Welcome to the fourth edition of Casual Friday! We've got deep thoughts, shady internships, Reddit wisdom, and a celebration of iconic tacky sweatpants.

PodMov Daily: Friday, August 12

Episode 700: Week Download Complete

Casual Friday: Stop the World from Spinning

• The difference between good and great podcasts is a common enough topic that it’s easy to gloss over. Eric Nuzum’s take from this week will change your mind. Inspired by Joni Mitchell’s recent surprise performance, he describes how podcasts (and maybe your podcast) can “stop the world from spinning for a few minutes.” Great stuff.

• Podnews editor James Cridland makes a good point about Oprah Winfrey’s company suing the Oprahdemics team: “Perhaps all fan podcasts may be on dubious legal territory, given that they need to use trademarked names to make it obvious what they’re about.” Well, there’s at least one brilliant workaround – more below.

• Skye Pillsbury is out with another banger. In “The Squeeze,” she digs into an unpaid podcasting internship that was rebranded as a $4,000 ‘training.’ Pillsbury first wrote on this topic for Hot Pod last summer. In fact, that piece was recently used to explain why the program and individuals involved will never be featured in this newsletter.

Here's what else is going on:

• Back to trademarks: Les Deux You Remember This?, a comedic storytelling show about early 2000s Hollywood, takes its name from the long-closed LA club where reality TV queens threw drinks on each other back in the day. The era's iconic tacky sweatpants on the cover are icing on the cake. (Judge my millennial guilty pleasure all you want.)

• Thanks to Evo Terra for this PM22 wisdom: “If you are attending, you'll have ample time and opportunity to get one-on-one time with podcasters and producers whom you admire. You'll find most of them happy to sit down with you and share their secrets (that aren't secret).”

• Reddit’s podcasting forum has a step-by-step guide to niche and keyword research that we’ve been meaning to share. It was written by a veteran content marketer, not a rando. (Bonus: “It's for a church, honey. NEXT!” is a reference to this legendary post.)

Vocaster: Studio Sound Meets Effortless Podcasting

With Vocaster, Focusrite is transforming the podcasting experience. The all-new line of USB interfaces is designed specifically for podcasters, combining crystal-clear audio with effortless operation. Whether you’re a solo or collaborative creator, one of two models will perfectly fit the way you work.

Vocaster is light, portable, and powered by your computer. Resonate calls it “a great leap into podcasting technology,” with intuitive features like Auto Gain to set levels quickly and easily, and Enhance to polish your voice in one click. Named Best in Show at NAMM 2022, Vocaster is the key to your best show yet. 

As the world’s best-selling audio interface brand, Focusrite delivers the freedom to podcast without barriers. Ready to hear what’s new? Explore all Vocaster has to offer, including two studio bundles to round out your equipment dream team.

What's coming up:

• The Latino Podcast Listener Report 2022 webinar from Edison Research is this Tuesday, August 16. Gabriel Soto and Elsie Escobar will present emerging listener habits and preferences, including interest in video and feelings about ads on Spanish-language podcasts. Free registration.

• The first Black Podcasters Association Summer Social is coming up on August 20. Held in Brooklyn, NY, the networking event for podcast creators and industry professionals will include a fireside chat with Anthony Frasier, CEO & Founder of ABF Creative. Registration starts at $20.

• “Podcast Networks: Everything You Need to Know” from the Black Podcasters Association is on August 15 at 8:00 ET. Denese Duran and Ann Smith (Podcasters Unlimited) will discuss network structures, pros and cons, monetization, advertising, and more. $10 registration for non-members.

• Speaker applications for the Afros & Audio Podcast Festival are due this Sunday, August 14. On October 22-23 in Philadelphia and virtually, the fourth annual event will gather Black creators and audio professionals to support the community with networking, brand visibility, and skill-building.

• The first Multitude Podcasting Conference is coming up on September 9. Put on by the podcast collective and production company, the virtual event is all about making a living in the industry. Guests and programming will be announced in the coming weeks. Free registration.

• MIC’s Podcast Club is hosting a “Podcasting Q&A with Podcasters about Podcasting” on September 21. The UK-based meetup group will be answering community questions submitted here. Remember: “No question is a daft question.” Begins at 1:00 pm ET/6:00 pm BST. Free registration.

• “The Role of an LLC for Independent Podcasters” from SoundPath is coming up on September 28. Attorney Patrick J. Kondas will discuss the benefits of forming an LLC, associated costs, multi-member LLCs, and how to get started step-by-step. $25 registration for non-AIR members.