Then and Now - From Past Elections to our AI present with History Podcaster Lindsay Graham

The Media Roundtable is back! This week we’re looking into the present through the lens of history.

Dan Granger, (CEO & Founder, Oxford Road) hosts Lindsay Graham (not Lindsey Graham). This Lindsay is a Webby Award-winning and Ambie-nominated history podcasting superstar, a repeat Media Roundtable guest, and CEO & Founder of Airship, a podcast publishing company (American Criminal, American Scandal, American History Tellers, & more.) 

Together, they discuss our messy past, uncertain futures, and everything in between. Let’s dig in.

“When we think of AI, it is a forward and a backward-looking question. ‘What’s going to happen?’ We don’t know. ‘Have we ever not known before?’ Well, every day of our history, we’ve not known. So there’s the lesson.”

• Lindsay Graham (CEO & Founder, Airship)

AI’s Precedent – AI sure seems like an unprecedented shift in our world, so it helps to remember our past. The Printing Press, Radio, The Internet… These were massive influences in our world as well. That’s not to say AI isn’t a giant shift (TBD), but these types of changes have been a constant part of our existence. There is no time exactly like now, but there are years and years of similar upheavals to pull from.

Efficiency vs. Effectiveness – Podcasts are no stranger to change either. A big shift we’re following: the shift from live reads towards programmatic. It’s no surprise that we love live reads, and we’re hoping CAOs balance the benefits of the efficient programmatic ads with the effectiveness of live reads. That way a host like Lindsay doesn’t have to voice every ad, while delivering that deep connection with his audience, as some topics demand.

Unsafe History? – History podcasts are (historically ) well-researched and cover undisputed facts, making them especially brand-safe. The problem? With automatic brand safety tools, the discussion of death in history makes them look violent and unsafe. Our advice to CAOs? Don’t leave history behind. Check the history shows’ Civility Score and give them a test if it matches your target audience.

To understand more of the present through history’s lessons, research the full episode with the link below.

Watch Here

Listen Here: Spotify

Listen Here: Apple