In this episode of The Entrepreneur’s Logbook, Zachary speaks with Jen Austin, founder of Riply. With more than three decades of experience across every role in radio, from board operator and host to news anchor and executive, Jen has witnessed firsthand the steady erosion of local newsrooms even as community demand grows.

That observation led her to build Riply, an AI-assisted intelligence platform designed specifically for local radio stations. Riply combines advanced, automated story gathering with human editorial oversight, delivering broadcast-ready, hyper-local news content faster and more sustainably, without sacrificing journalistic quality or credibility.

Jen explains why AI won’t replace radio professionals but instead frees them to focus on connection, creativity, and truly local storytelling, helping stations close information gaps in news deserts, reclaim lost community trust, and deliver the timely coverage their listeners rely on.

Timestamps

1. Guest Introduction & Riply Overview – 00:49
2. Riply Onboarding & Customization Process – 03:02
3. Ensuring Credibility: Human-in-the-Loop Oversight – 06:21
4. Addressing Local News Deserts with AI Reporting – 11:18
5. AI as an Augmenter, Not a Replacement, for Radio Pros – 17:22

Connect with Jen

https://riplymedia.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/austinjen/

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