I’ve heard that podcasters catch some flack from people accusing them of pretending to be radio stars. I understand that. Some podcasts reflect that desperate “I want to be on radio” whine that fizzles out as soon as it begins.
But the truth is, podcasting is a lot harder than pushing faders and yapping excitedly for less than a minute per speech band. You see, the latter involves far less technical and mental involvement than the former. In many cases, the podcaster wears the hat of executive producer, producer, host, editor, marketer, social media manager, blogger, promoter, podcast art designer, copywriter, video editor…and of course, the new buzzword, “strategist”.
If radio heads groaned at having to do “show prep”, imagine the amount of pressure the podcaster is under just to make sure the episode sounds right and reaches the right audience via the right platforms. It probably took a month to get the guest to agree to feature on an episode, and another month to actually record that podcast episode. And then only one person listens, yawns and doesn’t even comment.
Podcasting has its upsides though. I tell the eager BRMC students that it could be the gateway to actual radio work, requiring an amount of consistency on their part. It provides a chance to develop better scripts and storytelling abilities, build confidence on the microphone and define their personality in clear amicable terms, then pitch episodes as demos to radio stations. I hear speech is the future of radio. It might as well be since I can curate an impressive playlist on Spotify and stop wondering why a station would play me a song and assume I don’t need to know who sang it. Yes, it’s some radio station’s policy in Lagos, Nigeria, not to announce or back announce a played song. Meanwhile, storytelling is becoming a much sought after ingredient in a successful podcast. So, get your facts right and present them in engaging ways, using the right amount of inflexions, music (check copyright requirements), effects and sound design.
I hope to see local podcast networks spring up soon, as well as advertising agencies taking an interest in podcasts, recognising and adopting the niche values to full effect. So, to the podcaster having fun, keep at it. Master your strengths, discard your weaknesses. Keep listening for updates and changes that could help you evolve your content. And when it’s time, share your journey for the sake of those who’ll ride on the wings of your sacrifice, so they do not forget.
I have a new podcast coming soon, you can read about it here.
Here’s a survey of podcast listening habits in Nigeria for 2020, and if you need a podcast editor, holla!
Article by Tony Doe
Instagram: @tonydoemedia | Twitter: @TonyDoeVO
Voice Overs, Radio & Podcast Production
Comments