Riverside.fm Launches Video Podcasting Platform

Riverside.fm is a recently established company offering a user-friendly platform designed for the creation of professional-grade video podcasts.

Notably, despite its recent emergence from a closed beta phase, the platform has already attracted several prominent users, including the parent organization of TechCrunch (Verizon Media) and Hillary Clinton, who is utilizing Riverside.fm for her podcast series, “You and Me Both with Hillary Clinton.”

“It’s remarkable to consider that we required a recording solution to facilitate podcast production during a pandemic, and they certainly delivered,” Clinton stated.

The company was founded by Nadav and Gideon Keyson, brothers with Nadav serving as Chief Executive Officer and Gideon as Chief Technology Officer. Nadav explained that their initial development focused on a platform enabling video debates for political figures, but they subsequently identified a more viable business opportunity in a broader podcasting application.

Alongside its official launch, Riverside.fm announced the completion of a $2.5 million seed funding round, spearheaded by Oren Zeev.

Gideon provided a demonstration of the platform, illustrating a streamlined recording process—the host simply shares a link with participants, eliminating the need for any software downloads. While other browser-based podcasting solutions exist (such as Zencastr, which has expanded to include video capabilities), the Keysons emphasized their dedication to resolving typical technical challenges encountered by podcasters.

Specifically, the audio and video from each participant are recorded independently on their respective devices, ensuring that a poor internet connection does not compromise recording quality. Recordings are uploaded concurrently with the session, avoiding lengthy file transfer times. Furthermore, automatic backups are implemented to safeguard against browser or computer malfunctions.

“Reliability is critically important,” Nadav emphasized. “Losing a recording after securing a valuable guest after months of effort would be devastating.”

Despite its ease of use, Riverside.fm supports 4K video resolution and uncompressed WAV audio. It also features an interface allowing podcast producers to oversee each guest’s equipment and manage audio levels.

“We’ve designed the platform to be accessible for beginners while also accelerating workflows for experienced professionals,” Nadav explained.

Gideon clarified that Riverside.fm’s focus is on providing a robust production platform and comprehensive cross-platform analytics, rather than engaging in podcast distribution.

“We aim to avoid direct competition with platforms like Spotify and YouTube,” he said—in fact, Spotify is currently a Riverside.fm client.

The brothers also suggested that Riverside.fm is an ideal solution for audio recording even if video isn’t a primary requirement, and that video recordings can be repurposed for promotional content on platforms like YouTube and social media.