What happens when a nationally syndicated morning show decides to toss tradition, rewrite the production playbook, and pull in millions of downloads every month? You get Brooke and Jeffrey, who recently discussed building and sustaining a multiplatform brand.
Hubbard Radio Seattle’s MOViN 92.5 (KQMV) hosts Brooke Fox and Jeffrey Dubow joined the Global Radio Ideas with P1 Media Group Partner Ken Benson and Benztown’s Andy Sannemann to share how they built a modern radio brand.
The hosts immediately tackled the syndication issues and perceptions around the show being fully pre-recorded. “There are definitely some radio purists who hate the idea of not having a live show,” said Fox. “But we also don’t want to waste any of our listeners’ time. It gives us a chance to edit and clean things up.”
The team begins taping before 6a, recording benchmark segments, liners, promos, and show opens. With a compact staff of producer Boyd, a digital lead, a technical director, and full cast involvement, each member contributes to writing and editing. “It’s creative chaos,” Fox said. “But we’ve built a system where everyone knows their role, and the quality has to stay high every day.”
Dubow added that authenticity is still front and center, even without live mics. “We produce for each other’s genuine reactions,” he said. “If the hosts are reacting, the listeners will, too.”
Signature segments like Second Date Update and Phone Taps are foundational to the show’s format. In total, the team cycles through as many as 17 recurring benchmarks to create consistency, streamline production, and keep audiences coming back.
Rather than chase daily headlines, the show filters every idea through the lens of “Will this make someone laugh?” “We are a comedy show,” said Dubow. “That’s why it works in syndication. That’s why it works in podcast form. Comedy wins.”
Syndication success often depends on how “local” a show feels. But Brooke and Jeffrey caution against leaning too far into artificial localization.
“I think sometimes people over-index on wanting the show to sound like it’s local,” said Dubow. “You hear a host try to say something about Lake Wobbleslosh Reservoir, and it actually makes them sound more like a foreigner.” Instead, the show focuses on integrated touchpoints like custom liners, daypart sweepers, and market-specific promos. Portland remains a model affiliate, according to Fox: “People still assume we’re a Portland show because of how well the station brands us throughout the day.”
Fox also pushed back on the idea that syndication alienates smaller markets. “We want to win for our affiliates,” she said. “There is no station too small for us to read copy and make it sound local.”
Perhaps the most striking revelation: the show’s podcast revenue is now on par with its syndication earnings. The Second Date Update podcast, a standalone feed built around a single benchmark, draws a different audience than the full-show podcast. 75% of its listeners are on Spotify, compared to Apple Podcasts dominating the full-show audience.
With a redesigned studio, expanding podcast ecosystem, and video content ramping up, the Brooke and Jeffrey team is focused on growing what they call a “360-degree brand.” “It’s hard to grow subscribers on YouTube,” Dubow admitted. “But we’re getting there.”
“We’re always looking at how YouTubers, sitcoms, and creators outside of radio are doing it,” said Fox. “How can we emulate that? How can we reach that same mass appeal and mainstream popularity?”
