Helping busy parents find wholesome, positive, & spoiler-free TV/movie picks—fast, family-friendly recs in around 10 min.

Hi, I’m Jennifer Avila—host of Wholesome TV Picks, the podcast that helps busy moms and dads discover clean, uplifting, and family-friendly TV shows and movies in 10 minutes or less.

Every recommendation I share is one I’ve personally watched—often multiple times over the last 30+ years. I know parents don’t always have time to preview everything their kids want to watch, so I do the heavy lifting for them.

My background includes internships at two major Los Angeles radio stations and at CBS, which led to a full-time role right out of college. It was an incredible season of life—I even got to meet several of the actors I grew up watching on TV.

The show focuses on the golden era of television—primarily the 1950s through the 1990s—when entertainment was both fun and value-driven. I do occasionally feature modern picks, but only when they truly uphold the same standards of warmth, wit, and wholesomeness.

Each bite-sized episode includes a quick overview of the show or movie, what ages it’s best for, the values it conveys, and why it resonates with my own family. Every title is sorted into one of three categories:

• Watch This Tonight – fast, family-friendly picks for all ages
• Pause & Preview – great options with minor content parents may want to screen
• Parents Night – clean, clever shows for grown-ups to enjoy after the kids are in bed

My listeners are mostly busy moms and dads who are tired of wasting time on Google or Reddit trying to find shows that are both clean and meaningful. They want to feel confident about what their kids watch—whether it’s solo time or family time—and they appreciate how quick, honest, and spoiler-free my episodes are.
 

I started Wholesome TV Picks (originally called Family TV Uncovered) because I noticed a real gap in recommendations for families looking for clean content. Out of curiosity, I once searched “what are good shows to watch with kids” on Google—and I was stunned by what came up. Some lists included *The Terminator* as a family-friendly pick! Others featured poorly made cartoons with little substance. A few classics I grew up with would pop up too, but even then, there was rarely any context—no details about the age range, the values, or what made the show worth watching.

I realized I could fill that gap. I’ve spent over 30 years watching and rewatching the kinds of shows and movies that bring families together, and I have a mental library full of recommendations. I wanted to make it easier for parents to find trustworthy, meaningful content without all the second-guessing.

A friend introduced me to podcasts years ago, and I’ve followed at least a dozen ever since. The idea of starting my own podcast about television stuck with me for a long time. But I kept putting it off—life was already full as a homeschool mom and business owner. Then last year, I finally gave myself permission to try. I binge-listened to beginner podcasting shows, hired a designer to create my cover art, built my website from scratch, and bought my first mic. Once it arrived, I knew there was no turning back.

On March 15, 2025, I launched Family TV Uncovered, one month after releasing my trailer and two months after beginning the behind-the-scenes prep. Rebranding to Wholesome TV Picks came later, as I continued refining the mission and message of the show.
 

I release episodes weekly, and that pace has worked well for me so far. I typically stay about two months ahead with planning and keep at least two full episodes scheduled and ready to publish. Early on, I stayed a full month ahead, but I learned quickly that if I ever wanted to make a change—like reworking an episode title or adjusting the angle—it meant redoing multiple parts: the website page, blog post, transcript, SEO links, and so on. Two weeks ahead gives me just enough breathing room while still allowing flexibility. That said, there are times I still end up re-recording last minute.

Each episode takes me about 8 to 10 hours to produce. That includes scripting, recording, editing, writing the blog post, formatting the podcast episode page on my website, finding and formatting relevant links, uploading and tagging audio files, designing the episode image, and more. It’s a detailed process, especially since I want each piece to feel polished and valuable to the listener.

Truthfully, I don’t get much self-care during the week, but I try to focus the bulk of podcasting work into one dedicated day. Even so, I usually spend an hour or so each day researching, organizing notes, or prepping content. I also run a small business unrelated to the podcast or media, and since I’m fully self-funded, I don’t outsource any part of the production. It’s just me—and occasionally my kids help with editing when they can. I hope that changes one day as the show grows, but for now, I’m committed and making it work, even if that means burning the midnight oil.
 

At this stage, I don’t generate any revenue from the podcast and haven’t pursued sponsorships yet. I currently average 8–15 downloads per month, so I see this more as a learning journey than a business venture—at least for now.

Podcasting has already helped me grow as a communicator, both in how I structure ideas and in how I connect with listeners through audio. It’s also become a fun and educational experience for my kids—they’ve seen the behind-the-scenes work and even helped with editing, which has sparked their curiosity about media production.

I haven’t formed connections or friendships through the podcast yet, but I’m okay with that. This show began as a passion project, and I treat it as a creative outlet where I’m constantly learning and experimenting.
 

Wholesome TV Picks is a solo show, and at this time, I don’t bring on guests. My format is short, structured, and intentionally personal.

My podcasting process blends both free and paid tools to streamline production and maintain quality. I use Descript (paid) for recording and editing. I record directly into Descript using my mic, then refine the audio by removing filler words, retakes, and long pauses. I also add intro and outro music at this stage.

Once I have a raw transcript from Descript, I bring it into ChatGPT Premium to help craft a polished narrative-style script. I’ve developed prompts inspired by Courtney Elmer’s Insider Secrets to a Top 100 Podcast, along with storytelling frameworks from Eileen Wilder and Phillip Humm to enhance flow, hooks, and listener engagement.

After finalizing the script, I re-record the episode in Descript, clean it up using AI tools, and export both the transcript and the final audio file. I then paste the final script into Claude.ai (free) to generate a custom WebVTT transcript for accessibility and accurate timecodes, which I upload to my podcast host, RSS.com (paid).

For visuals and sound, I use royalty-free resources like Pixabay and Pexels. I tag each audio file using MP3Tag Editor, entering finalized titles and metadata before uploading.

For titling, I use ChatGPT in combination with a paid resource—The Bingeworthy™ Episode Title Cheat Sheet by Courtney Elmer—to craft titles that are emotionally resonant and SEO-friendly. I incorporate high-frequency keywords whenever possible to improve discoverability.

Lastly, I create custom show notes with ChatGPT’s help, insert my final links and transcript, and create chapter markers for easy navigation.

It’s a hands-on process, but having the right tools and systems in place makes it manageable as a one-woman production team.
 

I rely heavily on SEO and spend hours researching free ways to market my podcast—like this ListenNotes interview opportunity! One of my biggest wins recently was being featured in Podnews (to highlight my rebrand) and on their subsite NewPodcasts.net. That single feature more than doubled the downloads on my trailer and gave me a major spike in visibility. It was completely free, and the exposure was incredible. Since then, I’ve been focused on listener retention and building momentum from that exciting boost.

I’ve also applied to Apple Podcasts’ New & Noteworthy and to be featured on Vinnie Potestivo’s “I Have a Podcast.” Both are still pending, but I’m hopeful. The one investment I did make was applying to Courtney Elmer’s “Fix My Pod” segment through Insider Secrets to a Top 100 Podcast. That experience was a game-changer. For just $99, I received direct feedback from Courtney, who helped me fine-tune key areas of my show. My episode airs next month, and I’m excited about the potential exposure and new listeners it could bring. I highly recommend it to any indie podcaster looking for actionable insights.

According to my RSS.com stats, my audience is currently split—about 50% of my listeners come from Apple Podcasts, and the other 50% from computer browsers or desktop players. I’ve made sure my show is available on nearly every podcast platform possible. While RSS.com automatically distributes to Spotify, Amazon Music, ListenNotes, TuneIn, and others, I’ve also gone the extra mile to research and manually submit to smaller platforms like Pocket Casts, Overcast, Podcast Addict, and Podcast Republic. I saw a video from a Riverside.fm conference where an expert said, “Don’t underestimate the smaller players”—and I’ve found that to be true. Additionally, I have a small email subscriber list that I send a newsletter to each week.

I don’t use social media to promote the show, so discoverability for me comes down to word of mouth, SEO, strategic features, and getting listed everywhere possible.
 

Podcasting takes commitment-more than I expected when I first started. If you want to grow beyond 20 downloads per episode, it requires consistency, late nights, and sometimes sacrifices you didn't anticipate. I’ve even sacrificed family time, which I wouldn’t recommend. I’m now setting firmer time limits and protecting my schedule, and that’s something I urge new podcasters to do from the beginning.

My biggest advice? Do your research. Before you hit a record, spend time learning from others. I watched countless YouTubers, read blog posts, listened to podcasting veterans like Courtney Elmer (Insider Secrets to a Top 100 Podcast) and Pat Flynn (Smart Passive Income), and soaked up wisdom from PSS Media, Buzzsprout, and Riverside.fm. I also had a free consultation with the Podcast Performance Coach that gave me clarity early on.

You don’t need a big budget to get started, but without one, you’ll need to trade money for time and effort. Don’t expect overnight success. Focus on learning, improving, and serving your audience.

Don’t go straight to YouTube, even if it feels like you “have” to. Unless you have the budget, a creative vision for video, or a team to help you—skip it for now. YouTube is a completely different beast, and trying to manage both video and audio from the start can overwhelm you and dilute your message. I’ve heard it’s better to do one thing unbelievably well before adding something new. You can always expand to video later when your workflow and budget allow—but focus on nailing the audio first.

Know your listener. Find your niche—not too narrow, not too broad. As Pat Flynn says, “The riches are in the niches,” and as another quote reminds us, “You have to be a disaster before you can be a master.” Use the early phase to hone your craft when no one’s watching.

Lastly, if you're a solo podcaster, learn the art of storytelling. Phillip Humm and Eileen Wilder both offer great insights in this area. Focus on serving real people, not just chasing numbers or money, and you'll already be ahead of the curve.
 

Website: https://wholesometvpicks.com
Podcast: https://episodes.fm/1795806779
email: connect@wholesometvpicks.com