PodMov Daily: Thursday, April 23

Episode 190: Your Thursday Podthoughts

For Podcast Producers, Renewed Interest Tempers a Shift in Listening

As listening habits shift across podcasting, the industry has honed in what sets it apart from visual entertainment. Deadline’s Dino-Ray Ramos gathers insight from leaders including HeadGum co-founder Marty Michael; Colin Anderson, Stitcher’s VP of Comedy and Earwolf executive producer; and Sarah Geismer, Head of Creative Development & Production at Crooked Media.

Podcasting is becoming a means for many — particularly actors, celebrities and other A-listers — to create content while they are waiting for studios to re-open their doors,” Ramos observes. What does that mean for podcast producers? “We’re getting pitches from people,” said Anderson. “I think people that have said in the past that they’re not interested are now interested.”

Michael has seen similar effects at HeadGum, though the ‘fire' had been lit before the pandemic. “I think there are certain milestones within the industry that have opened up a lot of awareness into the intimacy of podcasting and why it resonates with so many different people in so many different ways,” Michael told Ramos. “This time period is just another milestone in awareness.”

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Pivot to Podcasting: Creative Opportunity for Griffith Film School Graduates

Amidst filming restrictions, graduates of the Film School at Griffith University have discovered the power of podcasting. Louise Crossen explores how a devoted team embraced the pivot to a new platform, “allow[ing] the young filmmakers to get their work in front of an audience.”

Stranger Lands, “originally designed as a proof of concept for a TV sci-fi adventure series,” soon had director Hannah Ariotti developing her first podcast. “We adopted the mindset that everything we bring to the project as filmmakers is valuable,” said Ariotti. “What we didn’t know was a great opportunity to try new things.”

Podcasting has provided the team an unexpected but lasting creative boost. “I think filmmakers need to be able to be agile […] I hope this project inspires our students at GFS to try their hand at scripted podcasts,” said script co-writer Simon Taylor. “It is the perfect vehicle for young scriptwriters.”

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Here's what else is going on:

• Driving range: Serious podcast listening calls for a digital-to-analog converter, says LA Times classical music critic Mark Swed. Though fewer podcasts still “have really low-end fidelity,” all lose richness and tone. “The better the DAC, the better the sound.”

• Care package: Audible Suno is ramping up audio series “specially created to provide a wholesome experience” during lockdown. Sharmistha Ghosal details the range of new offerings available in Hindi and English, including fitness, comedy, and cooking.

• Sonic youth: From The New York Times, “Making a Podcast That Matters” breaks down past winners of its Student Podcast Contest. Adults shouldn't skip this remarkably sophisticated guide to “finding the right topic to researching, outlining and scripting.”

• Tidal waves: For a Bizcommunity feature on radio and podcasting, Juanita Pienaar spoke with digital media specialist Kriya Gangiah. Gangiah discusses strategy as a former presenter on South Africa's largest independent radio station, Jacaranda FM.