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PodMov Daily: Tuesday, August 17

Episode 485: Testing, One Two-sday

Efficient Storytelling is the Key to a Stronger Podcast

After 45 years in radio programming, Mike McVay knows a good story when he hears one. In Radio Ink, the Podcast Movement speaker zeroes in on an underrated quality: “Sometimes, telling the story quickly and without embellishment, makes it a better story.” The benefits have more to do with engagement than time.

“Be efficient. Not brief,” McVay recommends. “Communicate as you would if you were passing someone in the hallway at work or at school.” You’d face each other head-on, then sideways as you pass, and then backward as you keep walking. To keep from overthinking, try breaking a story down into three sentences.

For example, he found this question easy to answer: “How do I tell a story about finding a raccoon living in the engine of my truck, which kept it from starting, and when I opened the hood to see what was wrong, the raccoon jumped at me. I don’t know who was more scared. The raccoon or me?” His reply? “You just did.”

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Podcasting’s Approach to the Free Speech Debate

Until enough misinformation was spread by The Joe Rogan Experience, podcasting largely avoided the content-moderation debate. How should the industry approach the balance between free speech and facts? Next Tuesday, August 24, experts from The Democracy Group podcast network will hash it out.

Free to attend, “The Promise and Peril of Free Speech in Podcasting” will be a future-focused roundtable discussion and Q&A. Jenna Spinelle (Democracy Works), Turi Munthe (On Opinion), and Justin Kempf (The Democracy Paradox) will be moderated by Arielle Nissenblatt (EarBuds Podcast Collective).

One of many questions on the table: Should audio have different standards than video or social media? The integration of audio, video, and social media presents new challenges that evolve along with podcasting itself. The conversation is much larger than The Guy from “Fear Factor,” so let’s talk solutions.

Professional Podcast Voiceovers, from Intros to Ads

With the right voice, your podcast’s intro instantly elevates your brand. Jodi Krangle is a voice actor specializing in intros, outros, and sponsor reads that shine. A podcaster herself, Jodi has a true passion for engaging delivery — and years of experience in custom projects.

Voiceover collaboration is all about quality and trust. From start to finish, working with Jodi ensures outstanding results with service to match. Just ask clients like Marriott, HGTV, and Bose. She provides what you need quickly and conveniently, with multiple takes to choose from. 

Jodi brings the expertise of her show, Audio Branding: The Hidden Gem of Marketing, to every project. Her versatile work is ideal for podcasters, production companies, and ad agencies who are serious about professional sound. Ready to level up? Explore demos and hear the possibilities.

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Here's what else is going on:

• House rules: Fireside Chat updated its terms of service last week after Podnews reported on IP-related fine print. Podnews has reviewed the changes, highlighting that they “seek to clarify the ‘General Media Release’ section about ownership of content, and one clause has been removed.”

• Fossil fuel: On Friday at 3:00 CT, SquadCast will host “How to Build a Community Around Your Podcast.” Over six years, guest speakers Sabrina Ricci and Garret Kruger (I Know Dino) have turned their dinosaur podcast into a full-time job thanks to its thriving community. Free registration.

• Check please: Business podcasters need to focus on three questions before publishing, says Espree Devora (Women in Tech). “Is this episode useful to me, do I find this episode engaging, [and] can I easily take action on insights shared?” If not, it’s back to the drawing board.

• Made it: For an album about small-town America, a popular band hired This American Life producers to “source interviews with actual residents.” From Nicholas Russell’s review: “These audio clips offer up the tantalizing possibility that the true dream of a rock star is to go into podcasting.”