In the 18 months since Mike Fitzpatrick left Southern Cross Austereo he has built his own media business and started to make time for simple pleasures that can be hard to schedule when working long corporate hours.
Fitzpatrick’s new Mediafitz business is making a mark in the podcast sector. But that is only one of the diverse revenue streams funding the start-up.
Talking to Mediaweek about the change of life, Fitzpatrick added that in addition to running the business, he finds time for himself and the family: “I walk the dog every day, take the kids to school, do Pilates, go to the gym and coach footy and basketball. I’m also on the school council and I cook dinner every night.”
During his years with SCA he visited interstate regularly. “Now I only travel maybe every six weeks as opposed to every week.”
Although Fitzpatrick is back deep in the media, he revealed there was a moment when he considered leaving that space. “I nearly went and bought a smoothie bar!”
On his departure from the SCA radio business, he explained: “I spent 25 years working jobs that I loved, leading to the role I’d always wanted, and those gigs don’t last forever. When the time came to move on, I went knowing I’d left nothing on the pitch.”
Fitzpatrick ticked many boxes in his time in radio: He ran the Triple M network for 11 years. Was part of the #1 breakfast show The Cage in Sydney and Melbourne. He co-created Triple M Melbourne’s #1 FM breakfast show The Hot Breakfast with Eddie McGuire, and the Rush Hour drive programs, helped build Triple M NRL and commissioned Triple M Cricket. He relaunched the Triple M brand multiple times, including launching Triple M Perth and led the content side of network’s digital audio transition.
After leaving SCA, Fitzpatrick revealed, “I had no idea what I would do next.”
What he did do next is another build, this time the content strategy and talent management business Mediafitz.
In addition to management, he also mentors and advises some radio talent.
He is already kicking goals in the podcast space with a number of hit series entertaining audiences. The first was a project with two Queenslanders Tommy and Cam – now known to a huge audience as Alpha Blokes.
“When I was on SCA gardening leave I reached out to the Alpha Blokes asking how they thought about me giving them some feedback. I did that for a couple of months and they had many approaches from people wanting to sign them. I was initially hesitant about managing, but they’ve been fantastic to work with. I look at it more as talent development and advisory services. That led to one podcast after another.
“Through that I built relationships with the platforms and I have a great relationship with Acast. I consult to several organisations including Audible on content development.”
Above and below: Key podcasts in the Mediafitz stable
Mike Fitzpatrick and Mediafitz podcast roster
One of Mediafitz’s revenue streams is podcasting where Fitzpatrick works on a number of series including Finding Good with Daniel Wordsworth, Alpha Blokes, We Got the Chocolates, Bloody Brilliant Beers, First Time Parents, Two Flogs and The Reggies.
“Podcasting is the same as any media,” said Fitzpatrick. “It is not just about numbers, it’s also about environment and audience. A lot of brands are now going direct to the creator wanting to be involved.
“Beyond the audio podcast, there are possibilities including selling merchandise, and monetising video on YouTube. The old days of pitching a TV show have changed because people can do that on a visual platform where they own the creative.
“It’s rare to make a living just out of a podcast, although some are. Jack Laurence is ex-SCA and he launched One Minute Remaining telling the stories of people in prison across the world. It’s doing phenomenal numbers and he’s just doing it out of his bedroom and able to make a living out of it.”
Securing commercial partnerships
Fitzpatrick: “Some creators have the view they’ll take all advertising dollars just because they need the money. Most podcasters in my experience don’t quit their job saying they want to start a podcast. They start the podcast and grow it to the point where they can quit their full-time job.”
Fitzpatrick said those creators then have to ask lots of questions about managing their relationships with one or many brands, their personal brand on the podcasts and their socials.
“It is really a wonderful time to be a creative and the opportunities are almost endless. The first question I ask people when they ask for some advice is, ‘Why podcasting?’
“I had one inquiry recently from someone who said they wanted to podcast because they were sick and tired of working. I didn’t work with them. If the goal is to not work and make a podcast then you won’t be successful. It is hard work. It is not just sitting in front of a microphone and talking for two hours and publishing. Although some of them are.
“It takes research, editing, strategy, time…all of which takes up hours.”
Things can take off though which rewards that hard work. “One of my clients had a video recently that got 43m views in a week. It’s a good video, but they had no idea it would be viral.”
Mike Fitzpatrick spoke at Radiodays Europe earlier this year
When it comes to growing audiences, Fitzpatrick said: “The best way to promote a podcast is on another podcast. Any opportunities you have to appear on other people’s podcasts gets you in front of a new audience.”
Much of the talent that Mike Fitzpatrick is working with wouldn’t seem out of place on Triple M. “By accident,” he explained. “A lot of my clients do create male-skewed content. Much of the content they create though couldn’t air on Triple M. The language for a start would not be allowed because of profanity. The broadcast licence would be in jeopardy.”
One podcast that is not in the Triple M blokey world is Daniel Wordsworth’s Finding Good. “It’s a podcast that means a lot to me because I host it which is my first time behind the microphone since The Cage. But more importantly, I truly believe in what he is talking about. Daniel describes himself as a reluctant optimist. He’s been to the most horrific places on earth, most recently a hospital boat in the Amazon. He’s a humanitarian with 34 years’ experience and his name is often associated with disaster. But he has an uncanny ability to go to the worst places on earth and find the good. There is something really inspiring about those stories. It wouldn’t sit anywhere on radio, but podcasting lends itself to that style of conversation and storytelling.”
When asked about returning more regularly to the airwaves, Fitzpatrick replied: “I loved being on air and I loved being on a breakfast show [The Cage]. One of the highlights of my career. Spending three hours with funny people who became great friends and having good conversation, making great radio, and entertaining people is really beautiful and I have always missed it. I would love to do more, but I don’t know what it is yet. I certainly don’t want to be on air and have to back-announce ‘Hotel California’!” [Laughs]
He added: “There is a real skill and art to being a good music presenter that is often overlooked.”
Although much of the talent Mediafitz works with already does video content, Mike Fitzpatrick is looking at taking them to the next level on a TV show currently in development with one of his podcasters.