The Evolving Landscape of Podcasting and Remote Recording

The previous year has fundamentally altered working practices across numerous sectors, and the podcasting industry has been no exception. As a veteran podcaster, I personally abandoned my previous requirement of conducting all interviews in person – a decision driven by readily apparent circumstances.

In 2020, a significant number of podcasts transitioned to remote production, exploring a variety of remote recording technologies. These ranged from widely used teleconferencing applications such as Zoom to specialized platforms like Zencastr.

Riverside.fm Secures Series A Funding

Riverside.fm, a company initially based in Amsterdam and now operating from Tel Aviv, launched at a pivotal moment to capitalize on the growing demand for remote podcasting solutions. The service is now announcing a $9.5 million Series A funding round.

This investment is being led by Seven Seven Six, with participation from Zeev-ventures.com, Casey Neistat, Marques Brownlee, Guy Raz, Elad Gil, and Alexander Klöpping. The company intends to utilize these funds to expand its team and enhance the features available on its platform.

Riverside.fm’s Core Functionality

According to Alexis Ohanian, founder of Seven Seven Six, Gideon and Nadav identified a significant opportunity to provide creators with tools to maintain high production quality remotely. He personally affirms that Riverside.fm delivers unmatched quality and boasts superior editing capabilities.

Riverside.fm functions as a remote platform for both video and audio recording. It uniquely records lossless audio and 4K video directly to each participant’s device, mitigating potential issues caused by unstable internet connections.

New Features and Updates

Alongside the funding announcement, the company is releasing several updates to its platform. A redesigned iPhone application is now available, enabling instant video recording and upload – a valuable addition for users who prefer mobile recording.

For desktop users, the “Magic Editor” feature simplifies the often complex process of recording, editing, and uploading content. A new “Smart Speakerview” feature intelligently switches between speakers during video editing, while intelligently ignoring incidental sounds like coughs or sneezes.

The remote recording space is becoming increasingly competitive. Considering the speed with which Riverside.fm initially developed its core offering, it will be interesting to observe how the company leverages its new $9.5 million investment to further innovate.