3 March 2026 · News · Podcastinfo
The latest radio company results show that radio is still the biggest component of revenue for major audio businesses like SCA and ARN, but it is flat. Podcast revenue is currently much smaller than the money brought in by radio, but it is the fastest growing segment of audio businesses.
There are two types of podcast business model:
Both business models are developing together as the audio industry evolves in the twenty first century. Recent reports from Heard and iAB show that broadcast revenue is flat while digital audio (podcasting and streaming) is growing.
Jack Laurence is someone who has seen both sides.
After 15 years in radio he left with an idea for a podcast and not much else. Now he makes a six figure salary and produces 6 podcasts that get tens of thousands of downloads per month.
Steve Ahern spoke to Jack at the opening party for the new Acast Sydney studio last week.
“I spent 15 years in radio. I started at SEAFM on the Gold Coast, I worked in Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne. I worked on the Hughesy and Kate Drive show for 5 years.
“I spent a long time in radio, 15 years of my life. I was made redundant in Adelaide in 2016. So I ran around the traps… my last stint was at Today FM breakfast working on the Hughesy Ed and Erin show as their anchor.
“After about a year I said to my wife, I’m done, I can’t do this anymore, I think I’ve reached as far as radio is going to allow me to reach. So we moved back to the Gold Coast and I had no job.
“There was actually a job going as the assistant content director at SEA FM and I stupidly took that job. Shouldn’t have taken it. I was there for maybe 6 or 8 months I was hating moving from being a content guy to a managerial role. It was a real eye opener… I said, maybe I’ll try podcasting…”
Jack started with one podcast and has now developed a suite of offerings, mostly in the crime genre. How does it feel?
“Amazing! For me, it’s about working for myself and the freedom that comes with that. The freedom to be able to tell the stories that I want to tell.
“You know, I spent my radio career, always asking permission…and, you know, you have limitations, of course, with radio, versus podcasting. You don’t have limitations [with podcasting].
“I wanted to interview people with insane life stories. So I started the podcast where I speak to prisoners who are incarcerated in the United States… So it’s freedom for me to tell the stories I want to tell, the content that I want to produce. And freedom to be able to do things with my family, like pick up my kids from school or go and see them doing stuff and not have to go to a content director can I have the afternoon off.”
Control of your time and content were important considerations for Jack. But what about money? Is podcasting a viable business for an independent podcaster to survive? Jack says yes, as long as you get the listener numbers.
“I’m making more money than I ever made in radio, and I worked in Sydney radio. I make 6 figures a year.”
Discussing the business model, Jack says he prefers to concentrate on content creation, leaving most of the selling to the hosting provider Acast.
“Acast is the only way I make money. They do all the sales… They sell the advertising on my show, and that’s how I make my money. I dabble here and there with approaching companies about advertising, but to be honest, it’s not my brain. My brain is content, my brain is entertainment. These guys handle the rest.”
Has the audience grown organically or does it require work?
“Work, work, work. It’s a lot. Look, it’s not it’s not easy. I took a business from zero listeners and zero money to a viable independent small business. I n the first year running the podcast, I made $90,000, which has obviously grown year on year.
“That’s from emailing pestering, approaching other podcasts with an audience. I was very lucky because what I found with podcasting compared to radio is we don’t see each other as competition… We share audiences because as soon as they finish an episode of mine, they still want content. So why not promote someone else and keep them in the podcast sphere.
“I reached out to a number of large podcasters, the Alpha Blokes, Meshel Laurie, who has the Australian true crime podcast. Mamamia’s true crime podcast. They were all very welcoming to me at the very beginning and had me on their shows to talk about the work I was doing. That’s what catapulted me from zero listeners to what I now do, about 600,000 downloads a month… I also did some advertising but I always tell podcasters, ‘if you want an audience, go to where the audience is, on other podcasts.’”
Listen to the full interview with Jack Laurence below. Find his podcasts here.
Tags: Acast | Jack Laurence | Podcastinfo | Podcasting
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