The Chaser Report Behind The Scenes Of 'If You're Listening' | Matt Bevan
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Mar 3, 2026 Matt Bevan, writer and presenter who mines archival audio and video to explain world affairs. He recounts the show’s origins from a radio segment and its leap to multi-platform success. He discusses shaping episodes around available archives, evolving from seasonal to weekly releases, and a two-week production workflow that keeps the show sustainable and adaptable.
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Building A Hit Podcast From A Radio Side Project
- Matt Bevan built If You're Listening while also working early-morning shifts on RN Breakfast, carving out around three hours daily to develop the show.
- That side-project workload shifted to paid time as the podcast grew, eventually becoming his full-time role two years ago.
Audience Response Can Change Internal Perception Fast
- Early ABC skepticism about podcast success was overcome quickly when If You're Listening shot to number one on Apple Podcasts within days of launch.
- Rapid listener traction changed internal perception from 'side project' to a core program deserving resources.
Weekly Scheduling Simplified Creativity
- Changing from seasonal batches to a weekly always-on schedule simplified production and freed creative energy.
- Weekly production lets Matt focus on one topic at a time and explore visual ideas, instead of juggling whole-season story arcs.