For years, media success was measured in seconds. The sharpest clip, the quickest quote, the most shareable moment. But according to media personality and entrepreneur Matt Haycox, that obsession is starting to wear thin. Audiences, he says, are no longer satisfied with soundbites. They want stories.
Haycox has watched the shift happen in real time through his podcasting work. While short-form clips still dominate feeds, it is the long-form episodes, the ones that take their time, that consistently draw the strongest engagement.
‘People don’t connect with headlines,’ Haycox says. ‘They connect with context.’
Why soundbites stopped working
Short-form media has always been good at grabbing attention. What it struggles to do is hold it. Haycox believes audiences have become more sceptical as clips have become more polished and more strategic.
‘Everyone knows they’re being shown the best three seconds,’ he explains. ‘After a while, that loses its impact.’
Industry data supports the change. According to Ofcom, nearly 25% of UK adults now listen to podcasts weekly, with long-form shows showing higher completion rates than many short-form alternatives. Edison Research has also reported year-on-year global growth in podcast listening, particularly among audiences who value depth and authenticity.
For Haycox, this reflects a deeper frustration. ‘People want to understand how someone thinks,’ he says. ‘You can’t get that from a quote pulled out of context.’
Long-form as a trust builder
One of the biggest advantages of podcasts, Haycox argues, is trust. Long-form conversations expose inconsistencies, hesitation and nuance. Those moments, rather than weakening credibility, often strengthen it.
‘You can fake confidence for thirty seconds,’ he says. ‘You can’t fake character for an hour.’
Nielsen research consistently ranks podcast hosts among the most trusted media voices, outperforming traditional advertising channels. That trust builds over time, episode by episode, as listeners become familiar with the host’s tone, values and decision-making.
Haycox sees this as the real reason podcasts are winning. ‘It’s not about production quality,’ he says. ‘It’s about permission. Listeners give you their time, and you either respect that or you lose them.’
Two shows built on real conversation
Haycox’s own podcasts were designed with that principle in mind. Rather than scripting interviews or chasing viral moments, he focuses on letting conversations unfold.
No Bollocks with Matt Haycox centres on entrepreneurship, leadership and business reality. Founders, investors and operators are invited to speak candidly about mistakes, pressure and decision-making under uncertainty. Guests such as Daniel Priestley, Neil Patel and Rob Moore have appeared, often sharing experiences rarely discussed publicly.
‘I don’t want the polished version,’ Haycox says. ‘I want the one that actually helps someone listening.’
His second show, Stripping Off with Matt Haycox, takes a more personal angle. The long-form interview series features celebrities, TV personalities and public figures, exploring life beyond public image. The tone is slower and less structured, allowing guests time to drop rehearsed answers.
‘Once people stop performing, the real story starts,’ Haycox explains.
Listeners can explore both series and full episode catalogues through Matt Haycox’s podcast page, where his long-form audio and video work is brought together.
Why audiences are choosing depth
Haycox believes the popularity of real stories reflects a broader cultural shift. As feeds fill with highlight reels, audiences are becoming more selective about where they invest attention.
Spotify data has shown increasing engagement with spoken-word content, while studies suggest podcast listeners are more likely to return consistently and follow hosts across platforms.
‘People are tired of being sold a version of reality,’ Haycox says. ‘They want the messy bit in the middle.’
That appetite extends beyond business audiences. While No Bollocks attracts founders and operators, Stripping Off draws listeners interested in personal journeys, identity and resilience. In both cases, the appeal is the same: honesty without hurry.
Soundbites as entry points, not destinations
Haycox is not dismissive of short-form content altogether. He sees clips as a doorway rather than the destination.
‘A clip can spark interest,’ he says. ‘But the value is always in the full conversation.’
By keeping long-form episodes intact across platforms, he avoids reducing complex experiences to simplified messages. Viewers and listeners can engage at their own pace, whether that means dipping in or committing to the full discussion.
That approach runs counter to much of modern content strategy, but Haycox believes it is sustainable. ‘Trends change,’ he says. ‘Human curiosity doesn’t.’
What real stories reveal
For Haycox, the power of long-form storytelling lies in what it reveals over time. Contradictions emerge. Certainty softens. Lessons become clearer when they are not rushed.
‘Most success stories make sense backwards,’ he says. ‘Podcasts let you hear the confusion as it’s happening.’
That honesty resonates particularly with entrepreneurs, who often feel isolated by curated narratives of success. Hearing others speak openly about doubt and failure creates a sense of shared reality.
‘People don’t need more motivation,’ Haycox adds. ‘They need perspective.’
Looking ahead
As podcasting continues to grow, Haycox expects the divide between soundbite-driven content and story-led formats to widen. Audiences, he believes, will gravitate towards voices they trust rather than those that shout the loudest.
‘Attention is cheap,’ he says. ‘Trust isn’t.’
For media personalities and creators alike, the message is clear. Real stories take longer to tell, but they travel further. In a crowded audio landscape, Matt Haycox’s experience suggests that depth, not brevity, is becoming the real competitive edge.