Nicholas Quah
Nicholas Quah is a critic and staff writer for Vulture and New York Magazine, where he delivers incisive reviews, interviews podcast creators, and analyzes the business and cultural dynamics of the podcasting ecosystem. He publishes the newsletter 1.5x Speed on podcasts, previously founded Hot Pod—which he sold to Vox Media in 2021—and formerly hosted the award-nominated Servant of Pod podcast exploring the industry's trends and challenges.
About
Nicholas Quah, originally from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, launched his career in media at outlets like Business Insider, BuzzFeed, and Panoply before founding Hot Pod in 2014, the seminal newsletter chronicling the podcast industry's growth, which became a Nieman Lab staple and was acquired by Vox Media in 2021.
He established himself as a leading voice through contributions to Vulture, NPR's Fresh Air, and hosting Servant of Pod for LAist Studios, a 2021 Webby honoree dissecting podcasting's business side.
Quah has covered pivotal stories—from Gimlet Media's unionization and Luminary's paywall critique to true crime controversies—earning accolades like a Fortune Creator 25 spot, Peabody juror role, and praise as the premier podcast analyst.
Today, he writes 1.5x Speed and pens cultural commentary for New York Magazine.
Areas of Expertise
Recent Podcasts
Truth and AI in Minneapolis | The Vergecast
Topic: AI misinformation, social media evolution, and the future of podcasts
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