880 W. Long Lake Road • Suite 225 •
Troy, Michigan 48098
• P: 248.269.1122 •
E: bianchipr@bianchipr.com
880 W. Long Lake Road • Suite 225 •
Troy, Michigan 48098
• P: 248.269.1122 •
E: bianchipr@bianchipr.com
Jamie Butters is the executive editor of Automotive News and host of the Automotive News Daily Drive podcast.
Can you tell us a little about your podcast?
Daily Drive is aimed at automotive industry insiders at automakers, retailers, suppliers, tech entrepreneurs and related professions. However, the podcast is produced to be accessible to anyone who is interested in the business of making and selling things that move.
We speak with a wide variety of industry executives, analysts, experts and other professionals. Anyone who has new and interesting insights into their corner of the industry could be considered for a guest spot.
Episodes are typically 15-20 minutes in length – fitting within a typical American commute … or a dog walk for those working from home.
Daily Drive is a daily podcast, which posts new episodes each weekday afternoon, as well as a weekend episode that publishes on Saturday mornings.
Who have been some of your better-known podcast guests?
Hyundai Motor Global COO (and soon-to-be CEO) José Muñoz, CDK Global CEO Brian MacDonald (in his first interview after the company’s cyberattack crisis), General Motors CFO Paul Jacobson, Jay Leno, Lucid CEO Peter Rawlinson, Volkswagen Group of America CEO Pablo Di Si, Kia America COO Steve Center, Nissan Americas Chairperson Jérémie Papin, U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Cox Automotive President Steve Rowley, Continental Automotive Global CEO Nikolai Setzer.
Describe the craziest or most fun podcast you have done.
Recently, I interviewed VW Group of America CEO Pablo Di Si in an ID Buzz electric minivan in San Francisco.
What podcast episode are you most proud of and why?
We’ve had some exciting ones, like when the UAW went on strike against all of the Detroit Three at the same time, and we were scrambling to get as many fast-changing facts and perspectives into the broadcast as we could.
But I might be proudest of our interview with Brian MacDonald, CEO of CDK Global. After two months of persistence, I got him to join the show for his first interview after cyberattacks led to the shutdown of the company’s operations for two weeks.
What elements or characteristics do you look for in a podcast guest?
We favor industry decision-makers and those with new and interesting insights into the business – including Automotive News staffers.
How long have you been podcasting and how did you get started?
We used to have a video show called Weekend Drive, hosted by our then-publisher. When the Covid pandemic kept us from doing in-person interviews, he pivoted to recording phone calls and posting them as podcasts on a daily basis, hence the name change to Daily Drive. Over time, that pace became a grind and he asked me to do some of the interviews.
After he left AN in the fall of ’21, we paused the show for a retooling and came back in early 2022 with the new format – daily headlines, a bit of perspective on the news from me, and a tight, 10-minute interview. It’s proven very successful.
The new format was made possible by the outstanding team that we’ve built around our podcasting: Jake Neher is a veteran of public radio, previously producing Detroit Today for WDET and hosting the Mich Mash podcast about Michigan politics. Kellen Walker is an automotive enthusiast, former automotive technician, successful commercial radio host and producer in Seattle and a pioneer of the podcasting industry.
Finish this sentence: When I’m not working on the podcast, I am …
LOL – very busy with my day job, running the biggest army of journalists covering the auto industry. Story/production planning, editing, general management, public speaking, media appearances, events – it’s a great and demanding job.
I also write and perform a weekly commentary, Automotive View, for Paul W. Smith’s show on WJR each week.
What advice or tips do you have for your podcast guests?
Come armed with something unique to your expertise and experience that others in the industry can learn from. You are an expert in something important in the industry, even if it is something very specific or niche. Be ready to talk about why it is important.
What advice do you have for PR people that want to pitch their executives for your podcast? Do’s and don’ts?
Demonstrate that you are familiar with the podcast and the types of guests and subjects we highlight. Give us an individualized pitch, not something generic that you send to hundreds of other shows.
Any pet peeves with guests and/or PR people?
Asking for every question in detail before the interview. I’m glad to discuss the general subjects, but we don’t want things to be scripted and we need to be able to converse like humans.
Tell us a little about yourself (family, interests, hobbies, background, etc.)
I grew up in Iowa City, Iowa – the liberal college town – and started covering autos when I lived in Lexington, Kentucky. (That’s where I earned my degree in finance and learned to enjoy bourbon.) Moved to Detroit to cover autos for the Free Press. Studied China’s economy as a Knight Wallace Fellow at the University of Michigan. Spent a decade at Bloomberg News’ Detroit bureau, and I’ve been at the Bible of the auto industry now for six years.
I like to exercise in as many ways as my bad knee will allow. I’ve run a couple of half-marathons, but I think I’m done with serious running. I still play tennis and ski, and I lift weights and practice yoga for general health.
I love to cook, especially (but not exclusively) healthy foods. My specialties include hash browns and frittatas; chicken and waffles (with my youngest adult daughter), and grilled fruits and vegetables.
I’m a lifelong fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes, currently obsessed with the NBA, WNBA and all things Caitlin Clark.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our audience? (Maybe something that would surprise people?)
I meditate daily, which I took up after my brother died four years ago. It’s helped me be more patient, less angry and more effective at work and at home.
Where can your podcast be found/subscribed to?
Daily Drive is available on all major podcast platforms.
You can follow Jamie on social media:
Check out a few recent podcasts:
You might also be interested in:
880 W. Long Lake Road • Suite 225 •
Troy, Michigan 48098
• P: 248.269.1122 •
E: bianchipr@bianchipr.com
