Issue #1: Force Philosophy + Video Volatility

The A/B Test is a weekly newsletter where we talk about one piece of audio [A]rt and bit of audio [B]usiness. That's it!

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Welcome to the first issue of the A/B Test! As mentioned above (and in the name, and hopefully the bio if I’m doing this right), this weekly missive will touch upon a little piece of art, and one business topic that has caught my eye. Mostly podcasting, but also related audio topics. Would love it if you followed along.

And now, onto the issue:

A is for [A]rt

The Philosophy of Star Wars

This week I want to shout out one of my favorite podcasts: Good is in the Details, hosted by

Rudy Salo

and Gwendolyn Dolkse. Each episode approaches heady philosophical topics with a conversational tone and the promise to teach you something “you didn’t know you didn’t know.” Love that. I’m starting with their recent “Philosophy of Star Wars” episode featuring Kirstan Noble and her book One with the Force: 18 Universal Truths in Star Wars

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B is for [B]usiness

Podcasting Video Debate Heats Up

Last Friday I came home, kicked in the door, and loudly declared to my wife (who doesn’t like raw fish), “We are going out for Sushi and you’re going to love it!”

Except I didn’t, because that’s not effective way to get unagi buy-in.

Try telling that to Spotify and YouTube, as they shout over each other about video offerings that not everyone asked for.

A fragile peace

I remember speaking at Podcast Movement in 2022. There was a nervous buzz from audio-centric creators — is video coming to eat us? Is it inevitable? With +/- 30% of podcast consumption and discovery happening on Youtube, do we need to pivot?

But there seemed to a fragile accord struck. Video was growing, but it was optional. Tools were emerging to make your audio-first podcast easier syndicate (or at least promote) through video. It was all going to be ok.

This isn’t that.

Battle lines drawn

Audio vs. Video, Podcaster vs. “Creator”, Big Tech vs. the ReSiStance — there’s a factionalization that’s occurring that wasn’t there a few years ago when the industry was growing. I can’t tell if it’s organic grassroots or big-money astroturfing, but the individuals in the field are turning confrontational. Many podcasters I hear from feel like:

Not shown: A giant moth with an Apple logo flying away with a bag marked “audio”.

Industry Perspective

I am far more interested in the perspective of the creatives than I am the tech companies. This post from Multitude’s Amanda McLoughlin breaks down some of the corporate gamesmanship (cui bono?), while also providing a playbook for indie creators.

And the normally genteel James Cridland had this succinct and direct response:

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I promised to keep this short, but there’s a lot to dig into on this topic. What are you seeing out there? What are you excited about? What’s ticking you off? No wrong answers.

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Special Thanks to…

KaSa Media Productions for supporting this newsletter. They do a lot of things — podcast production, dialog editing, Atmos mixing, and more. MOST importantly they are good humans and I suggest you find an excuse to connect with them.

Check out their good works here or reach out to tiphany@kasamediapro.com for more info!

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About the A/B Test

                                                      Chris O’Keeffe — Editor

Chris has developed and produced dozens of award-winning and chart-topping podcasts across genre and industry, including client work for MIT, Amazon, Cirque du Soleil and many more. In 2018 he was on the development and writing team for Disgraceland, which became the #1 music podcast in the world. He is the writer and co-creator of Jupiter Saloon, a beloved audio drama about a dive bar in space. He has given talks at Podcast Movement, The Outlier Podcast Festival, and the Sound Education Conference. He is also co-founder / Head of Narrative at Podcation, which designs global immersive hackathon audio events and OK Creative: The Language Agency, which provides writing and narrative services to businesses. chris@ok-creative.com

                                                    Ever Gonzalez — Publisher

Ever Gonzalez is the Founder of OutlierHQ, a media and events company dedicated to empowering creatives, entrepreneurs, and podcasters. With a passion for fostering community and sharing stories, Ever has built OutlierHQ into a platform that celebrates innovation, creativity, and independent voices. Known for his leadership in the podcasting space, Ever is committed to helping creators connect, grow, and thrive in their industries.