Sound Off Podcast

06/03/2026

Anthony McNutt is one of the best when it comes to radio imaging. He gets it. He is a senior imaging producer at Stingray Radio, managing multiple brands including Q stations, K Rocks, and The Breeze across 5 time zones.We discussed what separates exceptional imaging from average work, the evolution of production styles, and how remote work has transformed the producer's role in modern radio. Including:

- Why voice talent versatility matters more than technical perfection

- How silence and restraint have replaced zips and zaps in contemporary imaging

- The organizational systems required to manage dozens of stations and voice actors

- Why authenticity has become essential for reaching younger audiences

- How the Nova Scotia shooting of 2020 and emotion shaped McNutt's approach to production after 2020

This episode offers practical insight for producers, voice actors, and radio professionals navigating the balance between creativity and efficiency in audio storytelling.

06/03/2026

I love how radio imaging sets radio station's apart. But I really love when radio imaging makes a station sound great. Anthony McNutt is a lead imaging producer at Stingray. Radio imaging is the most underrated differentiator in audio.

Most stations sound the same. Same voice. Same processing. Same ChatGPT-written liner cards with zero personality.

But the best stations? You hear the difference in seconds.

It's not about being loud. It's about being intentional. Anthony explained this better than I could: imaging should never interrupt the music—it should flow. The right pause. The right inflection. The absence of zips and zaps covering up weak edits.

He referenced John Frost KROQ work from the '90s—fast, witty, punchy imaging that made you stop and think. That wasn't accident. It was architecture.

Today, the bar has shifted. Younger audiences don't respond to hype. They respond to authenticity. Imaging that feels human. That doesn't scream at them.

This applies beyond radio. Podcasts, branded content, internal comms—if your audio identity is an afterthought, you're leaving brand equity on the table.

The stations that win aren't the ones with the biggest budgets. They're the ones that treat sound design like it matters. Because it does.

Anthony McNutt didn't sleep well the night COVID sent everyone home.He is the senior imaging producer at Stingray Radio, and found himself sitting in his apartment with a blanket draped over his head — not out of despair, but necessity. The echo in his space made voicing commercials impossible wit...

06/02/2026

The Podcast Superfriends get together to discuss some of the today's podcast pain points, including the download as a metric and the price of the tools that help make podcasts sound and look better.

05/29/2026

Rhys Waters spent over a decade making award‑winning TV and radio for the BBC in Wales before moving to Halifax, Nova Scotia, in search of a better work–life balance. In this episode, he traces his path from a neurodivergent kid who struggled in traditional classrooms to a documentary filmmaker, broadcaster and eventually co‑founder of Podstarter, a podcast production company helping brands make shows with highly specific goals. Rhys explains how one client’s podcast needed only 12 listeners—and still generated over $5 million in revenue—illustrating why success isn’t always about download numbers. He talks about learning podcasting through BBC radio, the explosive growth of on‑demand audio, and the evolving role of video and short‑form clips in discovery. Rhys also dives into how his dyslexic, ADHD brain shapes his creative process and why he launched The Echo Podcast Summit, an East Coast podcast conference focused on themes like trust and community in audio.

05/27/2026

Jen Austin is the founder of Riply Media. We talked about how AI can actually strengthen local news rather than replace journalists. Jen walks me through her journey from a shy high school student in rural Nebraska to working at iconic stations like KZKX, later producing for The Dorsey Gang in Dallas, and reporting news on 9/11 with support from the CBS News network.

We talk about the long, slow decline of newsrooms—layoffs, shrinking staffs, and the closure of CBS News Radio—while the public’s need for credible local information has only grown. This is what led to the creation of Riply, an AI-assisted production tool that scans trusted local sources, assembles hyper-local scripts, and frees up journalists to focus on reporting, interviews, and creativity.

Jen explains how Riply is carefully constrained to avoid hallucinations, keeps sourcing transparent, and always leaves a human editor at the final gate. We also look ahead to RSS distribution, potential video, and global expansion into markets like Canada. (If your newsroom currently has zero people in it - Riply is not for you or your station)

05/13/2026

We last had JC Douglas on our show 9 years ago when I got the full run down of his career highlights. JC Douglas announced his retirement on Facebook in May 2026, reflecting on his 40-year tenure at Q104, his morning run at C100, and in-between time at 89.9 The Wave. He discussed the success of Q104 and C100, attributing it to loyal audiences and long-tenured talent. JC highlighted his pivotal moments, including interviewing Paul McCartney and covering the 2020 Nova Scotia mass shooting. What's Next? He plans to archive his extensive media collection and spend more time with his four-year-old son. Douglas emphasized the importance of radio's human connection and the impact of social media on community engagement.

05/06/2026

Rhys Waters spent over a decade making award‑winning TV and radio for the BBC in Wales before moving to Halifax, Nova Scotia, in search of a better work–life balance. In this episode, he traces his path from a neurodivergent kid who struggled in traditional classrooms to a documentary filmmaker, broadcaster and eventually co‑founder of Podstarter, a podcast production company helping brands make shows with highly specific goals. Rhys explains how one client’s podcast needed only 12 listeners—and still generated over $5 million in revenue—illustrating why success isn’t always about download numbers. He talks about learning podcasting through BBC radio, the explosive growth of on‑demand audio, and the evolving role of video and short‑form clips in discovery. Rhys also dives into how his dyslexic, ADHD brain shapes his creative process and why he launched The Echo Podcast Summit, an East Coast podcast conference focused on themes like trust and community in audio.

05/06/2026

We have done 500 episodes of the Sound Off Podcast - here is what we have learned about podcasting. (So Far...)

This week, I’m celebrating the 500th episode of the Sound Off Podcast by turning the spotlight on why so many shows underperform—and what you can do about it. Truths & Myths in PodcastingAfter nearly 10 years and 500 episodes, I’ve seen the same mistakes again and again, so I break down 10 big...

05/05/2026

The Podcast Superfriends were asked: What's On Your Mind? And what came back were a lot of simple questions with some very deep answers. Today we are going to attempt to answer our own questions. This will range everywhere from metrics, to start up budgets to using Dynamic Audio Insertion.

05/02/2026

I spoke with Andrea about her career in radio and her transition to voiceover. I met Andrea back in 2006 whe she was just fnishing up her tenure working promotions for Power 97 in Winnipeg. She went on to become a prominent figure in the Winnipeg and later Montreal and Toronto radio markets. She highlights her roles at Curve 94.3 (Remember that?) in Winnipeg, Virgin Radio, CTV, and iHeartRadio, and her shift to voiceover after being laid off in 2018. If you are going to listen to one valuable part about today’s world, check out how she is handling AI and her business. She is thinking of the things that a lot of people have not considered for both radio and voiceover. In short: Protect Your Voice. We also discussed her involvement with CAVA, The Canadian Association of Voice Actors, and her recent move to Ottawa.