Media Confidential Goalhanger co-founder: ‘I’ve stepped in to stop Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart arguing’
Nov 3, 2025
Tony Pastor, co-founder of Goalhanger and former TV exec, shares insights on the robust growth of podcasts during the pandemic. He reveals how chemistry testing among hosts makes shows like *The Rest Is Politics* successful. Tony discusses how niche subjects keep audiences engaged and the myth of young listeners preferring short content. He also emphasizes the importance of membership revenue, which elevates quality, and recounts intervening in heated debates between Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell, showcasing the art of managing host dynamics.
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Young Audiences Crave Depth
- Young listeners still consume long-form narrative content when it's high-quality and character-led.
- Attention reflects content offered, not an innate short attention span among younger audiences.
Diversify Revenue Beyond Ads
- Build multiple revenue streams: ads plus memberships, live shows, and merchandise.
- Use membership clubs to deepen engagement and secure recurring income.
Covid Forced Remote Scaling
- COVID forced Goalhanger to solve remote production and scale cadence from weekly to daily.
- That pivot dramatically accelerated audience growth and commercial traction.