Journalist Spotlight | Interview with Andrew Menczel, Founder of Piccolo Podcasts and Media

In this interview, Piccolo Podcasts and Media founder Andrew Menczel reflects on spotting podcasting’s potential early with his pioneering 2013 show Cricket Unfiltered, helping legitimise the medium in Australian sport and becoming one of the first podcasters accredited by Cricket Australia. He notes podcasts’ flexible formats and their evolution towards TV-style, video-led productions, and highlights Piccolo’s growth into an award‑winning independent studio with a purpose‑built Ultimo facility and standout projects like Unknowns for the OER Project. In a saturated market, he argues, the strongest podcasts have a clear purpose, a deep understanding of their audience and respect for listeners’ time — and Piccolo’s pilot program helps aspiring creators test whether the medium is right for them.

Thank you so much for speaking with us, Andrew! Piccolo Podcasts and Media saw the potential of podcasts as a medium before it became mainstream. Could you tell me how you were able to discern this? What makes podcasts a unique medium, and what sets your company apart in a now saturated market?

I could see early on that podcasting had a big future by being both a producer and part of the industry itself. I started podcasting in 2013 with my cricket podcast Cricket Unfiltered, which was the first cricket podcast in Australia and one of the country’s first sports podcasts. Along the way, I’ve helped open new doors for podcasting as a legitimate medium in sport, including becoming one of the first podcasters accredited by Cricket Australia. I love making great shows, and I’ve seen first-hand how a podcast can genuinely change a person’s life or transform a brand. 

Podcasts are unique because they can be wide-ranging in both format and content. The biggest shift in the past two years has been seeing podcasts evolve into something closer to TV shows, with a much stronger focus on video.

Have you always wanted a career in the media? And if so, I’d love to hear how you started out and what made you decide to strike up an independent media company (from my understanding, you worked on a well acclaimed News Corp podcast before founding Piccolo)?

Piccolo is unique because we’ve been working with brands and individuals since 2019 to help them achieve real goals. We’re award-winning across sports and true crime, and we were also named Indie Publisher of the Year. We’ve had a front-row seat as the industry has grown around us. Our studio in Ultimo is purpose-built for podcasting and interviews, and we’ve produced a huge range of shows — including one we’re especially proud of, Unknowns, a new show launched in 2025 for the OER Project, part of Gates Ventures.

I fell into a media career through my love of podcasting and cricket. Podcasting is always my first priority. In 2019, people began approaching me for help producing their shows, which led me to formally start Piccolo.

Regarding the saturated market, I want to know what you think – as someone who has worked in the pod space for over a decade now – makes for a good podcast? Could you also elaborate a bit on the Podcast Pilot Program that Piccolo offers?

With podcasting now a far more saturated space, it’s critical to be clear about what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. First impressions matter — listeners have unlimited choice and won’t stick around if it’s not engaging. The best podcasts understand their audience deeply and respect their time.

We offer a range of production packages, including a pilot program that allows people to record and edit a first episode to see if podcasting is right for them.

Finally, how do you decide which shows Piccolo takes on, and what are the most common misconceptions about your industry and media of choice?

I love working with brands and individuals who want to use podcasting as a serious growth tool. The biggest misconception is that podcasts are just people “having a chat” — the best ones are anything but.