diff --git a/backend/cmd/ytdebug/main.go b/backend/cmd/ytdebug/main.go
index 4829b06..3633072 100644
--- a/backend/cmd/ytdebug/main.go
+++ b/backend/cmd/ytdebug/main.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
+	"git.netflux.io/rob/clipper/media"
 	"git.netflux.io/rob/clipper/youtube"
 
 	youtubev2 "github.com/kkdai/youtube/v2"
@@ -49,9 +50,9 @@ func main() {
 
 	switch {
 	case audioOnly:
-		formats = youtube.SortAudio(formats)
+		formats = media.FilterYoutubeAudio(formats)
 	case videoOnly:
-		formats = youtube.SortVideo(formats)
+		formats = media.FilterYoutubeVideo(formats)
 	}
 
 	fmt.Println("In descending order of preference:")
diff --git a/backend/media/fetch.go b/backend/media/fetch.go
index 086110b..f7adeee 100644
--- a/backend/media/fetch.go
+++ b/backend/media/fetch.go
@@ -75,11 +75,11 @@ func (s *FetchMediaSetService) Fetch(ctx context.Context, id string) (*MediaSet,
 		return nil, errors.New("no format available")
 	}
 
-	// just the audio for now
-
-	// grab an audio stream from youtube
-	// TODO: avoid possible panic
-	format := SortYoutubeAudio(video.Formats)[0]
+	formats := FilterYoutubeAudio(video.Formats)
+	if len(video.Formats) == 0 {
+		return nil, errors.New("no format available")
+	}
+	format := formats[0]
 
 	sampleRate, err := strconv.Atoi(format.AudioSampleRate)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -126,12 +126,11 @@ func (s *FetchMediaSetService) FetchAudio(ctx context.Context, id string) (Fetch
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error fetching video: %v", err)
 	}
 
+	formats := FilterYoutubeAudio(video.Formats)
 	if len(video.Formats) == 0 {
 		return nil, errors.New("no format available")
 	}
-
-	// TODO: avoid possible panic
-	format := SortYoutubeAudio(video.Formats)[0]
+	format := formats[0]
 
 	stream, _, err := s.youtube.GetStreamContext(ctx, video, &format)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/backend/media/youtube.go b/backend/media/youtube.go
index a82a2df..0d13849 100644
--- a/backend/media/youtube.go
+++ b/backend/media/youtube.go
@@ -7,10 +7,9 @@ import (
 	youtubev2 "github.com/kkdai/youtube/v2"
 )
 
-// SortYoutubeAudio returns the provided formats ordered in descending preferred
-// order. The ideal candidate is opus-encoded stereo audio in a webm container,
-// with the lowest available bitrate.
-func SortYoutubeAudio(inFormats youtubev2.FormatList) youtubev2.FormatList {
+// FilterYoutubeAudio returns the provided formats ordered in descending preferred
+// order. It may have fewer items than the original slice, or none at all.
+func FilterYoutubeAudio(inFormats youtubev2.FormatList) youtubev2.FormatList {
 	var formats youtubev2.FormatList
 	for _, format := range inFormats {
 		if format.FPS == 0 && format.AudioChannels > 0 {
@@ -33,11 +32,9 @@ func SortYoutubeAudio(inFormats youtubev2.FormatList) youtubev2.FormatList {
 	return formats
 }
 
-// SortYoutubeVideo returns the provided formats ordered in descending preferred
-// order. The ideal candidate is video in an mp4 container with a low
-// bitrate, with audio channels (needed to allow synced playback on the
-// website).
-func SortYoutubeVideo(inFormats youtubev2.FormatList) youtubev2.FormatList {
+// FilterYoutubeVideo returns the provided formats ordered in descending preferred
+// order. It may have fewer items than the original slice, or none at all.
+func FilterYoutubeVideo(inFormats youtubev2.FormatList) youtubev2.FormatList {
 	var formats youtubev2.FormatList
 	for _, format := range inFormats {
 		if format.FPS > 0 && format.ContentLength > 0 {
diff --git a/backend/media/youtube_test.go b/backend/media/youtube_test.go
index c687f54..a4406d6 100644
--- a/backend/media/youtube_test.go
+++ b/backend/media/youtube_test.go
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 )
 
-func TestSortAudio(t *testing.T) {
+func TestFilterAudio(t *testing.T) {
 	formats := []youtubev2.Format{
 		{
 			MimeType:        `audio/webm; codecs="opus"`,
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ func TestSortAudio(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	}
 
-	sortedFormats := media.SortYoutubeAudio(formats)
+	sortedFormats := media.FilterYoutubeAudio(formats)
 
 	assert.Equal(t, formats[1], sortedFormats[0])
 	assert.Equal(t, formats[4], sortedFormats[1])
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ func TestSortAudio(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, formats[2], sortedFormats[4])
 }
 
-func TestSortVideo(t *testing.T) {
+func TestFilterVideo(t *testing.T) {
 	formats := []youtubev2.Format{
 		{
 			MimeType:      `audio/webm; codecs="opus"`,
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ func TestSortVideo(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	}
 
-	sortedFormats := media.SortYoutubeVideo(formats)
+	sortedFormats := media.FilterYoutubeVideo(formats)
 
 	assert.Len(t, sortedFormats, 3)
 	assert.Equal(t, formats[1], sortedFormats[0])