SIGNAL BLOG
Small objects; big stories: Roman Mars on A History of the United States in 100 Objects
On May 19, 2026, BBC Studios and SiruisXM premiere a landmark new original series, A History of the United States in 100 Objects. The show, produced by BBC Studios Audio, SiriusXM and 99% Invisible, and hosted by 99PI host and creator, Roman Mars, tells American history through ordinary objects: the things we have made, kept, overlooked and thrown away.
The Signal Awards sat down with Roman to learn how the partnership with BBC came together, why the team is looking well beyond museum pieces, and why long-form storytelling continues to captivate audiences.
An Audience Listens. A Community Belongs.
There's a big difference between maintaining an audience and building a community. An audience listens — a community belongs. In the season finale of The Signal Room, Jemma sits down with Patrick Hinds (True Crime Obsessed), Deante' Kyle (Grits & Eggs), and Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers (Pantsuit Politics) to get into the real mechanics of community-building: what it takes, what it costs, and what it gives back.
A Conversation with Wistia CEO, Chris Savage
Since the dawn of podcasting, the industry has been trying to figure out how to make audio go viral. Clips may be the answer, but most podcasters are still figuring out how to make them work.
Why Your Podcast and Your Social Can't Be the Same Thing
Podcasting's superpower is intimacy — the slow, deep trust built over long-form listening. Social media's superpower is intimacy too, but a different kind: quick hits, snackable moments, the scroll-stopping hook. So what happens when you try to translate one into the other?
The Clip Economy: What Podcasters Are Getting Right (and Wrong)
Clips are everywhere — but are they actually working? In this episode, Jemma sits down with Ashley Carman (Bloomberg), Nishat Kurwa (Vox Media), and Toby Howell (Morning Brew Daily) to ask the question the podcast industry is quietly obsessing over: do clips bring in new listeners, or are they just feeding the algorithm while cannibalizing your core audience?
Authenticity vs. Growth: Anna Sale, Calum Johnson and Anna Martin on Staying Real
Authenticity is podcasting's most overused word — and its most essential ingredient. In this episode, Jemma sits down with Anna Sale (Host, Death, Sex & Money), Anna Martin (Host, Modern Love), and Calum Johnson (Host, The Calum Johnson Show) to ask: can a host stay true to themselves as their show as their personal brand grows?