PodMov Daily: Wednesday, April 15

Episode 184: Your Midweek Update

Wednesday Guest Feature: A Podcast Makeover from Middle Earth

The latest guest article from Seth Resler visits the world of J.R.R. Tolkien. Resler, the digital strategist at Jacobs Media, has developed the Podcast Makeover series in which a panel of broadcasting professionals critiques an episode from an up-and-coming show. Listen along to see what the pros point out.

This Middle Earth makeover gathers feedback on 10 minutes of The Prancing Pony Podcast by Alan Sisto and Shawn E. Marchese. (The show’s namesake inn appears early in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.) Its hosts call the show a “detailed exploration of Tolkien’s work, with smart but straightforward discussion and a heavy dose of humor.”

The experts on deck agree. Buzz Knight, the founder of Buzz Knight Media; Sunny Gault, the founder of the Independent Podcast Network, and radio show host Allan Fee offer constructive criticism. The hosts' “chemistry with a natural camaraderie” earns points with Knight: “Passion breeds great content!”

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PM Community Update: A Microscope on Microphones

This week’s community update answers a common request in the PM Facebook group. Behold, a list of high-quality microphone recommendations for a variety of budgets. Picks from Shure, ElectroVoice, and Audio-Technica, and others are geared toward podcasters of all levels.

In other news, the Facebook group is now home to over 33,000 members. Conversations happening there and inside PM’s 28-Day Challenge can help with every step of the podcasting process. Start with the basics or leap into advanced chats ― it’s all up to you.

Interested in attending PM20? Unsure about the future? Yes to both. We’ve got you covered with a contingency registration option, extended until Wednesday, May 6.

A $100 deposit locks in the lowest available rate, with the balance due just a month before the event. In the event of cancellation, registrations will be fully refunded. Email tickets@podcastmovement.com to plan smart and rest easy.

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Here's what else is going on:

• Get real: For audio storytellers, ‘scene tape' recorded on-site “make[s] stories sound rich and transportive for listeners.” HowSound host Rob Rosenthal gathers at-home scene pointers from flexible experts like Kenny Malone, the co-host of NPR’s Planet Money.

• News anchor: A Spotify for Podcasters post offers resources for the “large portion of the creative podcasting workforce” in need of support. Freelancers and independent audio producers will find tips and a guide for journalists from the media organization AIR.

• Flock together: Buzzsprout lists 12 thriving communities and interest forums for podcasters, including a shoutout to the PM Facebook group. A key takeaway: “It's better to be part of one group you actively engage in, than five or six you forget you joined.”

• Inside out: Last fall’s Werk It Festival in Los Angeles was an excellent example of “podcaster inclusion, demystified.” For WOC Podcasters, Madeline Wright explains how the event’s insights and resources “provided unique inclusion opportunities for women.”