Matty Johns and Gary Jubelin are no strangers to the podcast world, with their respective podcasts – The Matty Johns Podcast and I Catch Killers with Gary Jubelin – bringing in loyal audiences to the News Corp podcast network with every episode.
Mediaweek sat down with the pair earlier this year at AdWeek APAC to speak about what goes into their podcasts.
What do you see as some of the benefits of long form podcasting?
Jubelin: “I think it gives you a chance to actually get to know the person. I saw it when I was a cop, people falling over themselves saying ‘I want to interview you’ – you walk in there, you get that three minutes, and then you’re virtually kicked out. I got used to it, but you feel like you’re being used a bit. Whereas with podcasts, you don’t feel like you’re using people because you’re giving them a platform to tell their story.”
Johns: “When you listen to more podcasts, you get an idea of what you like. TV is so formal but what I like about podcasts is that it’s like you’ve been dropped in the middle of a conversation. There are some beauties out there – for example, Richard Fidler at the ABC, you can tell he’s curious about the person.”
Jubelin: “Back when I was a young kid I listened to talkback radio, and podcasting is a flow on from that. Someone like Richard Fidler just sets the benchmark, but you’ve got to be interested in your guests and the story you’re telling, because I can’t fake interest.”
Building on from Richard Fidler, are there any other podcasters that you take inspiration from?
Johns: “I like a lot the history ones, as well as Conan O’Brien.”
Jubelin: “I’ve been to Joe Rogan for years, and I really like what he’s doing with a lot of that long conversation – he’s a master of keeping the conversation flowing. I like the way he can argue with someone without shutting the conversation down, he can have a different opinion. There’s a lot of skill that comes in that form of communication.”
What are you looking for when finding guests for your podcasts?
Johns: “Interesting people with interesting lives.”
Jubelin: “Anyone that interests me, I haven’t done anyone that I really didn’t want to do. We’ve tried to create an environment where the people can just tell stories – there was one armed hold-up bloke from another state, I think he forgot we’re recording! He says ‘we’re hanging him out the window and he still didn’t confess, but it’s amazing what happens when you take them for a swim down at the river’.”
Johns: “I was speaking to someone about the old days, there were a lot of drugs. Some different outlets picked it up, and I had the guest calling to ask ‘what have you done to me?’”
Jubelin: “I’ve been stung by that a couple of times, I might speak to someone for two hours and people will pull out one piece and that will be the headline. Then I’m on the phone saying ‘I’m sorry, when people listen to it, they’ll hear it in full’. I try to genuinely look out for my guests, I don’t like the ambush.”
Johns: “It’s short-term gain, it gets publicity but you get dismissed as low integrity. And word gets around, people will say ‘be careful that guy, he’ll do a hack job’.”
What do you hope that people get from your podcasts?
Johns: “I hope it makes a three hour trip feel like an hour. When I listen to a good podcast, sometimes I’ll just keep doing laps around the block until I’m done.”
Jubelin: “I agree, it’s something that passes the time and almost makes you part of the conversation. That’s what long form conversation does, you might not be talking but you’re listening and connecting with something. I’m with you, Matty, if I’ve got a good podcast, I’ll listen to it for six hours.”
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Top Image: Matty Johns and Gary Jubelin