Building a Very Human Media Business | Erin Diehl #654

About this episode

The episode discusses the importance of human elements in media businesses amidst the rise of AI.

As AI becomes more embedded into content creation, discovery, and distribution , one truth is becoming clearer : the long-term winners in media may not be the fastest or the most automated. They may be the most human. That was the core idea behind this conversation with Erin Diehl of Improve It! and the host of the Workday Playdate Podcast, and New Media Show host and Podcast Hall of Fame Inductee Rob Greenlee on New Media Show Episode 654 , where we explored what it really means to build a media business rooted in trust, emotional connection, authenticity, and memorable audience experiences. Erin Diehl, founder of improve it! and host of the Workday Playdate podcast, brings a distinctive perspective to this discussion. Her work sits at the intersection of improv, leadership, communication, and community-building. On her podcast and in her live workshops, she focuses on helping people reconnect with empathy, listening, adaptability, humor, and playfulness as practical tools for stronger communication and leadership. Erin describes those same qualities as the traits of both a great improviser and a great human, and that framing shaped this entire conversation. ( itserindiehl.com )…

People in this episode

Host: Rob Greenlee

Guest: Erin Diehl

Topics covered

• media business
• AI in media
• human connection
• emotional intelligence
• leadership
• communication
• audience experience

Keywords

• AI
• media
• trust
• authenticity
• communication
• leadership
• improv
• audience engagement

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Improve It!, Workday Playdate Podcast, Podcast Hall of Fame

More episodes of New Media Show (Audio)

• Are Podcast Networks becoming Creator Networks? | Greg Wasserman #666 · June 8, 2026 · 1h 23m
• What Is New Media Now vs Podcasting? | Ashley Christenson / @Ashni #665 · May 31, 2026 · 1h 20m
• How Creators Are Using AI Agents to Work Smarter | Mike Russell #664 · May 24, 2026
• When AI Content Stops Looking and Sounding Artificial | Jeanine Wright + Robert Scoble #663 · May 21, 2026 · 1h 37m
• Can Human Critics Improve Podcast Discovery? | Imran Ahmed, Great Pods #662 · May 7, 2026 · 1h 32m
• Can Indie Podcasters and Media Creators Still Win? | Dave Jackson #661 · May 2, 2026 · 1h 46m