PodMov Daily: Thursday, July 18

Episode 3: Seize Thy Summer Thursday

Podcasts for Everyone: Accessibility Tips from Experts

The accessibility of podcasts is just one of many reasons they’ve become a nearly ubiquitous form of media. Most shows are downloadable free of charge, and an internet connection seems like all one needs to tune in, right? Not so fast. Making podcasts available to all, regardless of ability, is a crucial goal to which we all owe our attention. Peter Thomson at G2 spoke to five podcast hosts to gather their inclusivity tips, which have clear and versatile benefits. Nihar Suthar, host of the Chasers podcast, makes some excellent points about episode transcriptions:

” The greatest and easiest piece of advice I have for making your podcast more accessible is to transcribe it and link it in a blog post. This is useful for multiple reasons

1) Allows people who have hearing deficiencies to still be able to consume the content of your podcast.

2) Allows people who are still learning English or the language your podcast is in to be able to better consume the content of your podcast.

3) Helps your podcast be more discoverable through SEO.

Nihar’s commentary on transcriptions will be familiar to some and new to others. Using episode transcripts for customized language learning was one of our favorite ideas in the article. Imagine your podcast as a resource to learn a new language! Growing your audience in the spirit of equal access is not only possible, it’s part of being a citizen of the podcasting community. We highly recommend the full article, which we learned from and hope you will, too.

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ESPN to Release In-Depth Daily Podcast

The Washington Post reports that ESPN plans to launch a daily morning podcast, “The ESPN Daily.” Slated to begin in October, the show will feature a mix of news coverage, sports trends, and feature stories. ESPN Executive Vice President Norby Williamson has his sights set on in-depth reporting rather than “news and highlights,” a focus more suited to a daily release.

Episodes will run each weekday and last an estimated 18-25 minutes. Hosting duties have yet to be determined, but three to five internal candidates are reportedly being considered. “The ESPN Daily” will be the newest in a growing lineup of podcasts produced by the network. The official site currently lists 47 original podcasts, an impressive number that demonstrates a reach toward younger fans.

“We want this to be elevated and highly produced,” says Williamson. Those two descriptors certainly apply to The Daily by The New York Times, with which “The ESPN Daily” will share format and length. If detailed conversation and skilled sports analysis are your thing, autumn brings fan service in addition to football.

Attending PM19? Learn more from the ESPN Podcasts team during a daily news panel that we’ll be announcing soon!

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Weekly Recap: PM19 Levels Up the Live Stage

In the latest Podcast Movement weekly newsletter, Head of Community Jared Easley gets his game on. Podcasts, he posits, are a modern equivalent of video games back in the day. Just like Pong and Frogger somehow gave way to Overwatch and Candy Crush, this little entertainment format known as podcasting has come a long way. A recap of his PM19 reporting:

The Live Stage at this year’s event: For the first time, all sessions taking place on this stage will be live streamed! Voxnest will be sponsoring this opportunity for podcasters around the world to check out our speakers and discussions in real time.

Be sure to tune in on August 15 at 2:15 pm for “Goldfish Tank (Sharks are so Scary!),” a session where attendees will have the opportunity to pitch their podcast idea and get (gentle) feedback from some of the industry’s most talented podcast producers, including Jonathan Zenti, Mitra Kaboli, Earlonne Woods, Skye Pillsbury and Dana Elizabeth Gerber-Margie. High score!

Another feedback-centric session to level up your game: The Podcast Makeover session returns for a third year! Seth Resler of Jacobs Media will be hosting a panel of the best in the broadcasting business. Up-and-coming podcasters will have a rare opportunity to receive personalized guidance from these radio professionals live on stage. Could your podcast use some constructive criticism? Submit your show here.

Review the entire schedule to plan out the best week of your summer!

Friendliest Clubhouse Ever

A newsletter is meant to be shared and enjoyed, and we’re all about connections. Sweet PodMov gear is meant to be shown off in style, and we’re all about free stuff. Like where this is going? Coming soon to your life: the PodMov Daily Ambassador Program.

If you’re subscribed to our newsletter, you’ll see a URL at the bottom. That right there is your unique referral link that earns you points when your friends use it to hop on our list. Refer one and you’ll be eligible. Three? You’re in!

We can’t reveal much more yet, but are gearing up to make sharing worth your while. Just a little thank you for supporting our pod-venture.

Love,

Team PM

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Here's what else is going on:

• Podcasts are getting shorter: Megaphone did the math, discovering that brevity may help newer shows gain footing. Shorter podcasts have become more common in the United States in the last 5 years; debuts are shrinking as well. The causes may be complex, but the takeaway is that new listeners tend to pick quick.

• A “good” number of downloads: These numbers may not be the clearest metric for podcast success. Viral videos and celebrity accounts inflate expectations, but the key is to understand your realistic potential audience. Spend time on factors proven to grow your listener base, like audience engagement.

• Aaron Mahnke on “Lore” and avoiding burnout: The creator of the critically acclaimed true-horror podcast Lore sat down with Gavin Gaddis to discuss the growth of the show and its TV counterpart, Patreon’s impact on creative expansion, and why conventions are invigorating.

• Indiana teens discover journalism through podcasting: Students at Steel City Academy in Gary, IN, began reporting on a controversial proposal to build a waste management facility near their school. Interviews turned into advocacy and civic engagement that’s getting attention.