The Ones List with Philly radio personality Tonya Pendleton
Why it matters: Pendleton, WHYY's "Things to Do" curator and one of Philly's enduring journalists and broadcasters, is already cooking up her next adventure.
We caught up with Pendleton in our latest edition of "The Ones List" series.
The interview was condensed for clarity:
What's one story you tell about why you got into radio? While interning in college at WILD Radio in Boston, the music director left and I took her spot at 22 years old. Radio made me happier than anything else.
Who's one person you grew up admiring in media? Charlie Rose. It was just him, the person at a table, and no fancy backdrop.
Your one can't-break rule in radio: Respect the audience. There's somebody who may have woken up that day just to hear your voice.
What's one daily ritual you can't do without? Meditation. I'm a fan of Insight Timer.
What's one podcast you can't do without? Steven Bartlett's "The Diary of a CEO."
What's one habit you wish you could break? Procrastination.
Your one favorite person in Philadelphia: Rapper Chill Moody. He put the "E" in entrepreneur.
Who's one person you interviewed who you still think about? Prince. The paramount thing to know about him: He cared about his craft.
What's one thing you're going to miss about "Reality Check" and WURD Radio? Connecting with an audience that cares about our community.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Insider
28-07-2025
- Business Insider
'The Diary of a CEO' star Steven Bartlett is using AI to make new podcasts hosted by a virtual version of himself
Steven Bartlett is using AI to produce his "100 CEOs" podcast, cloning his voice to make a host. His FlightStory Studio is trying to replicate its success with Bartlett to build out other pods. The AI-made podcast had gotten mixed reviews, with some preferring Bartlett's traditional format. "The Diary of a CEO" star Steven Bartlett isn't just talking about AI on his show — he's using the tech to make new podcasts hosted by a virtual version of himself. His podcast production company, FlightStory Studio, has been experimenting with AI tools like Runway to make podcasts and recently used them to launch "100 CEOs with Steven Bartlett." The animated show gives prominent CEOs like Richard Branson and Elon Musk the narrative, documentary-style treatment. Bartlett wrote the script, and then FlightStory Studio used AI for the rest. That included cloning his voice to make an AI host, creating the storyboard, and turning it into an animated video. In addition to Runway, FlightStory Studio used tech from AI firms ElevenLabs and Wondercraft. The show, which is available on platforms like YouTube and Apple Podcasts, is identified in the notes as AI-made. "Once we saw the capability of Runway and others, we thought there was no reason we shouldn't disrupt ourselves," said Georgie Holt, who cofounded FlightStory Studio with Bartlett and fellow Acast alum Christiana Brenton. "Steven is still very involved in the scripting and the writing." Holt and Brenton discussed FlightStory Studio's strategy and growth plans with Business Insider. "He still passionately believes, as we do, in the human ability to tell stories," Holt said. "Everything else was done by AI. The next challenge is, how do you grow distribution? How do you market that podcast?" The AI podcast has mixed reviews "100 CEOs" has a long way to go to match the heights of "DOAC," where Bartlett gets millions of views for his long-running interviews with big names like Michelle Obama and Jimmy Fallon. For example, the "100 CEOs" video about Apple founder Steve Jobs has about 25,000 views on YouTube. The "100 CEOs" show is up front that it's made with AI, and many commenters on YouTube praised the show's storytelling and animation. Not everyone is ready for AI-cloned voices, however. Some criticized the voice for not sounding human enough and said they preferred Bartlett's interview format. "I'm a huge fan, but this just feels like an AI podcast with zero soul," one commenter said. To FlightStory Studio, the results are encouraging enough to keep testing other AI-made formats, starting with ones that are suited to animation. It took a long time to get the show off the ground, but at the rate AI keeps improving, FlightStory Studio executives expect the show to get better and more human-sounding over time. They said they plan to test AI host-read ads later this year and compare their performance to human-read ads. "All advertisers want is performance," Brenton said. "What typically takes two to four weeks production, if you can shrink that into a day, it actually enables significantly more opportunity for creators, publishers, and advertisers." Bartlett has more permission to make an AI podcast than other hosts, given his association with technology, said Megan Lazovick, VP of Edison Research. "It would be a controversial move for a lot of hosts and presenters, and hosts would have to be careful in the way they use AI, but I feel like it goes right along with his brand," she said. FlightStory Studio has built a diversified revenue business AI is just one way FlightStory Studio is trying to crack the code to turn creators into multifaceted businesses. Bartlett launched "DOAC" in 2017 and, in 2023, teamed up with Holt and Brenton to launch FlightStory Studio to invest in creators' podcasts they think have potential to become big brands in their own right, with the intent of acquiring them outright. "DOAC" still makes up most of the company's revenue, but it's branched out with other creators like Davina McCall, who speaks to the midlife experience, and relationships podcaster Paul Brunson. Today, FlightStory Studio owns and produces five podcasts and is building franchises around the hosts that include book deals, speaking engagements, investment opportunities, and products. The studio derives half its revenue from direct advertising through things like podcast sponsorships and branded content. The next biggest revenue source is platforms where it gets a split of advertising, like YouTube. Other revenue comes from a Penguin Random House book deal; subscriptions to DOAC, which offers perks like access to early and exclusive content; a speakers bureau representing its hosts and guests; and sales of products tied to FlightStory's shows, like DOAC-branded conversation-starter cards. The execs didn't break out revenue for FlightStory Studio, but said it expects its revenue to grow 57% this year. FlightStory Studio's parent company, called FlightStory, includes an investment arm. The revenue for the whole company, which is profitable, was $20 million in 2024. For its next shows, FlightStory Studio sees potential in exploring the future of sports and fandom. It also sees a big opportunity in subscriptions and consumer products, taking inspiration from the success of MrBeast with his Feastable chocolate bars. The studio said next year it plans to launch its first joint venture. The execs wouldn't share details, but compared the effort to products other podcast hosts have launched, like Alex Cooper with her Unwell-branded energy drink. So far, FlightStory Studio has gone it alone, but Holt and Brenton said they're wide open to deals with the streamers. "We're thinking Netflix, Apple TV, Channel 4, any of the major US streamers or traditional broadcasters," Brenton said. "Our objective is to enhance our distribution. If it makes sense to engage with one of those third parties to distribute our content, that's something we would pursue."
Black America Web
17-07-2025
- Black America Web
Barack & Michelle Obama Joke About Relationship Woes Amid Divorce Rumors: ‘It Was Touch And Go For A While'
Barack and Michelle Obama are laughing off the rumors about their relationship being on the rocks. Source: Tom Williams / Getty Former President Barack Obama joined his wife, Michelle Obama, and her brother, Craig Robinson, for the latest episode of their IMO podcast, where the pair joked about the ongoing rumors surrounding their marriage. The siblings opened the show by teasing the 'very, very, very special' guest set to join them that day, teasing the fact that folks have been asking for this guest since the day the podcast was launched. 'This is the episode that everyone's been waiting for with bated breath,' Craig revealed, 'because we have my brother-in-law, your husband, the former president of the United States.' Michelle added, 'He made time in his busy schedule to come on. We are honored.' And the second President Obama joined the conversation, the teasing began, with Robinson joking, 'Wait, you guys like each other?' 'That's the rumor mill,' Michelle replied while Barack took his seat, quipping back, 'She took me back! It was touch and go for a while.' When her brother added that it was nice to have both Obamas in the same room, the former First Lady said, 'I know, because when we aren't, folks think we're divorced.' Rumors surrounding the status of Barack and Michelle's relationship have been swirling for a while now, which steams from Michelle's decisions not to attend certain public events after leaving the White House. More specifically, her decision to skip President Donald Trump's January inauguration. Back in May, during an interview on The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett podcast, Obama talked about the speculation head-on, saying she's finally starting to feel she has 'permission to do what I want to do.' 'The beauty of my husband and our partnership is that neither one of us was really ever gonna quit at it, 'cause that's not who we are,' she said at the time. 'And I know that about him. He knows that about me.' On her own IMO podcast in April, Michelle talked further about her decision to skip the inauguration. 'People couldn't believe that I was saying no for any other reason, they had to assume that my marriage was falling apart,' she admitted. 'It took everything in my power to not do the thing that was perceived as right, but do the things that was right for me, that was a hard thing for me to do.' Check out the full episode of IMO with Barack Obama down below: The post Barack & Michelle Obama Joke About Relationship Woes Amid Divorce Rumors: 'It Was Touch And Go For A While' appeared first on Bossip. SEE ALSO Barack & Michelle Obama Joke About Relationship Woes Amid Divorce Rumors: 'It Was Touch And Go For A While' was originally published on
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Yahoo
Kendrick Lamar's Music To Be Studied In New Course At Temple University
Temple University is set to offer an in-depth exploration of Kendrick Lamar's music and legacy in a new course launching Fall 2025. Titled 'Kendrick Lamar and the Morale of M.A.A.D City,' the class will be taught by Timothy Welbeck, Assistant Professor in the Department of Africology and African American Studies. A lawyer, scholar, and Hip-Hop artist in his own right, Welbeck brings a multifaceted perspective to the curriculum, which aims to examine the Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper's impact on Black culture, identity, and resistance. 'Kendrick Lamar is one of the leading voices of his generation, with a keen ability to articulate various dynamics of Black life and the quest for self-actualization — particularly capturing narratives of marginalization and the resilience to rise above it,' Welbeck shared on Instagram. According to WHYY, the course will 'take an Africalogical approach, examining Lamar's life through an Afrocentric lens. It will explore the socioeconomic and cultural conditions of his hometown, Compton, California, and the urban policies that shaped the stories in his music.' This isn't Welbeck's first time teaching Hip-Hop at the university level. He previously helmed the course 'Hip-hop and Black Culture' at Temple, and his work continues a growing academic tradition of studying Lamar's artistry. Similar courses have been taught at prestigious institutions such as Georgia Regents University, where his album To Pimp a Butterfly was dissected in a sociology class, and Harvard University, which included Lamar's work in its 'Hip-Hop Archive & Research Institute.' The announcement comes as Lamar continues his Grand National Tour alongside SZA, following the explosive momentum of his recent chart-topping single 'Not Like Us' and acclaimed GNX album See Timothy Welbeck's Instagram post below. More from Taylor Rooks Addresses If She's The Mystery Woman Drake Mentioned On His New Song Skepta Challenges A$AP Rocky To Rap Battle In U.K. Versus U.S.A. Hip-Hop Clash Drake-UMG Court Hearing Dives Into Context And Success Of Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us"
