Given Adam Carolla\u2019s long-running track record of leading from the front of the podcast race, it\u2019s not only fitting that he is an accomplished race car driver with an impressive private collection of high-performance vehicles, but also that he is the winner of Podcast Magazine\u2019s \u201cTop 50 Dads in Podcasting\u201d inaugural crown!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And while Norm Pattiz, Founder of PodcastOne, may not have children of his own, few would argue his right to be recognized as The PodFather of podcasting.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Together, Adam and Norm have long been considered two of podcasting\u2019s patriarchs\u2014a formidable dynamic duo that will undoubtedly remain at the industry\u2019s forefront as we enter the next decade.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Before deciding to forge into podcasting early in the medium\u2019s lifecycle, Adam was already a household name thanks to his terrestrial radio career (<\/span>Loveline with Dr. Drew<\/span><\/i>, anyone?) and the now infamous sketch comedy television show, <\/span>The Man Show<\/span><\/i>, which ran on Comedy Central from 1999-2004.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And, Norm? As the founder of broadcasting powerhouse Westwood One, he had already established himself as a successful media icon long before applying his talents to the world of podcasting.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Today, PodcastOne boasts a network of more than 200 shows that, in aggregate, delivers approximately 400 million monthly advertising impressions for their partners across <\/span>2.1 BILLION annual downloads<\/b>. Their roster includes Shaquille O\u2019Neal, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Jordan Harbinger, Adam, and <\/span>many<\/span><\/i> other A-listers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It is, perhaps, Norm\u2019s \u2018supernatural power\u2019 for, as Wayne Gretzky put it, <\/span>\u201cknowing where the puck is going\u201d<\/span><\/i> that has rightfully earned him the reputation of having unparalleled clairvoyance. His track record for being at the forefront of emerging trends and recognizing talent poised to go big is uncanny.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Creating the juggernaut that is now one of the industry\u2019s leading audio networks, however, required the significant investment of time, energy, resources, planning, and\u2026 understanding.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

After first being introduced to the potential of the medium through PodcastOne\u2019s current President Kit Gray, Norm referred to podcasting as <\/span>\u201cthe new broadcasting,\u201d<\/span><\/i> quickly recognizing clear delineations between the platforms.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTerrestrial radio is a medium of formats, such as music, talk, and more,\u201d<\/span><\/i> Norm explained. <\/span>\u201cPodcasting is a medium of programs, similar to how television is structured.\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To create programming that would appeal to a wide array of listeners, PodcastOne focused on tapping into existing relationships\u2014and influencers such as Adam\u2014who could hold attention on an ongoing basis.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Norm shared, <\/span>\u201cThere are a couple of people in my world, and probably in everyone\u2019s world, who you hear talk and immediately think,<\/span><\/i> \u2018<\/span>Oh, I want to hear what he has to say.\u2019 Adam is certainly in that very small group.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cHe has a unique ability that I haven\u2019t seen in many, if any, other people: to be able to conduct interviews that shine the spotlight on his guests while simultaneously demonstrating his immense talent\u2026 without coming across as overbearing.\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

From his earliest days in radio, Adam recognized that he had a unique ability to balance humor, education, and the subtle crudeness required to appeal to a younger, predominantly male demographic. As his following grew, so did his boldness.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat I\u2019m best at is getting the guests to just the right amount of comfort, so they know I\u2019m on their side,\u201d<\/span><\/i> Adam explained. <\/span>\u201cThen, I can ask super-insulting questions and, because they know we\u2019re just having fun, they\u2019ll answer \u2018em.\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Being able to make people laugh at will is certainly one contributor to Adam\u2019s success and a core reason for his remaining at the top of the audio game for so long. Another key component? Teaming up with Norm, who claims that, while he\u2019s not truly clairvoyant, his keen business sense has helped him to stay at the top of business world for decades.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been fortunate to be able to assess various business and broadcast entities to determine what it is they might need that they can\u2019t do for themselves,\u201d<\/span><\/i> Norm said. <\/span>\u201cWhen [Kit] told me about podcasting, I thought, \u2018Well, geez, this is Westwood One for the digital age without having to filter things through our radio stations and be conscious of radio formats. Given my interest in creating great content, it was nirvana.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Having Adam contribute his singular voice to the mix sealed the deal. Norm jumped at the chance to work with the man he considered a legend. From his perspective, everything Adam touched turned to gold, his content was stellar, and his involvement would inevitably lead to exponential growth in terms of audience share, revenue, and credibility.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Norm\u2019s intuition, once again, was spot on. By all measures, PodcastOne has done very well\u2014having recently been acquired by LiveXLive Media, Inc. for a reported $18.1M in an all-stock transaction that is slated to close this month.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Of course, with recognition comes the inevitable\u2026 criticism. Both admit it\u2019s the price one pays for being in the public eye.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone enjoys a pat on the back,\u201d<\/span><\/i> Adam said. <\/span>\u201cWe\u2019re living in a time where there\u2019s instant feedback.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cIf somebody says, \u2018Hey, you did an interview with this guy and you did most of the talking,\u2019 I go, \u2018You know what? I think that person might be right. I should look into that.\u2019 I don\u2019t think you should take every negative critique and just dismiss it.<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think you should absorb it, digest it a little, and kind of wonder, \u2018What can I get out of this?\u2019 Because there\u2019s oftentimes kernels of truth in the negative critiques.\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Norm added, <\/span>\u201cYou don\u2019t go into business expecting to be loved by everybody. A thick skin is required to thrive and, ultimately, history will be the one that really tells your story.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

The history books, however, will have to wait awhile for the final chapters of Norm and Adam\u2019s stories. It should certainly be an interesting decade ahead\u2014one stacked with opportunity after the lock-up period for the sale of the stock received has expired and their pockets get even deeper.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Until then, Adam\u2019s intrinsic curiosity and interest in people is sure to keep him on the cutting edge of what\u2019s now, what\u2019s new, and what\u2019s next.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs long as I\u2019m curious, as long as I\u2019m interested, as long as I\u2019m wanting to try new things\u2026 I feel the audience will go along with me on the journey,\u201d <\/span><\/i>Adam shared.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Clearly, no matter where Adam or Norm are headed, there will always be plenty of people excited to go along for the ride.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

He is an accomplished race car driver with an impressive private collection of high-performance vehicles, but he’s also the winner of Podcast Magazine\u2019s \u201cTop 50 Dads in Podcasting\u201d inaugural crown!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8213,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[72,55],"tags":[120,129,127,125,121,118,122,123,128,126,124,58],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n