Audible is heroically reviving an art form that faded into obscurity after the 1960s – the American radio drama. That’s according to the New York Times, whose theater reporter profiled Audible’s recent push into the space. With assumed access to Google, how on earth is fiction podcasting still overlooked at this level of media?
The story is about Audible’s projects, sure, but also modern radio drama as a whole. It “completely ignores the long history and huge community of fiction podcasting,” tweeted producer Newt Schottelkotte. We think this is due more to gatekeeping than oversight: In the world of ‘true’ radio theater, fiction podcasts simply don’t count.
“Radio Drama for a Podcast Age,” the story’s main title, makes an explicit distinction. (The word “podcast” isn’t in the text.) The one acknowledgment comes from a professor of sound studies, and it’s still wildly dismissive and outdated: “There’s a lot of audio drama being made by independent people for love, not money.”
In one of our favorite pieces from Podcast Pontifications, Evo Terra makes a case for appreciating your professional blooper reel. “Though they might lead to an existential crisis,” Terra says, some podcasting mistakes can be spun in the creator’s favor. “Sometimes, these inadvertent errors can be a gift.”
Say you’ve added or removed too much space between segments. Pretend it was intentional. Ask questions: “Ignoring the fact that the edit is different, does it sound good?” If the answer is yes, “is that change of feeling something you’d never considered, but now that you’ve heard it, it’s worth exploring?”
Terra reframes 10 haunting scenarios to show how leaning into our errors can uncover hidden intentions and creative growth. Maybe you’ve lost access to your DAW, skipped a plugin, or somehow forgotten to prepare at all. The way we react to fumbles, stumbles, and goofs may determine what we learn.
Now more than ever, the world feels like it is spinning out of control. Millions of people are struggling with their mental health, marriage, parenting, and family relationships. The Dr. John Delony Show, a podcast from the Ramsey Network, answers life’s messy questions.
Host and Ramsey Personality Dr. John Delony, a leading voice on mental health, relationships, and wellness, takes a practical approach to tough topics we all face. Dr. Delony’s caller-driven conversations help listeners work through anxiety, depression and disconnection with new tools and plenty of humor.
Ready to take charge of your mental health? It’s time to cut through the chaos and start building a more confident future. Send in your questions and join the conversation three times a week. Listen and follow wherever you get your podcasts.
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