Guy Raz

"There's really nothing wrong with ad-supported TV. If anything, it actually makes it more accessible to many more users." In our lated TVREV Thought Leaders Circle video, Ventura TV OS VP Rob Caruso talks about why we're seeing a return to ad-supported TV, why that's a good thing for many people and how to ensure that the ad experience is far superior to the one people remember.

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Substack cracked the code most platforms won't touch. Give creators the network value. Not the shareholders. Every other platform built the same broken deal: you bring the audience, we keep the money, you rent the attention. Substack flipped it. Notes timeline. Built-in podcasting. Subscription infrastructure. The creator owns the relationship. Smart money sees it. Creators are flooding in. Because when you go deep in someone's head weekly, they'll pay for access. Didn't make sense until I saw creators actually doing it.

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Movie theaters are sitting at 11% occupancy... So is there an opportunity for digital creators an indie filmmakers to help solve that problem? Most of what we talk about on YouTube is unscripted media. Repeatable formats, Shows, podcasts. And there is a really clear path to scale in both audience and revenue with unscripted media. But what about Scripted content, and Films? Is there space for Art in the modern creator economy? After hosting their first Film Festival... Max and the team Creator Camp have some ideas Technically not a Film Festival like Sundance as Max and team put up the money for 10 Films ($100k for one feature and $10k for the other 9 short films) and have ownership in the films, but they have some really interesting thoughts around how they can create a new economic model for Art. As Neal Mohan says - "Creators are the Startups of Hollywood" But after talking to Max, I don't know if YouTube and Hollywood are on a collision course... I think there's something entirely different happening.

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We don’t often look to Silicon Valley for lessons in radio. But maybe we should. Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, recently sat down with Build Your Tribe, and what he said was simple, powerful, and essential: Show up. Connect. Adapt. Stay true to who you are. Different platform. Same mission. We’re in the business of human connection. And that means the fundamentals—how we show up, how we engage, how we lead—matter now more than ever. Here are 3 timeless lessons for anyone behind the mic: 1. Connection Over Reach Instagram is shifting from mass visibility to meaningful interaction. Smaller groups. Private conversations. Real engagement. Radio can take the same cue. Depth matters. Cultivate the one-to-one connection. Start conversations. Follow up. Turn passive listeners into an active community. That’s how you build not just fans—but believers. 2. Improve Daily Mosseri says Instagram is updated constantly—not with grand reinventions, but small, thoughtful tweaks. That mindset applies perfectly to your on-air presence. Are your breaks adding value? Are your stories connecting? Are you learning what your audience wants—and refining how you deliver it? Great brands aren’t built in bursts. They’re built in small, deliberate steps. 3. Be Unapologetically You The best advice Mosseri gives creators is simple: Be clear-eyed about your purpose. Be true to your voice. That’s the heartbeat of radio. Audiences don’t fall in love with perfection—they fall in love with people. With perspective. With originality. So lean in. Be real. Say what matters. You’re not just a personality—you’re a presence. In a world that’s louder than ever, those who connect deeply, show up consistently, and stay authentic will win. #radio #media #trends #instagram

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New 35% Tax Credit Proposal Aims to Keep Cameras Rolling in California. California is back in the game—or at least it’s trying to be. A newly amended version of Senate Bill 630 is proposing a major revamp of the state’s Film and TV Tax Credit Program, with a headline-grabbing 35% credit on in-state production costs, and the possibility of an additional 5% kicker for shooting outside of Los Angeles. If approved, this would mark the most dramatic expansion of California’s incentive program since it launched in 2009. The bill also proposes broadening eligibility to include shorter TV episodes (20 minutes or more), animated content, and certain large-scale unscripted shows—think competition series, not reality TV or talk shows. The goal is clear: modernize the program, keep productions in California, and stop the talent drain to states (and countries) that offer juicier incentives. For comparison, California’s current 20% base rate is no longer cutting it against aggressive competitors like New York, Georgia, or the UK. As streaming platforms tighten belts and the industry rebounds from multiple strikes, fewer projects are choosing to stay in-state. That’s where SB 630 steps in: raising the annual cap from $330 million to $750 million, and loosening some long-standing restrictions (like minimum episode lengths and rigid soundstage lease requirements). John Prabhu of LA North Studios summed it up bluntly: “Every day we lose productions—and jobs—to other states. If we want to keep Hollywood in Hollywood, we have to act now.” The local response? Overwhelming support. Groups like Stay in LA are pushing hard for the overhaul, backed not just by filmmakers but also by local businesses—from dry cleaners to tech vendors—who understand what’s at stake. When production leaves town, it’s not just studios that take a hit—it’s the entire creative ecosystem. That said, California still bars above-the-line costs like director, actor, and producer salaries from being factored into incentives—a sticking point as other hubs allow those expenses to count toward rebates. Bottom line: This is California’s strongest move yet to stay competitive in the modern production landscape. Now it’s up to lawmakers to decide whether the Golden State stays golden—or continues to bleed content (and cash) to more tax-friendly rivals. https://lnkd.in/gjeWhPvd

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Should you use a broadcast audio processor on your online streams? Here's what Jeffrey Keith of Wheatstone Corporation has to say about that: "On-air processors are the worst processors for streaming because they trick the codec into mistaking its normal processing artifacts for audio; clipping distortion byproducts and non-audio signals are treated just like audio by the codec and often even amplified by it. Still, you’re going to need to process your internet streams for all of the same reasons you use processing for your on-air signals. Just like your on-air signal, those streams need to be processed for level consistency, spectral balance and absolute peak control too and to keep the codec’s input level below 0 dBFS (above that point you’re 'out of bits')." Jeff and other audio experts shared tips and best practices about audio processing with me in this free Radio World ebook. https://lnkd.in/eRGg4-R8

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