PodMov Daily: Monday, July 20

Episode 245: Your Monday Mix

Second Chance Studios: From Incarceration to a Podcasting Future

After a 10-year prison sentence, Coss Marte is helping formerly incarcerated people like himself find financial stability through podcasting. Anne Field of Forbes explores Second Chance Studios, Marte’s New York City-based nonprofit aimed at training former inmates in new media and audio skills.

The recidivism rate in New York is extremely high, and employment prospects are slim. Marte and consulting firm founder Ravi Gupta want to help reform the criminal justice system in a new way. Second Chance will “train ex-inmates in audio engineering, podcasting, video production and other in-demand technical skills.”

Field writes that the 12 fellows chosen for the first session will go through a three-stage interview process. “We want to choose a good crowd and change the perception of the hidden talents a lot of people have,” says Marte. In the right hands, podcasting can open entirely new opportunities.

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Ghost Island Media: Exploring Taiwan Through English Podcasts

Emily Y. Wu, co-founder CEO of Ghost Island Media, is dedicated to introducing Taiwan to a wider audience through authentic local podcasts. Yeh Kuan-yin and Kay Liu of Focus Taiwan spoke to Wu about the company’s origins and goals, which has launched four podcasts since early 2019.

Ghost Island has grown quite a bit since our first coverage in February. Currently it produces three regular English podcasts: Waste Not Why Not on environmental topics, current affairs show The Taiwan Take, and the recently launched Metalhead Politics, a mix of headbanging fandom and civics. 

“Wu said there are still a lot of areas she wants to explore through podcasts, such as those for children and documentaries,” write Yeh and Liu about the future. According to its founders, “Ghost Island represents the new Taiwan, a Taiwan that dares to speak for itself and dare to create fearlessly.”

Scarlett: Transform Your Podcast with Studio-Quality Sound

Your audio interface defines your podcast’s sound for listeners everywhere. With over 3 million units sold, Scarlett by Focusrite is the world’s best-selling USB interface range. Why? Unmatched quality and features make Scarlett’s 3rd generation the best choice, bar none.

Achieving studio-quality audio doesn’t have to get complicated. All 6 interfaces in the Scarlett range work with just a computer, any XLR microphone, and the recording software you’re already using. A choice of 1, 4, or 8 inputs makes Scarlett ideal for podcasts with any number of hosts and guests. 

Superior sound, meet superior user experience. Loopback on select units now allows Skype or Zoom calls to be recorded directly into your software — no workarounds needed. A cherry on top, the new Air feature adds brightness and presence to your voice.

Scarlett is one great decision away. Ready to transform your podcast?

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Here's what else is going on:

• Mail order: Castro’s ‘Inbox/Queue' feature is a game changer for avid podcast listeners, says Bradley Chambers of 9to5Mac. “The way that Castro works is the exact opposite of how most podcast apps work,” letting users queue or clear out new episodes à la carte.

• Tablet tips: From a business perspective, Baruch Labunski of Entrepreneur proposes 10 Commandments of Podcasting. “If people wanted an advertisement, they’d turn on an infomercial,” Labunski says. Even for branded podcasts, “Thou shall not be a salesperson.”

• Attention span: How long should a podcast episode be? Buzzsprout weighs different answers, urging creators to think beyond the 38-minute average. “The length of your podcast should be based on the amount of quality content you can consistently deliver on your subject.”

• The drawbridge: Martin SFP Bryant of Big Revolution tells Newsweek that podcasts are a “defensive moat” for Spotify: “Streaming media is just one part of Apple's business, while Spotify is wholly focused on it, so the two companies' incentives are very different.”