For many local media organizations, podcasting remains stuck in the “someday” category.
The idea sounds appealing. The execution often feels overwhelming.
Questions about equipment, studios, production workflows, distribution and monetization can quickly create paralysis before a newsroom ever records its first episode.
That’s one of the reasons Local Media Association Digital Content Coordinator Ryan Welton created a new LMII Innovation Insights report focused on the fundamentals of podcasting.
The report is designed to help local media organizations move beyond perfectionism and start creating content.
“We need a studio. The podcast has to be sold,” Welton said when describing common newsroom concerns. “The fact is, you don’t.”
Instead, the report focuses on practical, achievable steps for organizations looking to launch or improve podcast efforts.
Podcasting as a content pillar
Welton says that podcasting should not be viewed as a standalone product.
Instead, it can serve as a central piece of a broader content strategy.
Drawing on a concept often described as a “hub and spoke” model, he said successful content operations typically build around a primary content asset that generates multiple secondary products.
For Local Media Association, podcasting became a way to create content that could simultaneously exist as video, audio, written stories and short-form social media clips.
That approach allows organizations to maximize the value of a single interview or conversation while reaching audiences across multiple platforms.
Audio matters more than video
One of the strongest themes throughout the report is the importance of audio quality.
While many organizations focus heavily on cameras, studios and visual presentation, Welton said audiences are often far more forgiving of imperfect video than poor sound.
“As long as the audio is good, the audience is likely not to disappear,” he said. “But the minute the audio is bad, you’re going to have churn.”
The report recommends investing in a quality microphone and wired headphones before spending significant resources on video production. But, there are no real wrong answers.
Welton recommends cardioid microphones for remote-recording setups, mics that are designed to capture sound primarily from the front and reduce unwanted background noise.
Start simple
For newsroom leaders considering podcasting, the report repeatedly emphasizes simplicity.
Rather than building dedicated studios or waiting for perfect conditions, Welton encourages organizations to begin with tools they already have and improve over time.
“Done is better than perfect in this case,” he said.
His recommended setup for most newsrooms includes:
- A reliable computer with lots of RAM
- Strong internet connectivity
- A quality microphone
- Wired headphones
- A remote recording platform
The goal, he said, is to create a workflow that is affordable, sustainable and scalable.
One conversation, many products
A big opportunity highlighted in the report is content repurposing.
A single podcast episode can become far more than an audio file.
According to Welton, a newsroom interview can generate:
- A full-length YouTube video
- An audio podcast distributed through major platforms
- A written article for a website
- Multiple social media clips
- Newsletter content
- Follow-up stories and takeaways
“If you remember at the beginning of this conversation, I talked about podcasts being a piece of pillar content,” Welton said. “It’s not just video, it’s not just audio, it’s short clips. It’s a written article.”
The report also encourages organizations to revisit evergreen content months later, giving strong interviews additional value through redistribution and repackaging.
A business opportunity for local media
While editorial applications remain important, Welton believes podcasting may be equally valuable from a revenue perspective.
He points to branded content opportunities that allow businesses to tell authentic stories through conversations rather than traditional advertising.
Those discussions can focus on business owners, employees, customers or industry expertise while creating useful content for audiences.
“It’s just an effective content mechanism for both editorial and for business,” Welton said.
Why now?
As audience habits continue to evolve, long-form conversations are finding new audiences on platforms such as YouTube, where podcasts are increasingly consumed as video rather than audio alone.
For local media organizations looking to deepen audience relationships, expand distribution channels and create new revenue opportunities, Welton believes podcasting deserves serious consideration.
“It’s not just to have a podcast to say that you have one,” he said. “It is supplementary to everything you do.”
The LMII Innovation Insights report, available for free to Local Media Association members who subscribe, offers a practical guide to getting started with podcasting in today’s media environment. The LMII report is also available for purchase.
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Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7iDPoY0tJtucYeaBCxnrbE
Listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/podcasting-for-local-media-a-practical-playbook-for-2026/id1808196993?i=1000772993070
Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lx-im3VWqo
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Editor’s note: Artificial Intelligence was used to transcribe and create an initial summary