating systems! Should podcasting also have one?

Is there such a thing as a perfect sounding podcast? NPR has always taken us to the scene. Should we be doing it more with podcasting? How do listeners feel about background noise?

Pod Crashing episode 433 with Ana Ortiz and Mark Indelicato from the podcast Viva Betty. Ugly Betty was more than just a show - it was a revolution. Bold, heartfelt, and unapologetically real, it gave us characters that shattered stereotypes and told stories that mattered, putting a working-class Latino family, the immigrant experience, and LGBTQ+ stories front and center. Now, Ana Ortiz and Mark Indelicato-aka Hilda and Justin-are sitting down to rewatch the show that changed their lives and ours. With fresh eyes and zero filter, they're revisiting a very messy moment, iconic outfit, and groundbreaking storyline, one episode at a time. This isn't just a nostalgia trip. It's a love letter to the show that made being different feel like a superpower. Pull up a chair, there's room at the table for you! Episodes available here:https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-viva-betty-an-ugly-betty-296473085/

Is there such a thing as a perfect sounding podcast? NPR has always taken us to the scene. Should we be doing it more with podcasting? How do listeners feel about background noise?

Pod Crashing episode 431 with Mandi Money or Mandy Woodruff Santos from the podcast Brown Ambition. The Brown Ambition Podcast helps you unapologetically build wealth by saving, investing and making smart career choices - on your own d@mn terms! New episodes Wednesdays and Fridays.Episodes here:Https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-brown-ambition-31122656/ 

Pod Crashing episode 430 with Paola Ramos from the podcast The Moment. iHeartMedia, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, and Radio Ambulante Studios today announced "The Moment with Jorge Ramos and Paola Ramos," a new interview podcast coming to My Cultura, iHeartMedia's podcast network dedicated to elevating Latino voices and stories, on September 17, 2025. The series will bring together two of the most influential Latino journalists in the U.S. for their first-ever podcast and co-hosted video series."The Moment" is a multigenerational conversation between legendary journalist Jorge Ramos and acclaimed author and MSNBC contributor Paola Ramos. Together, this Emmy-award winning father-daughter duo will sit down with politicians, artists, activists, journalists and other top thinkers to tackle the issues of today with raw, unfiltered conversations and a distinctly Latino point of view.

Pod Crashing episode 428 with Maggie Freleng from the podcast Bone Valley Season 3 Mayfield is a small town in Kentucky with a population of only 10,000. It's the type of place where gossip spreads like weeds, where the residents know something about everyone. Rumors and opinions about who killed the beloved fire chief's daughter, 18-year-old Jessica Currin, run the gamut-as do theories about the motive behind her grisly death. But as the Lava team digs in to learn more, it's as if the entire town withdraws and goes dark. There's an aura of fear and suspicion. But of what? 

The big guys are asking questions about your AI technology use. Is it their way of covering their butts? Are you breaking copyright laws by relying on AI? What's the best way to use it as a tool without having a knock at the door? Or... even worse, the email that clearly states you've been shut down.

Pod Crashing episode 425 with Jonathan Goldstein from the podcast Heavyweight. Maybe you've laid awake and imagined how it could have been, how it might yet be, but the moment to act was never right. Well, the moment is here and the podcast making it happen is Heavyweight. Join Jonathan Goldstein for road trips, thorny reunions, and difficult conversations as he backpedals his way into the past like a therapist with a time machine. EPISODES AVAILABLE HERE: https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/heavyweight 

Pod Crashing episode 427 with Bridget Armstrong from the podcast Curse of America's Next Top Model. When America's Next Top Model premiered in the early 2000s, it looked like a golden ticket: a glamorous TV show that could catapult aspiring models into fame. But two decades later, many contestants describe its aftermath as a curse. Hosted by pop-culture journalist Bridget Armstrong, Curse of: America's Next Top Model is a deep investigation into the hidden costs of reality television, and what the show's legacy reveals about beauty, power, and the culture that cheered it on. Through conversations with dozens of former contestants, producers and crew members, Curse of: America's Next Top Model explores what happened behind the scenes on one of the most iconic and problematic reality shows of our generation.The series starts off by exploring how ANTM almost didn't get made. You'll get the real story behind the show's most infamous controversies. Then, the models and producers pull back the curtain and talk about how the most outrageous photoshoots and runaways came together. You'll hear from contestants who say ANTM saved their lives and from those who say it ruined theirs. The contestants also talk about how the body shaming they experienced on the show caused lifelong scars. Finally, we try to answer the question, is Tyra Banks the ultimate reality television villain? Curse of: America's Next Top Model takes you on an investigative journey to figure out if the so-called curse is real? And if so, what was the toll on the models, and us, the audience?EPISODES AVAILABLE HEREHttps://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-curse-of-americas-next-to-292261592/

I'm a writer that happens to podcast. The true history of podcasting shows writers started this platform not comedians and former talk show hosts seeks newer ways to reach listeners. Do you need to be a writer to find success in podcasting?

I've walked the path of a podcaster since 2012. A solo performer with no desire to team up with another creative source. Is that good? What are the ups and downs and the chances a podcast hosted by several can handle the infamous lack of loyalty and disrespect for other people's time?

Pod Crashing episode 424 with Mindy Rickles host of the podcast Mindy Ed and Don Rickles. Mindy Rickles and Ed Mann, daughter and son-in-law of comedy icon Don Rickles, will host a weekly podcast featuring a chat between the long-time radio host and standup comic, and commentary on clips of Don, with perspective on what Ed, and particularly Mindy was doing at the time of the original broadcast, what was happening with Don's career, and what he and Mindy's mom Barbara and her late, Emmy Award winning brother Larry were up to then. Season one of Mindy, Ed and Don Rickles will highlight the Jimmy Kimmel Live! appearances as well as never before heard clips of his live shows, as well as stories of Don's career and family life that have yet to be told. Don's audience encompassed one of the widest demographics of any comic, and his appearances with Jimmy helped ensure that exposure to a younger crowd of comedy fans. He sold out shows until his passing in 2017, never stopped working and never lost a step. All of his fans are invited to enjoy these special podcasts. Ed Mann was a radio host in Los Angeles for 19 years and was founder of Premiere Radio Networks, now the largest radio syndicator in the country. Mindy was a standup comic for 10 years and toured the country with her act, opening for the likes of Tim Allen, the late Bob Saget, and others. Wynnefield Productions is podcast producer having wrapped up 117 episodic recaps of the Brady Bunch hosted by The Real Brady Bros, Christopher Knight and Barry Williams, and continues with Q&As, interviews and other exclusive material. 

Pod Crashing episode 422 with Elin Lantz Lesser from the podcast America's Crime Lab. Welcome to Othram aka "America's Crime Lab." Each week, we meet weary detectives and family members working an unsolved case that has wrecked a community and seemingly hit a dead end. until, in a last-ditch effort, the evidence is mailed to Othram. Episodes available here: Https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-americas-crime-lab-63028149/ 

What are the eight podcasts that listeners check in and check out of? Can you save yours? I'm very guilty of hosting many of the no shows!

Pod Crashing episode number 420 with singer songwriter and now podcaster Norah Jones. Norah Jones is a multi-GRAMMY winning singer and pianist who loves playing music with people, so she started her own podcast to do just that. Each episode, she sits down with a different guest for impromptu musical collaborations and candid conversation. Her guests come from all walks of life and every musical style and you never know where the songs will take them. So, come hang out in the studio. Norah Jones is Playing Along! Episodes available here: Https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-norah-jones-is-playing-al-102152218/