A podcast episode digest so you only listen to the best ones
Following ten podcasts means hours of audio a week, and most of it you will never get to. This prompt has your todo.is agent check your shows for new episodes, read the show notes, and when you want, transcribe the public audio, then send a digest with the key points, guests, timestamps and a clear listen-or-skip call.
The prompt
- Every [SCHEDULE], check these podcasts for new episodes since the last digest: [PODCASTS]. For each new episode, send me: show, title, guest, length, a 4-bullet summary of the main points, one quote worth remembering, and the episode link. Use the show notes, and for [SHOWS TO TRANSCRIBE] also transcribe the episode audio from the public feed so the summary covers the full conversation, with timestamps for the 3 best moments. Mark each as "listen in full", "jump to the timestamps" or "skip" for someone who wants [WHAT I LISTEN FOR]. Send the digest to [WHERE TO SEND IT] and also as a PDF.
What to change
- [SCHEDULE]: E.g. "Sunday at 9:00 Madrid time" or "day at 7:00".
- [PODCASTS]: Show names or RSS/feed links, e.g. "The Small Shop Hour, Founder Notes, a feed link".
- [SHOWS TO TRANSCRIBE]: One or two shows you care most about, or "none". Transcription takes longer and uses more credits.
- [WHAT I LISTEN FOR]: E.g. "practical tips for running a small online shop", "new research in sleep science".
- [WHERE TO SEND IT]: Email works best with the PDF; WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack or Discord for the short version.
Example result
- Podcast digest · Sunday, October 11
- 9 new episodes from 7 shows. Example with fictional shows and guests.
- The Small Shop Hour · "Shipping costs are eating my margin" · 52 min
- Guest: Rina Calder, owner of a ceramics shop · Transcribed
- • Free shipping only above an order value that covers it; she set hers 20% above her average order
- • Weighs every product and stores the weight in the shop, so rates are never guessed
- • Switched to two box sizes instead of six, which cut packing time
- • Raises prices once a year in January and emails customers first
- Quote: "Free shipping is a discount. Price it like one."
- Best moments: 08:30 the threshold maths · 24:10 packaging · 41:00 the price email she sends
- Verdict: listen in full. (link)
- Founder Notes · "Hiring your first employee" · 38 min
- Guest: Tom Ashby, bakery owner · From show notes
- • Hire for the task you hate most, not the one you are worst at
- • Write a one-page role description before posting
- • Plan the first two weeks of training in advance
- • Talk to an accountant about payroll before the first payday
- Verdict: jump to the timestamps in the show notes for the payroll part. (link)
- Market Stall Weekly · "Christmas fair prep" · 61 min
- From show notes
- • Book fairs early, bring a card reader with a spare battery, price everything clearly
- Verdict: skip unless you sell at fairs. (link)
- Also new
- • 6 more episodes summed up in the PDF, page 3 and 4
- This week in one line
- Start with the Small Shop Hour episode. It is the most practical one this week.
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and list your podcasts, plus one or two shows you want fully transcribed.
- Paste it on the Today screen in todo.is, or send it to your agent on Telegram or WhatsApp.
- Your agent checks the feeds, reads or transcribes new episodes and sends the digest with a PDF.
- Reply "give me the full transcript of episode 1 as a Word file" or "add this show" to change it.
Tips for a better result
- Transcribe only the shows you care most about. Show notes are enough to triage the rest and save credits.
- Paste the RSS feed link if a show is hard to find by name; it is the most reliable source of new episodes.
- Ask for an "action list" across all episodes, a short checklist of tips you can actually try this week.
- Want to listen on a commute anyway? Ask for a 3-minute MP3 voice summary of the digest.
podcast episode digest: FAQ
- How does it summarize a podcast episode? It reads the show notes and, for shows you choose, downloads the public episode audio from the feed and transcribes it, then writes the summary and timestamps from the transcript.
- Can it summarize podcasts behind a paid subscription? Only if you give it access to the files. You can attach an audio file you have the right to use and it will transcribe and summarize it.
- Can I get the full transcript? Yes. Ask for the transcript as a Word, PDF or text file. Speaker names and spelling of rare terms may need a quick check.
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