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On The Table Read, the “Best Entertainment Celebrity Magazine in the UK“, founder of Snippet Tyler McCusker shares what inspired his new podcast, Hindsight.
Written by JJ Barnes
I interviewed founder of Snippet and podcaster Tyler Russell McCusker about his new podcast, Hindsight, what inspired him to make it, and the work that goes into each episode.
Tell me a bit about who you, and your company, Snippet.FM, are.
I’m Tyler Russell McCusker, Founder & CEO of Snippet, the first short podcast platform. All the shows on our network are less than 20-minutes in length. Through my 15-year career in radio broadcasting, I recognized a problem in podcasting: Many shows suffer from long-windedness, poor quality, and loss of the listener.
Most shows don’t strive for the same level of tight, compelling production that professional broadcasting does. Additionally, data shows that more than 50% of podcast listeners complain that episodes are too long. That’s when the idea for Snippet was born.
We launched in August 2021 and now publish 11 original shows, with plans for many more soon, emphasizing production quality and valuing listeners’ time.
What is your current podcast called, and how did you come up with the name?
We have several original shows in our network’s catalog; they can all be found on our website at www.snippet.fm. I personally host a couple shows, including Hindsight, named for the “looking back” that the elders do on the show.
What platforms can we find Hindsight on?
Just about anywhere you find your favorite podcasts! Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher, to name a few. Our music shows, that include full songs, are available exclusively on Spotify/Anchor.
What is Hindsight about?
Snippet’s shows run the gamut from audio drama to lifestyle interviews to new music to LGBTQ+ & BIPOC stories. We take pride in our show diversity, aiming to have something for everyone…as long as it’s short, of course.
My new show Hindsight, which launches this Friday 3/18, aims to interview our elders to capture their wisdom and advice for younger generations. Geared up for this season we have a Holocaust survivor, a WW2 Air Force pilot, an instagram “graninfluencer,” and more.
What is your editing process?
We use the software Adobe Audition to edit our shows, typically beginning with dialogue and continuing to full-on production, including piecing together voiceovers and background music to create a finished product that captivates the listener.
What is the show’s format?
For most of our shows, we avoid a normal back-and-forth interview. For us, a casual conversation doesn’t cut to the chase enough. So, we heavily edit our interviews to be more narrative or documentary style with a lot of host interstitials.
What are your biggest challenges with Hindsight?
Understanding how listeners find our shows! We can track the raw number of downloads but not where exactly the listener might have come from.
What are your favourite podcasts to listen to?
Right now, I can’t get enough of Radiotopia’s Ear Hustle, featuring stories produced in-house by inmates at San Quentin Penitentiary. Wondery’s The Apology Line was also one of the best things I’ve heard in a while.
How and where do you promote your podcast?
Thus far, we have only promoted our shows on Reddit and social media @snippetfm
What’s something you never expected about podcasting? What have you learned that surprised you?
I have heard the podcasting realm referred to as a “Wild West” and, in many ways, it is. Having worked in radio for 15 years, I wasn’t quite ready for the number of new start-ups, new software, new tech, and other innovations that are happening in this industry. It’s exciting, it’s unregulated (bye bye, FCC!), and I’m learning a lot about finding an audience when it’s not “given” to you on the FM dial.
What is the first piece of advice you would give to anyone inspired to start podcasting?
As with anything, you just need to get started. Listen back to yourself a ton in the beginning, and don’t be afraid to be self-critical. You need to be hard on yourself and your hosting abilities upfront to be great. Listen for “ums” and “ahs” and practice eliminating them daily. Listen for crutch phrases that you don’t need. Listen to your audio quality and improve your mic technique or settings next time you record. You have a leg-up if you are new to presenting and therefore haven’t yet developed bad habits!
And, finally, are you proud of what you’re accomplishing with your podcast? Is it worth the effort?
We are very proud of the work we’re doing to make podcasts shorter and better, and we are excited about what the future holds for the podcasting industry.
Pop all your work, website and social media links here so the readers can find you:
@snippetfm on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook
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