The Spring semester of my NYU course, The Business of Podcasting, just wrapped, and once again, I’m reminded why I teach. It’s not just to share what I know but also to stay sharp, curious, and on top of change.

Every week, I relearn the media business through my students’ ears and eyes. That’s not a throwaway line. It’s how I keep pace. Their questions, instincts, blind spots, and “Wait, who’s Lester Holt?” or “What’s, This American Life?” moments reset my perspective in the best way possible.

They’re not just students — they’re my early warning system, my trend spotters, and the sharpest lens I have on what’s next

We Were Them Once

I’ve been through a few media revolutions. I was part of the FM radio wave that disrupted AM Top 40. My college station didn’t have lots of ratings data or consultants. We just got it because we were our own audience. That was enough to beat the big guys. And we did. Lesson learned: if you want to win, know your audience better than anyone else.

Today, that same playbook applies, but the game has changed dramatically.

When I launched Amplifi Media a decade ago, podcasting was barely on the map. Now, video podcasts are making headlines, and YouTube is a top podcast destination. Streaming, subscriptions, short-form, algorithmic curation — the ecosystem is more fragmented, fast-moving, and unforgiving than ever.

The classroom is where you feel that shift in real-time.

Here’s the punchline: Most of my students don’t know Ryan Seacrest has a radio show. David Muir? Maybe the name rings a bell, but they’re not sure why. The pillars of traditional media don’t mean much to them. That’s not a criticism. It’s a data point in the aging world of linear channels.

“By being in their orbit, I get a clearer view of where it’s all going”

Choice in the Age of the Algorithm

Every semester, I watch students wrestle with choice. There’s an abundance of choice. Sometimes, too much choice is paralyzing. Choice kills because it slows commitment. It fragments attention. It makes loyalty harder to earn. We all feel this every day.

Now imagine being Gen Z in a world where every option is available, and content is served up just for them. There’s pressure to choose well, fast, and authentically. The algorithm never stops offering alternatives.

In a world of endless options, not choosing is often the choice.

It's essential to meet your audience where they’re at. For audio and video podcasters, this means rethinking content discovery. Your show isn’t competing by category anymore. It’s competing with everything in the feed. Optimize for curiosity, not just keywords. Look for signals. Watch how they clip you. Today, the remix is the review.

Fandom Is the New Identity

My students may not consume much traditional linear media, but they understand the mechanics of attention and influence. They’re fluent in fandom. They understand virality. They can reverse-engineer a content flywheel in their sleep.

Gen Z builds fandoms around YouTubers, TikTok creators, streamers, pop culture, musicians, celebrities, memes, vibes, activism, and personal identity.

Their habits are shaped by algorithms, not schedules. Their tastes are fluid, fast, and ferociously personal. So many of the students follow popular shows, but then have their own guilty pleasures.

Where Media is Headed

These aren’t passive observers — they’re shaping the next version of the media business. By being in their orbit, I get a clearer view of where it’s all going.

Evan Shapiro, a fellow NYU professor and one of media’s sharpest minds, said, “My greatest fear is becoming irrelevant.” His solution? Teaching, or as he calls it, “reverse-mentoring cross-fit for the brain.”

That’s exactly what it is. Teaching keeps your ego in check. It forces clarity. It makes you confront what you don’t know. And for me, it gives me a running start on what’s coming next.

They don’t just learn from me — they decode the culture in real time, and I take notes.

In a business where standing still is falling behind, those regular “office hours” with my students might just be the most valuable part of my week.

The best content starts with the right strategy. That’s where we come in. Whether you're launching something new or refining what you’ve built, let’s build audio and video content that connects, grows, and lasts.