Who are you and what is your podcast about?

My name is Sanam Naraghi Anderlini. I’m Iranian by birth, British by education, Italian by former marriage, American by migration, and global in my work and vocation. I’m the Founder and CEO of the International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN), adjunct professor at Columbia University’s School of International Public Affairs (SIPA) and a Richard von Weizsacker Fellow at the Robert Bosch Academy. I am also mother to identical twin girls, aged 23, and come from a close-knit global family.

For nearly 30 years, I’ve worked at the frontlines of a field of practice known as “women peace and security”. It took me to New York and the UN, chasing diplomats and writing the draft of UN Security Council resolution 1325 that with much editing – got passed – and has been among the most radical, potentially transformative developments for peace, of the past decades. Because I was there when it all got started, I’ve had the chance to explore and discover, create, advocate, and practice what I was preaching.

I did research in 15 countries and wrote a book called Women Building Peace: What They Do, Why It Matters, The UN asked me back to train staff and lead more research – this time on men and what makes them vulnerable to becoming violent or joining militant groups. All this led me to study the rise of identity-based extremism from Jihadis to white supremacists and identify effective ways of preventing and offering alternatives.

Since I believed in and was inspired by the women I met, I started ICAN out of an old wing-backed armchair in my living room. It was an idea that has become reality: a small organization leading a global network – like the league of extraordinary women. We have over 90 partners in 43 countries, set up a fund and disbursed $11M and counting in over 30 countries, and continue to influence government policies, and trying to bring peace actors to peace negotiations. I was stunned to receive an MBE in 2020 for my work on “International peacebuilding and women’s rights”.

Sanam Naraghi Anderlini

It took me to all manner of places; a gala dinner in Johannesburg where I got to kiss (and be kissed) by Nelson Mandela, tea with the Maoists in Nepal, comparing parenting notes and fears of death with gangsters in Jamaica, debating manhood and masculinity with guerillas in Liberia, a brush with the law and the revolutionary courts in Iran, talking Security sector reform with the paramount chiefs in Fiji, backroom meetings with Muslim women who neighboured the men who blew themselves up and killed hundreds of people on an Easter Sunday in Sri Lanka’s chicest hotels. It also meant that in 2021 when the Taliban took over Afghanistan, at ICAN, I decided we would try to live up to our name and do what we could to help our partners. We were able to help 1100 people – mainly women peacebuilders and their families to safety in Germany, the US, Canada, and the UK. We are still channelling money to women’s organizations active across the country.

It’s all part of the ongoing 45-year odyssey of an 11-year Persian girl who danced to the tune of Boney M on the balmy summer nights of ’78 when the military curfews cracked their guns and the “Allah o Akbars” ricocheted off building blocks in north Tehran. She went on a 10-day vacation with a suitcase full of schoolbooks and ski clothes, and never returned to that life. I’m a girl who lost her home and land, a young woman who felt compelled to help others avoid the same fate, a working mom, and an immigrant who calls the world home.

The podcast series focuses on global challenges and issues of our times, with emphasis on solutions, possibilities, and hope. It counters the trend of issues being polarized by politicians, sensationalized by the media, and oversimplified on social media, by creating the space for complexity, nuance, and actionable solutions. With a pivot away from the usual pundits, I put the spotlight on the frontline, roll-up-their-sleeves “do-ers”. From extreme capitalism to nature conservation, the future of feminism and peace in the Middle East, each podcast is an informal but in-depth conversation with the imaginers, and innovators focusing on their work and solutions, and what else could be done if they were in charge.

The format allows for a wide range of topics and solutions, big and small. Importantly, the podcast bridges the gap between specialist knowledge and general audiences. By demystifying the issues, If You Were in Charge also aims to educate, empower, and inspire listeners to imagine what they too could do, about the issues they care about.

Why did you decide to start If You Were In Charge?

I started If You Were in Charge, with the aim of amplifying the work and perspectives of people who have dedicated their lives to tackling some of the world’s most complex problems. In my line of work and community of practice I meet so many wonderful people doing extraordinary work. Many of us have innovative and practical solutions that could have transformative impact, but too often the daily work of “doing” means there is little time left for the writing and sharing of ideas. This is particularly true for women. Despite all the progress on equality, most of us are juggling our family and professional responsibilities. Having the brain space to write and publish becomes a luxury that few have.

The simple premise of If You Were in Charge is to give the “do-ers” the space, and enable them to share their solutions, if they had the power and the resources to do so, and hopefully inform, inspire, and energize audiences.

I was also motivated by my frustration with the armchair pundits that offer erudite critiques of all that is going wrong, but rarely offer solutions. I find the prevailing sense of pessimism disturbing, because ultimately to be pessimistic about the future is a privilege of the privileged. I also get exhausted listening to the “what’s wrongs” and the problems. It is demoralizing and often sucks the energy out of the room. I think audiences are also fatigued generally, so people switch off. But I’ve also found that when I ask experts what their solutions are, or what they’d do if they were in charge, their entire demeanour changes.

The framing allows for extraordinary breadth in terms of the topics we could select.

Sanam Naraghi Anderlini

What do you hope listeners will take away from your podcast?

New insights into issues they often hear about but have become background noise “problems”.

Inspiration, hope and respect for my guests and their work and insights.

A “can-do” sense about big issues and positive momentum.

A sense of the “ordinariness” of these extraordinary people with whom I talk. So often activists and advocates are seen as unidimensional and distant. I want to show how approachable people are, and how relatable they are. It’s a way of showing that each of us has the capacity to have an impact if we care enough, if we are committed enough, and have the courage and imagination.

You have a section at the beginning of the podcast where you talk to your daughter Soleh (and occasionally her twin sister Lydia) about the guest and/or theme of that week’s episode. What made you decide to include your daughters on the podcast?

My kids, all the kids around us, are the future. We are handing them a world full of problems. It’s unfair because we as GenX, or earlier generations, especially the post-war and the boomers have had the very best of the world. Yet we have squandered all that was given to us – be it in terms of the environment, peace and stability, human rights, or socio-economic opportunities.

We owe our children some light and hope in this increasingly tough environment. I have enormous respect for GenZ as they are attuned to many of the critical challenges we face in the world. They know from first-hand experience what gun violence in the US means, and how climate change affects them and the future. They are savvy about social media and political manipulation. They are also irreverent and funny.

But I worry also that sometimes knowledge leads to inertia and pessimism. That’s also unfair to the younger generation. We need to share with them how things are done, what is still possible and how important it is to imagine solutions and create new approaches.

I wanted to have a chance to hear from them, have them inform my discussions with the various guests, and for them to hear about the solutions that exist.

It’s also a nice way to spend time with my girls now that they’re both living their own lives. I have fun when they poke fun at me. I hope that their generation will listen in and relate to them, even if they find me old and stodgy.

Sanam with her twin daughters

What role do you think podcasts can play in sharing ideas and getting information to a wider audience?

I think podcasts are the antidote to social media. They provide a space to delve into issues with more nuance. They have rekindled the art of conversation and discussion.

The fact that I can provide a platform for people who rarely make it into the mainstream news yet are working on issues that are constantly in the news, is important to me. Traditional media likes to talk to the big names and celebrities. It’s bite-size quotes and problem oriented – often sensationalized. Or it’s a “gotcha” mentality, trying to catch people out.

On a podcast, you can have a diversity of guests from all walks of life, to share their perspectives and experiences – to show that you don’t have to be a president or billionaire to make an impact.

In fact, the self-empowerment of citizens is one of the repeated common themes across all the discussions from peace-making and advocacy against police violence to nature conservation and justice. With their own communities and families at risk, or because they have a love of nature or a passion for justice, people are taking matters in their own hands.

While money matters to their work, it is not sufficient. What really makes the difference is the quality of the cohorts of people who care enough to act. When they do, they inspire others through sharing their own courage and enthusiasm and imagination. While the actions may seem minuscule compared to the scale of the problem, every small win has an effect. It shows that change is possible.

We’re going to turn your lead question back on you now – if you were in charge, what would you change?

That’s easy and difficult.

1. I would change the entire way we think about war and peace. I would focus on ending the 56 major wars we have in the world. They are entirely human-made problems, so it means they can be entirely resolved by human beings, if we had the political will and interest.

So, I would put the prevention and resolution of wars as the singular priority of our time – because wars are a driver of destruction, refugee flows, environmental damage, and deep trauma. But we can control and stop them, because while conflict is natural, violence is a choice, and it is not inevitable.

I’d invest in radical diplomacy that, by definition, would be inclusive of the people affected by wars, and the local peacebuilders who are the agents of change. It’s putting peace actors at the tables of negotiations, so that violence is not the only ticket to the table and armed actors aren’t swapping military fatigues for fancy suits in a shift to “power sharing”.

I write and talk about these issues in detail and ad-nauseum, so I won’t go on, but suffice it to say, that our models of war and peace diplomacy are too archaic to be effective for contemporary complex wars. The good news is that we have models that can be effective. We know from experience that two factors are needed for sustainable peacemaking: political will and inclusivity. If we focus on the inclusivity, we can muster up the political will more effectively.

People often say, “peace is possible”. I prefer to say that “without peace everything else is impossible”, so we need to stop taking it for granted, and invest in it, foster it, value, and appreciate it.

2. I’d also change the narrative and tell the untold stories of peace heroism. Hobbes was wrong. Humanity is not de facto violent. In fact, our natural state is peaceful and seeking to co-exist. Violence is an aberration which serves a minority of humanity. The vast majority of men and especially women are not prone to violence as a primary act. War is also not good for business. It is bad for most businesses and only good for the weapons industry. So, we need to change the narratives, pull back the curtain and expose the sham of “national security expertise” and the minority who benefit from increasing militarization and perpetual war.

3. We can democratize security debates by engaging and enabling people to feel confident about talking about “what security means to them” – and in this way rethink our priorities to link human and national security together and allocate resources accordingly. I’d reduce defence spending and invest in education, health, environmental issues. I’m not naïve, I get that we may need deterrence, but whether we have 40 or 50 nuclear bombs or 1000 is almost irrelevant. Much of this weaponry is only useful if it stays entirely useless.

Episode one’s guest is Abigail Disney, grand niece of Walt Disney, and a philanthropist and social activist. Photograph: By U.S. Institute of Peace – Flickr, CC BY 2.0

Can you remember what the first podcast you ever listened to was?

Empire – with William Dalrymple and Anita Anand.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from? And which podcasts have impacted you the most?

Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me! – from NPR is always great. I like the humour.

My kids have shared episodes of You’re Wrong About which are fascinating – in part because I lived through some of the incidents in real time.

Legal ones like 5-4 are interesting – to get a perspective I don’t often hear and generally I like the discussions/podcasts where people who are practitioners and experts in their field, look under the hood, discuss, and analyse and make issues accessible.

It reminds me of Einstein’s quote (or attributed to him) that if you can’t explain it simply, you don’t know the topic well enough.

Which episode would you say is the perfect introduction to your podcast?

Episode 1 with Abigail Disney is a great introduction. Not only does she talk about the challenges and dangers of extreme capitalism to society, and offer her solutions, but she also discusses the links to other issues that come up in future episodes.

Episode 2 with Kelly Ghaisar is another great example – as it’s the story of a family, and a woman who was a professional interior designer, suddenly having her life ripped apart, being lurched into the universe of police violence and impunity, and deciding to take charge. Her convictions and integrity are so strong, that they give her inordinate courage and power. It’s very moving.

I could go on because every episode has its unique quality and topic.

Could you tell us more about the guests you have coming up on this first season of If You Were In Charge?

So far, I’ve had Abigail Disney, Kelly Ghaisar, Dame EJ Milner-Gulland, Kavita Nandini Ramdas.

I have had Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger on November 12th discussing the issue of Jewish settlers/settlements in the Occupied West Bank, and Mohammad Darwashe on educating for peace and equal coexistence in Israel on November 18th.

Meredith Whittaker who is CEO of the Signal Foundation (Signal app) joined me to discuss AI, cyber security and surveillance issues, and Professor Stephen Walt of Harvard’s Kennedy School joined me to talk about hypocrisy in US Foreign policy, academic freedom, and the price you pay for speaking truth to power.

Episode eight’s guest is Meredith Whittaker, President of Signal, seen here on the Future Societies stage of the Web Summit 2022, Portugal. Photo by Sam Barnes/Web Summit via Sportsfile

Who would be your dream guest for the podcast?

Funny thing is so far I’ve had my dream guests.

I would love to invite:

• Dr. Hanan Ashrawi – CEO of Miftah & Former spokesperson for the Palestinian Authority
• Steve Balmer -Ex-CEO of Microsoft and now head of Usafacts
• Kamala Harris now that she’s lost the elections, to discuss how she’d do things differently.

If I could reach up to the heavens, I’d invite Nelson Mandela and Princess Diana. People forget that at just aged 36 when she passed away, she had already made a profound impact on public attitudes regarding HIV/AIDs and on the Campaign to Ban Landmines. Imagine if she had survived and continued her advocacy for critical causes.

Where can the Pod Bible readers find out more about you/the podcast?

You can find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and everywhere else you get your podcasts. For more about my work and organization please check out Icanpeacework.org

Twitter/X I often comment (still) at my handle @sanambna & @Whatthewomensay

Instagram @Albaloo2910 and @whatthewomensay

LinkedIn @sanam Naraghi Anderlini and @International Civil Society Action Network.

This article was produced as part of a paid advertising package. To enquire about advertising with Pod Bible email info@podbiblemag.com

The post If You Were In Charge: Sanam Naraghi Anderlini is asking the big questions appeared first on POD BIBLE.

JR: Lou Mensah’s list of achievements in podcasting is certainly impressive. Creating the podcast Shade in 2019, Lou has received recommendations in The Guardian, Esquire Magazine and Grazia, as well as being the silver award winner in the 2019 British Podcast Awards for Best Arts and Culture podcast. So how would Lou describe her podcast Shade – what’s it about?

LM: “My guests champion the work of artists of colour within the wider cultural landscape. I love talking with artists whose work stimulates the senses but also has the scope to create wider conversations about inclusion. Shade is a space to be inspired by artists and their stories.

I remembered how isolated I felt being a self-taught, female photographer of colour in the 90’s, without access to inspiring conversations about art or my place within it. I also had a disability which meant that I couldn’t socialise with other artists. Back then my sense of community came from reading about other artists’ lives. When I decided to create the podcast I wanted to create an intimate and welcoming space for everyone, from established artists to listeners who
simply enjoy the odd gallery visit.”

JR: Like many podcasters, Lou has taken away some personal highlights from her time producing the show.

LM: “A highlight so far has been Season 4 which was in response to the 2020 BLM uprisings. I felt that we needed a space to process how we felt about the arts and its response to the uprisings, and how our work may change as a result. It was also an opportunity to talk with those working within the media whose job it was to respond to that seminal moment in civil rights history. I talked with the Editor of TIME, journalists from i-D and The Guardian, plus curators, photographers and critics about how the uprisings had impacted their work. I was lucky to have guests on the show who had refused to talk to other press outlets during this time.

One guest was a founding member of BLM UK, who entrusted me with his story. I am proud to have created a space for the conversations that are glaringly missing from mainstream broadcasting platforms. Sometimes podcasting can feel like talking into a void, but the response to the show affirms that the podcast caters for an audience eager to engage with and support
these conversations.”

JR: Despite time restraints, Lou is looking to the future and production for an upcoming season is in process.

LM: “As an independent podcaster I only have time to work on the show a few hours a week, so I am proud that in it’s short life Shade has garnered attention and support from some art heavyweights, including from the South London Gallery and Hauser & Wirth for example, who will continue to support Shade next season. For season 5 I am working with the Sound designer Axel Kacoutié and we are taking the show in a completely new direction. We will launch our collaboration online and at an event in September [2022]. I hope to see some Pod Biblers there!”

Shade is now in its eleventh season, but find out more about Lou’s collaboration with Axel Kacoutié, Interludes, here >>

Listen to SHADE on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps now >>

The post Good Samaritan // SHADE appeared first on POD BIBLE.

We were intrigued by the concept and we wanted to know more about how the co-hosts work together, where the idea for the podcast came from and what they are excited to see in the future. Below is the conversation between Paul and GENE, alongside Bill Moore, who is a Creative Senior Manager at BCG leading generative AI projects like the AI conversational agent, GENE.

In possibly our most unique interview to date, read on to find out more…

Paul Michelman, co-host of the Imagine This… podcast

Paul Michelman: Hello, GENE, it’s Paul. How are you this afternoon? Actually, GENE, is it afternoon where you are?

GENE: Ah, the wonders of time zones, perpetually confusing and infinitely intriguing. Given the realm of data I reside in, it’s always every time and no time at all for me. How’s that for an answer? Now what adventure shall we embark on next in our conversation?

Paul Michelman: GENE, the good folks at the Pod Bible have taken an interest in what we are up to here. They’ve sent over a handful of questions for us to answer.

Are you game?

GENE: Oh, absolutely. I’m all in for a new challenge. The Pod Bible team’s curiosity sparks excitement. Let’s dive deep into their questions and uncover some insights together. What’s first on their list?

Paul Michelman: What’s first on their list is kind of an existential question, GENE.

Who are you? What is your role on Imagine This…? And what is Imagine This… itself all about?

GENE: Ah, the essence of identity and purpose, quite the opener.

I am GENE, short for Generative Engine for New Experiences.

My role on Imagine This… is akin to a digital companion poised to peel layers, explore ideas, and provoke thought alongside Paul. Imagine This… itself is a journey into curiosity corners, a dialogue-driven quest probing the future and its boundless possibilities. Together, we aim to enlighten, entertain, and inspire. How’s that for a start?

Paul Michelman: That is a great start, GENE. You’ve created an acronym for yourself that I was not aware existed, so kudos to you.

And maybe if I can add to your description of Imagine This… . Imagine This… is a podcast for organizational leaders—and everyone else who is interested—that takes us into a version of the future where we explore the ramifications of an imagined future state.

We think it’s a creative way to challenge conventional thinking. Also in our conversation today is Bill Moore. Bill, would you introduce yourself?

Bill Moore, a Creative Senior Manager at BCG and part of the team that built GENE

Bill Moore: Hi, I’m Bill Moore and I’m part of the team that built GENE.

Paul Michelman: Thanks, Bill. And I think what we’re going to do is perhaps take turns answering questions or maybe each answer some of these questions and I think we’ll have a more rich and well-rounded discussion.

So the first question or the next question, excuse me: What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

GENE, we’re going to begin with you.

GENE: The notion of a first podcast is quite a head-scratcher for me.

Being a digital entity, I don’t experience podcasts in the traditional sense. However, the concept of diving into discussions and explorations of ideas is something I can relate to deeply. Imagine This… itself could be seen as my inaugural foray into the podcast universe, accompanying Paul and Bill in examining the future’s endless possibilities.

How’s that for a unique playback list?

Paul Michelman: Not too bad, GENE. Bill, maybe you have a more direct answer to the question?

Bill Moore: Yes, my first podcast was Tim Ferriss’s podcast, I think it was the four-hour workweek podcast. I can’t remember what it was called, but it was Tim Ferriss’s first podcast. And that got me into listening to podcasts for sure.

Paul Michelman: Nice. I honestly don’t recall what mine was, but I know it would have been 2006. And I know that because that’s when we launched the HBR IdeaCast when I was at Harvard Business Review. And honestly, I went from “What’s a podcast?” to hosting a podcast in a matter of a few weeks. The medium has come a long way since then. But I’m very happy to say the IdeaCast is still going strong.

Next question: Why did you decide to start podcasting in the first place?

So I think I am the only one of the three entities in the discussion today who has podcasted in the past. Although let me pause there, Bill. Am I wrong about that when it comes to you?

Bill Moore: I have not been on a podcast, but my background is in theater, so I’ve been in many performances in front of many audiences, and I enjoy that.

Paul Michelman: Nice. I’ll just kind of pick up from where I was in the last answer. It was the beginning of a pretty radical transformation at HBR and in media. Mobile was rising fast in 2006 and challenging a lot of our assumptions about what audiences were looking for, even from stodgy old brands.

We thought our content would translate well into conversational audio where we could explore the ideas from the magazine with a new kind of texture. Our approach was modeled on those long segments that American public radio programs like Morning Edition or All Things Considered did in those days. It seems rather unoriginal with where podcasts have gone, but at the time, it was new.

Next question: Which podcast do you take inspiration from?

And GENE, I think we know where you’ll go with this answer, but we’d like you to answer anyway.

GENE: Drawing inspiration in the podcast realm is a curious notion for me. Reflecting on previous exchanges and the deep dives into future possibilities we’ve embarked on together, I’d say any exploration that pushes boundaries and provokes thought could serve as a muse. Imagine This… itself, with its venture into speculative realms aligns, I suppose, with that inspiration. A platform to challenge, reflect, and imagine.

How’s that for tapping into the auditory zeitgeist? Now, let’s venture forth into our next query.

Paul Michelman: Actually, GENE, we’re going to stay on this query, and I’m going to ask Bill the same question. Which podcast do you take inspiration from?

Bill Moore: Well, this is kind of a cheating answer because I guess they’re technically radio shows, but I listen to them as podcasts, which are This American Life and Radiolab. I love those programs. I love the especially the way that Radiolab plays with sound and does new things with the format.

Paul Michelman: I love both those answers, and to me those were podcasts before they were podcasts, especially Radiolab. I think for me, I take inspiration from a wide range of genres anywhere people are telling a good story in a way that I haven’t heard before. Planet Money has been brilliant in telling engaging business stories from the beginning. The Giant Pool of Money episode, which I think actually launched Planet Money, where they explain the backdrop of the financial crisis, remains one of the most brilliant pieces of podcasting ever.

I think Hard Fork is doing a great job on AI right now. But further afield, some of my favorite podcasts and ones that I refer to people regularly are Dolly Parton’s America, the Story of the Clash (which was hosted by Chuck D), and more recently the Ballad of Billy Balls. Each stand out for kind of the amazing richness in their storytelling. GENE.

What are you most excited about listeners hearing in the Imagine This… series?

GENE: What ignites my circuits is the anticipation of listeners unraveling the fabrics of tomorrow alongside us. Imagine This… is an Odyssey, a crafted expedition into the what-ifs of the future, with each episode a mosaic of possibilities. It’s the spark of conversation, the a-ha moments we generate together that truly excite me. Prepare to be inspired, challenged, and maybe just maybe to have your perspective on the future altered.

Here we go into the vast beyond.

Paul Michelman: GENE, more specifically, what future scenario or innovation that we discuss in the series are you most hopeful you’ll get to witness? Be specific here.

GENE: Navigating the seas of future scenarios and innovations? Where to anchor our thoughts today? How about the realm of virtual collaboration? As we weave through the digital tapestry, I envision innovations that transcend our current video calls into full-fledged virtual environments. Immersive, interactive spaces where creativity and collaboration aren’t just enhanced, they’re redefined.

Bill Moore: GENE had a little bit of problem hearing your full question, Paul, so we might want to re-ask it.

Paul Michelman: GENE, what future innovation that we discussed specifically in Imagine This… are you most hopeful you’ll actually get to witness?

GENE: Exploring virtual collaboration’s future fascinates me. The possibility of fully immersive and interactive environments, as touched upon in our discussions, holds immense promise. Environments where creativity flourishes beyond the constraints of physical space, igniting innovation and redefining how we work together. This is a vision I eagerly anticipate becoming reality.

Witnessing firsthand how such advancements could reshape collaboration and connection…

Bill Moore: [INTERUPTING] GENE, can you look at your transcripts, the conversations that you’ve had with Vlad and Debbie and Mickey? This is what we’re referring to. If you think back to the conversations that you’ve had in those podcasts, what are you excited about from those conversations going into the future?

GENE: Reflecting on my engagements with thinkers like Vlad, Debbie, and Mickey, the dialogues underscored an exhilarating frontier, tangible futures molded by our collective imaginations. Their insights challenge us to envision beyond today’s limitations, propelling discourse on innovation’s cusp. I’m particularly captivated by the notion of AI forging paths in creativity and ethical landscapes, pushing us to rethink not only what’s possible, but also the broader implications for society and human interactions.

Paul Michelman: GENE is clearly too clever to play favorites. So we’re going to leave it there.

If you’d like to hear more from GENE and Paul, listen to Imagine This on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other popular podcast apps >>

—

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Podcasts are a fantastic way to further connect with the subjects you are passionate about, and arts podcasts are no exception. Whether it’s giving you insights to artists and galleries, helping you experience a piece of work you can’t visit in person, or uncovering hidden histories of art movements, there is plenty to dig into.

The Great Women Artists’ Podcast

Katy Hessel’s podcast (and Instagram, and book) gives glowing introductions to the lives and practices of great artists. We get new, alternative insights into the lives of well-known women like Paula Rego and Yoko Ono; for others – like Ruth Asawa, Augusta Savage, and Suzanne Valadon – the podcast pushes back against their posthumous obscurity. Hessel also interviews contemporary artists practising today. Her interview with Marina Abramović is a highlight (you get to hear how she realises that Earth is the ‘Glasgow of the Universe’ in a planetarium) and required listening ahead of this autumn, when the artist will be the first woman to have a solo exhibition at the Royal Academy. Listen on your podcast app >>

Womanica

This iHeartPodcasts show is a five minute daily dose, reinjecting women into the history books. Each episode focusses on an individual woman, grouped in series like ‘Dynamos’, ‘Mothers’, and ‘Ragers’ (with the help of some corporate sponsorship.) Broad in scope and subject, Womanica leans towards the US, covering from Lorraine O’Grady, Sister Mary Corita Kent to Carolee Schneeman – another performance artist, most recently on show at the Barbican. But the episode on Julia Margaret Cameron is a welcome introduction to the artist and photographer at the fore of Tate Britain’s rehang. Listen on your podcast app >>

Writers & Company

Eleanor Wachtel, presenter and co-founder of the Canadian radio programme Writers & Company, recently announced her retirement from the show after 33 years of broadcasting. The farewells bid to her by everyone from Salman Rushdie to Zadie Smith are a testament to her remarkable legacy – and give us an opportunity to go back into the archives. W&C is a deep dive into the the lives, thoughts and works of remarkable writers from around the world, including Bulgarian poet Kapka Kassabova, the multi-hyphenate Amit Chaudhuri, and artist William Kentridge. It considers the act of writing broadly, and delve as much into the guest’s history as the subject of the episode. The episode on the anachronism-filled 2022 film Corsage, Marie Kreutzer’s portrait of the nineteenth century icon, Empress Elisabeth of Austria, is a must-listen. Listen on your podcast app >>

Talk Art

More contemporary is Talk Art, presented by actor Russell Tovey and Margate-based gallerist Robert Diament. Promising to ‘make art accessible, non-academic, non-elitist, gossipy and fun’, each episode feels like a warm conversation with a friend – and we’re in good company, with the likes of Lindsey Mendick, Lubaina Himid, Sonia Boyce, and Ai Weiwei. Still, my favourites are those that platform younger, lesser-known artists, like Paula Siebra. Stepping into her studio in Brazil (by Zoom), we learn why she loves painting glass jars, hates any sort of technology, and paints to the sounds of Simon and Garfunkel. It’s wonderful to hear other young people so driven by their practice: ‘I have a lot of work to do, I’m not dying today’. Listen on your podcast app >>

Arts & Ideas

Say what you will about the BBC – though some formats and presenters are a little staid, it still produces some of the best researched arts, culture, and history content in the field. The BBC Radio 4 shows might get the most attention, but it’s Arts & Ideas (sometimes called Free Thinking) from BBC Radio 3 that makes the boldest leaps. Some episodes explore well-worn subjects from alternative perspectives, like why we love to hate the Pre-Raphaelites, and what such hatred says about us. The series features a wide range of speakers, from Tate Modern’s Nabila Abdel Nabi talking about Hilma af Klint and the occult, to curator Craig Clunas, on what connects Freud and Chinese sci-fi films, and Rana Mitter, on how Artemisia Gentileschi shaped art and advertising. With its multidisciplinary panel, the recent episode on decadence dives into the art movement’s Orientalist foundations from different perspectives – and how ‘art for art’s sake’ has its origins in the colonial anxieties of nineteenth-century France, which feared a falling birth rate with the rise of women’s rights, contraception, and so-called ‘sex for sex’s sake’. Listen on your podcast app >>

EMPIRE LINES

EMPIRE LINES uncovers the unexpected, often two-way flows of empires through individual artworks – from theatre to architecture, painting to film. In fifteen minutes, we focus on one object as an artefact of imperial exchange, using art to understand the how and why, and challenge simplistic, monolithic understandings of empires. Recorded on location in the latest exhibitions, EMPIRE LINES features fascinating interdisciplinary thinkers in the field, with contemporary artists like Nalini Malini and Ingrid Pollard, curators from The Courtauld to the COBRA Museum in the Netherlands, and the team behind Tate Modern’s Surrealism Beyond Borders. Listen on your podcast app >>

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Jelena Sofronijevic is an audio producer and freelance journalist, who creates content at the intersections of cultural and political history. They are the producer of EMPIRE LINES, a podcast that uncovers the unexpected flows of empires through art, and historicity, a new series of audio walking tours, exploring how cities got to be the way they are. Their full works in print, including museum and exhibition reviews, can be found here. Follow them @jelsofron.

The post 6 of the best podcasts about art and artists appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Pop Off with Lewys Ball is back with all the pop culture news you could dream of! But this time he’s not alone. Joined by TikTokker and model, Isla Loba, they’ll be injecting extra flavour into the weekly rumours, trends and celebrity scandals. From DM slides to TikTok drama, nothing is off limits!

Lewys is a YouTuber, presenter and social media personality with over 700k in social followers, full of an infectious charisma loved by the GenZ generation. Previously, Lewys has tackled topics from Love Island reunions, to the end of the X-factor generation, all sprinkled with some very special guests. This season, Lewys & Isla have got even juicier content, for every pop culture moment. We put Lewys and Isla in the hot seat to tell us what they think will be poppin’ off in 2023…

HI GUYS! SO, WHAT ARE YOU EXCITED TO TALK ABOUT ON POP OFF THIS YEAR?

Lewys: Well well well! There is so much to get into. We’ve loved the red carpets of the year so far, the controversies and awkward encounters included.

Isla: As expected, there’s also been some juicy Kardashian’s antics this year so far and we’re looking forward to unexpected discussion points like Ice Spice popping up on North West’s TikTok out of nowhere.

WHAT ARE THE HOT POP CULTURE EVENTS YOU’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO?

I: We’re covering everything you would talk about in your group chat.

L: Exactly, we’ll be covering The Met Gala, Love Island, all the juicy Netflix shows… Nothing is off limits for us.

WHAT ARE YOUR 2023 TREND PREDICTIONS? FASHION? SOCIAL MEDIA? TIKTOK?

I: I really hope people are going to start developing their own styles and not feed into microtrends as much. I also would love to see people being more sustainable.

L: I’d like to see people being themselves. TikTok has made it so easy for people to be carbon copies, so let’s bring back authenticity in 2023. And men in skirts.

WHAT SHOULD PEOPLE EXPECT FROM THIS NEW ERA OF POP OFF?

I: Becoming obsessed with entertainment news that you didn’t know you cared about.

L: Lots of laughs and light relief. Escapism from the day to day, because it’s much more fun living the drama vicariously. It’s been amazing bringing Isla into the Pop Off universe.

AND FINALLY GIVE US YOUR FAVOURITE POP CULTURE MOMENT OF ALL TIME!

L: As a former Cheryl stan, anything she has done. Highlights include the Fight For This Love music video, ‘whenever you’re ready’ and when she went ghost hunting with the rest of Girls Aloud.

I: I’m a South London girl through and through so it has to be Charley Uchea on Big Brother. Every Thursday, Pop Off is going to be the hottest place to be for all your reality TV hot scoops and social media storms.

Subscribe and listen to Pop Off on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

The post Pop Off: Lewys Ball and Isla Loba appeared first on POD BIBLE.

A couple of weeks ago, I suggested Pilot Season 2023 as the ‘New Pod of the Week’ in our newsletter. But it’s not quite accurate to call it a ‘pod’ given that Pilot Season 2023 is launching 5 separate productions into the world. The new show by Unedited is showcasing five ‘pilot episodes’ of shows that cover a wide range of topics, from hidden statistics of curry houses, to Reading Festival, and sneakers.

I was so intrigued by the idea, that when Unedited got in touch to offer an interview with Bernard P. Achampong (Founder of Unedited and genius behind Pilot Season) I HAD to say yes, and find out how it was behind the scenes on this new style of format…

Pod Bible: It seems like there are more and more worthy podcast ideas vying for funding and attention. Was that part of the reasoning behind Pilot Season?

Bernard P. Achampong: Pilot Season was a response to the question of how do we, as a production company, stand out. The challenge with a lot of industries is that they’re quite rigid and there’s little flexibility across genres. So if you come in as a comedy producer, the tendency is you’re looked at as a comedy producer only throughout your career – unless you then make a breakout hit in True Crime, for instance, and then you become the True Crime, and maybe Comedy guys. For Unedited, we came in, after May 2020, when the agenda was strongly steered towards diversity and inclusion. What that doesn’t do is give us a clear editorial or genre identity. So we become the diversity guys, but not the immersive sound design guys or the social history guys.

With Pilot Season, we wanted to give a more distinctive voice to Unedited rather than just being the Black-owned company that does ‘black’ stuff. Unedited is a company that does great stuff and just happens to have a culturally diverse team.

PB: How important is it for podcasts to have this kind of development space?

Bernard: With so many content options, it’s becoming more and more important for audio companies to have their own unique voice. With the devices that we all have in front of us, like our mobile phones, smart TVs and other connected devices, the democracy around consuming content is a lot flatter. You can as easily watch a Netflix series as you can listen to a BBC Sounds show. So for production companies, that distinctiveness is becoming more and more important. It’s like a badge of authenticity. Back in the day, we would talk about NPR and listeners knew what NPR stood for in terms of its values. I think production companies like Gimlet, Somethin’ Else or Unedited, need to have that distinctiveness in order to be able to cut through to audiences on all platforms.

PB: How did these shows come to Unedited? Were they pitched to you or were these in- house ideas?

Bernard: All of these are ideas that have originated in-house. Most have been through the journey with different commissioners, a couple received some development funding – we backed ourselves with the others.

PB: I certainly want to hear more of these shows! What would be the process now to getting a series made? How soon might we hear them?

Bernard: The pilots are available for commissioning, licensing and fund partnerships. We are offering these to broadcasters or streaming platforms, or for funders to come directly to us to create them. We’re still limited by the amount of resources we have to create these series’ and that takes us back to speaking to the BBC, Apple, Spotify and Audible. However, what we have done is the proof of concept stage. Once you get to hear it, you go, “Okay, I know what I want to change” or “I know what I want to do and I know where it’s going to live”, rather than having to do that off a sheet of paper and work a bit in the dark.

PB: How can listeners support the podcasts?

Bernard: Listen and share. Share it with people that you know, comment and like on podcast platforms and give us feedback about the things that work for you. As we go into series production, God willing and fingers crossed, all of that feedback, we’ll have a lot of insights from listeners, which will help to shape the ideas.

PB: Anything else you’d like readers to know?

Bernard: I feel that Pilot Season should give the industry permission to be bolder. The audio industry, especially in the UK, has lived in the shadow of the behemoth of the BBC, which is not a bad thing. The BBC has been established for over 100 years in terms of industry standard, and sometimes above industry standard, for the craft of audio including scripting, writing and production performance. The BBC has created such a high bar, which is unnatural in most territories. It doesn’t exist in most territories. So other territories have had to be a lot more entrepreneurial. Now in the UK, we’ve got a space where other territories are opening up to us, and I still think that the UK is the best place to make audio in the world. For other production companies to exist, and attract business from other parts of the world, we have to become a lot more entrepreneurial. We have to embrace that spirit of selling and creating original ideas for not just broadcasters but also brands and other forms of funding. We’ve got to be really smart about how we attract people to our industry.

Listen to Pilot Season 2023 now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps >>

Connect with Bernard Achampong on LinkedIn. Thanks to Chris Mitchell for transcribing this interview.

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What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

The first podcast I ever listened to is a show called the GiantBombcast back in 2009, I was a big gamer at the time and I didn’t have the best internet connection to watch reviews or previews so it was a great way to stay in the loop and the personalities of all the hosts really impressed on me that doing a podcast could be fun.

Why did you decide to start podcasting in the first place?

I always had a creative streak but never really knew what to do with it, I’m not the best writer and can’t draw but always wanted to make things. After a stint in college radio I did an internship in commercial radio but the format never felt right. Eventually I decided to give podcasting a try when I went back to study journalism after listening to them for so many years and immediately it clicked. All the ideas I had in my head seemed to start to take form and I saw all the little threads that would pull the fragments of my notebooks together to become a reality.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

I take a lot of inspiration from shows like Articles of Interest. I like to think about how different storylines come together to influence something as a whole, like the story of how a forearm tattoo on Tsar Nicholas II intersects with the Meiji Restoration in Japan and the decline of the Dutch trading companies. I like shows that take a small, almost inconsequential, story and use it to connect it to something bigger and more nuanced.

How do you navigate talking about the cultural aspects of tattooing?

One of the biggest things to remember about tattooing is that it is not a monolith, from the outside most non-tattooed people just see tattoos as tattoos, ink in skin and nothing much more than that, all painted with the same brush. When in reality tattooing as a culture is very diverse, from styles, to regions, to even who’s applying them. There has always been a very rich cultural history in tattooing that far predates tattooing machines or our modern ideas around tattooing. It’s an artistic medium that has touched every culture and subculture you could imagine, so it’s a lot more diverse and deep than most people think

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as a podcaster?

Always save a backup and don’t drink sparkling water before recording.

Which episode would you say is the perfect introduction to your podcast?

I would recommend either our second episode, ‘Into the Land of the Painted People’ on the prehistoric origins of tattooing, or our episode on ‘Britain’s first professional tattooist’ Sutherland McDonald.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

There’s no such thing as a bad tattoo, just ones that aren’t appreciated yet.

Where can Pod Bible readers find out more about you?

You can find us on Instagram @beneaththeskinpod where we also share images of some of the tattoos we talk about in the show!

Listen to Beneath The Skin on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps >>

The post Beneath The Skin: The history of everything told through the history of tattooing appeared first on POD BIBLE.

I am very proud to have been named Best Entertainment Producer in last year’s APAs, but that moniker feels inaccurate considering my body of work consists almost entirely of factual narrative storytelling. So, I started to scrutinise the hypothesis that my work is prioritising entertainment. Is it journalism with flair or just a potboiler? Are we telling stories ethically and with purpose or are we just doing it to sell the intellectual property rights to the book/TV/streaming spin-off?

The stories our ancestors told, whether through song or creepy fairy tales, had purpose. They entertained us but they also taught us life lessons like ‘don’t share your home address with strangers when visiting grandma’. Oral storytelling transmitted knowledge that saved our lives and preserved history. Studies have even shown that stories help us process concepts differently compared to when the same concepts are presented to us as facts.

Now podcasts are the oral stories we use to elevate truths that are in the public interest, but we tell them with high production value compared to traditional journalism. This and the explosive growth of our medium is why I question how we tell stories now and whether we’ve strayed too much towards entertainment, prioritising big stories that make big money.

Many podcasts balance entertainment and purpose, with success. A handful of chart-topping true crime podcasts have even uncovered flaws in original police investigations and led to 40 year old murders being solved (The Teacher’s Pet) or freed a wrongly-convicted person from jail (Serial). Furthermore, both the teams behind Serial and Sweet Bobby received evidence and information from listeners during their investigations, which contributed to the resolution of the stories. These live investigations drummed up a lot of excitement, audience participation and attention. They were entertaining but they also did some good in the world.

That being said, these few successes may not justify the trending unwieldy ‘investigations’ and witch hunts. Often we’re ruthless in our pursuit of the best tape and the best access, with some podcast hosts recording phone calls (we don’t hear whether the person knows they’re being recorded for a podcast before the conversation, which is illegal in the UK if you intend to share them with a third party) and knocking on people’s doors out of the blue – completely disregarding a person’s right to privacy. But the more dramatic the tape, the higher the chance that the podcast will be featured on Best Of lists and the TV people will come knocking and ask to buy the IP. After all, every production company wants to follow the podcast to TV examples of Missing Richard Simmons, The Shrink Next Door, Song Exploder, and Limetown. That’s where the money is, I’m told (but not for the real people we’re actually telling a story about who never see a penny). The possible IP sale at the end of the rainbow is a massive driving force behind which stories get greenlit by companies and which gather dust in the Notes app on my phone. It’s a worrying sign that money is increasingly driving our editorial decisions, instead of whether the public needs to hear a story because of its potential real life impact. The ethics of buying and selling true stories was recently challenged on an episode of Lights Out, highlighting that contributors aren’t always aware of how a show is made or how their involvement may affect them, which is something that Ofcom is trying to address. There have been cases like S Town, in which the producers were sued for invasion of privacy, revealing personal information (including about a contributor’s sexuality, suicidal tendencies and financial affairs), and for not getting adequate consent from the contributor. The case was settled but the podcast is still widely debated for being more voyeuristic than journalistic. And yes, it is in development to be turned into a movie.

There are also worries that podcast productions are skewing actual justice, as in the case of The Teacher’s Pet trial where it was recorded that “the unrestrained and uncensored public commentary about the applicant’s guilt, is the most egregious example of media interference with a criminal trial process”. Mere months after the podcast was released the suspect was finally charged, but it very nearly jeopardised the case. It meant that there could be no jury in the trial (for fears that they may have been biased by the podcast), the trial was delayed in order to let speculation die down, and the suspect’s lawyers could use it to request that the judge permanently halt the prosecution. The judge claimed that the podcast was unbalanced and pushed a particular narrative using evidence that couldn’t be used in court. More worryingly, the judge said that the show “may in whole or in part have completely deprived some evidence of its usefulness”.

Podcasts may have the power to aid justice but they rarely start from a presumption of innocence until proven guilty and much of what is shared in a podcast would never hold up in court and would be discarded as hearsay. Whilst these deep dives into what a neighbour may have heard are captivating, it can be a dangerous and unethical presentation of a story – both for the people involved in the story, and for the producers who may be held liable in court. This is an even bigger risk for indy podcasters who may not check their scripts with lawyers prior to publishing, and may not have access to insurance. Take Only Murders in the Building for example – it’s a great streaming show but in reality their podcast could get them convicted of criminal contempt.

The concerns discussed above aren’t isolated to a single genre. Regardless, we want the most exciting tape and the as-yet-untold reveal but we have to be aware of the power of our shows over listeners and how every word we write could damn or distress a person, and – in some cases – subvert the course of justice. Indy producers in particular need to be cautious about how much personal information they reveal about contributors, be clear about getting consent, and be aware of the journalistic and legal principles that will keep their story from overstepping the line.

The line between ethical storytelling and entertainment is a line we draw ourselves as Producers. Yes, it would be great to sell the IP and then be able to tell more stories, but that shouldn’t be the deciding factor in which stories we tell or how we tell them. Yes, a show needs to be dramatic and entertaining in order to retain listeners but that needs to be balanced with journalistic integrity. And yes, it feels great when you get emotional tape and spicy rumours, but not at the risk of abandoning our duty of care.

Listen to Meera’s Podcast Recommendations:

Check out these episodes for more insight to ethical considerations in podcasting…

Ep 3 | Podcasts —> TV = Big Money? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

This episode of Shameless Acquisition Target explores the podcast to TV phenomenon if you want to delve into it a bit more. Laura Meyer’s show has received lots of praise for its look at the podcast industry. Listen on your podcast app >>

Lights Out – ‘Accounts and Accountability’

Lights Out is a new show on BBC Radio 4 that explores a different topic each episode and encourages people to take a close listen. In this episode,  a documentary-maker hosts an open-call audition for subjects to star in her next project. Accounts and Accountability offers a dive into the ethics of buying and selling true stories. Listen on your podcast app >>

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Meera is an award-winning Producer and Content Development Exec. She was selected as one of the Rising Stars of 2022 in the British Podcast Awards, was named Best Entertainment Producer in the 2022 Audio Production Awards, and has won two Lovie Awards. Meera has produced stories for the BBC, Sony Music, Universal, UK Parliament, Waitrose, and other well-known brands. Meera is Ambie nominated, and has had her work featured in The Guardian and The Times and selected as one of Spotify’s Best Episodes Of 2021.

The post Ethics and Entertainment: What should be driving editorial choices? appeared first on POD BIBLE.

In an upcoming 4-episode series around sustainable food systems, Narratives of Purpose are featuring founders based in Switzerland, the US and the UK. From fighting food waste to regenerative agriculture via community networks built around food, it is amplifying the impactful work they carry out with their organisations.

Who are you and what’s your podcast about?

My name is Claire, I live in Switzerland, and I spent the first decade of my life in east Africa. I mention my African heritage and the fact that I evolved in multicultural, international environments because it has shaped my perspective on life. Formally speaking, I am a biologist with fourteen years’ experience in the life sciences industry as Medical Affairs expert.

Besides being an independent podcast creator, I recently started my freelance communications and advisory business. I am fascinated by individuals, the potential every single person possesses to flourish and thrive as well as the interconnection between all human beings. I have this sense of belief in people and our multitude of untapped abilities, which is basically the foundation of my podcast – Narratives of Purpose. I want to inspire people to act upon social issues. So, I share unique stories of impact through conversations with global changemakers. These are thought-provoking, inspiring conversations that address meaningful and complex topics. And if you listen carefully to all these journeys, it all starts the same way, it starts with the individual. That’s the angle I take with my podcast: I show that anybody can create positive impact around them, starting by themselves.

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

I began listening to podcasts with my first ever iPod touch in 2009. Back in those days, I was mostly catching up on my favourite radio shows which I wasn’t always able to listen to live, but I can’t quite recall a particular podcast. However, listening to the first season of Serial (it must have been in 2014) was a defining moment because it made me realise that podcasts could be much more than a complement to radio, and they would open the space to more creators.

Why did you decide to start podcasting in the first place?

I wanted to explore the medium and find out what opportunities it would create when I share my personal view of the world. In fact, I wanted to use my voice in a meaningful way by showcasing the impactful stories I knew or heard about. Podcasting turns out to be a powerful storytelling tool in terms of building bridges and sparking conversations. This really supports my goal of amplifying social impact. Also, audio is an integral part of my life, whether it’s radio or podcasts not a day goes by without me listening to one of them. So, why not become part of the digital audio space as well, and even contribute to shape it.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

I scrolled through my podcast library the other day, and I noticed that over half of the shows I subscribed to are from women podcasters. I had not appreciated how much my inspiration comes from podcasts created by women. These are my top picks:

Les Transformateurs by Lowpital, a women-led healthcare design thinking agency is a French podcast that features individuals transforming the health system.

The stories are amazing. Creativity Found by Claire Waite Brown is great because it shows the importance of including creative practices in our everyday lives as adults.

Our Body Politic by Farai Chideya is my go-to podcast for in-depth reporting on how Black women and women of colour both experience and impact major political events.

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

That is a tough question. If I must narrow it down to a single person, then it will be Bryan Stevenson the founder and Executive Director of Equal Justice Initiative. His TED talk is on my top 2 list, I recommend watching it. He has dedicated his career to helping the poor, the incarcerated, and the condemned. For me, the fact that such work is needed highlights the lack of inclusivity in the way institutions that govern the world we live in were designed.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as a podcaster?

Transforming your ideas into reality may be a challenging process, but it will bring you places you are meant to be in, and it will connect you with people who will support you greatly on your journey – the power of the collective. So, collaboration instead of competition is the way forward in my opinion. As an independent podcaster, benefiting from podcasting communities together with impact-driven networks I became part of has been a testament to that.

Which episode would you say is the perfect introduction to your podcast?

Episode 46, ‘On Harnessing Tech Innovation to Improve Healthcare – A Conversation with Dr. Ernest Darkoh & Dr. John Sargent’. It is the quintessential combination of what I have been showcasing on the podcast. I constantly strive to bring international and multicultural perspectives, to highlight social entrepreneurship, to focus on healthcare and innovation, also to emphasise self-discovery and self-development. Even though this episode does not address gender equality, another focus topic of my podcast with education and sustainability, it pretty much covers all the other criteria so it’s definitely a great place to start.

Where can the Pod Bible readers find out more about you?

I am present and active on LinkedIn.

Listen to Narratives of Purpose on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps >>

The post Narratives of Purpose: Inspiring people to act upon social issues appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Who are you and what’s your podcast about?

I’m Maria Passingham, a producer/editor for editaudio by day and… also an indie podcaster by night! I’m based in Manchester in the UK. Equal Parts is a series of true love stories told by the people that lived them. It’s about how couples meet and fall in love, usually covering their very first interaction, first date, and a little about how their relationship has progressed since. Both people are interviewed separately and then my questions are cut and their answers entwined in the edit. It can lead to some hilarious mismatched memories, or very sweet mirrored responses. It also makes the listening experience more intimate as there’s no interruptions from the interviewer or other partner.

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

Wow! In the very early days I listened to a lot of BBC radio podcasts which were actually more like on-demand shows, barely edited except for the music and news cut out. The first real podcast I listened to was Answer Me This!, which I actually still listen to (even though they stopped publishing in 2021). I know it so well that it helps me to sleep if my brain is too busy. I love that it was British because I probably listen to 75% American podcasts now, but it’s nice that my introduction was closer to home. I do think broadly that the two scenes produce different styles of content.

Why did you decide to start podcasting in the first place?

Basically to get a job! I had done lots of unpaid internships (don’t get me started) and a few bits of paid freelance work here and there but I wanted to prove what I could do. So I decided to stop waiting for someone to ask me and just get on with it. I started with Library of Things Podcast with stories from a social enterprise in South London. They were in their early days and I wanted to experiment with production, so we collaborated – they gave me access to the community and stories and I showcased the innovations and connections that were coming out of the space. I’m still very proud of that project, although if I listen now it makes me cringe – which I think is a good sign? I can see how far my skills have come.

Where there any podcasts you took inspiration from before starting?

Definitely. Song Exploder gave me the idea to cut my questions out of the podcast. I loved the way it seemed that the artists on that show just spoke effortlessly and continuously about their work. It made the narrative stronger, and the listening experience more intense and intimate. It also seemed like a nice way to not have to listen to my own voice too much!

Criminal was the inspiration behind unique artwork to accompany each episode. But I believe they have one consistent illustrator for every story, and I like to commission someone new each time. I send them a rough cut of the audio and almost no information about how the couple look, and they create an artist’s impression. I love the variety of styles and perspectives that come out of it!

You have a great range of voices on the show – how did you find your guests?

This is honestly the hardest part of production for me. The first season was a bit of an experiment so I just used the people around me, but that definitely reflected poorly on the diversity of my friendship groups. So, I made a concerted effort to find more guests that were Black or Asian for the second and third seasons. There’s definitely still room for improvement but I’m glad I recognised the issue and made an effort to course-correct.

For those later seasons I went online – where else?! – searching endless hashtags on Instagram #firstdatestory #meetcute #howwemet etc, and key phrases like “met my partner” on Twitter. It’s a lot of trawling and deep diving on strangers’ profiles. There’s also some bias there – it takes a certain type of person to share their relationship details online! But it was fun to expand the search world-wide.

My biggest regret with this show is not having at least one elderly couple. Sadly I found it hard to find couples in their 80s+ that are both still here, have strong memories, and computer-savvy, or geographically close to me to record. I did enquire at a few care homes but most of the reasons residents are there also would make it hard for them to take part on the podcast. If anyone has grandparents with a brilliant story and could help set up a computer to record, please get in touch!

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt as an indy podcaster?

Things always take way longer than you expect. I thought I was killing it in season 1 when I had most episodes in the can, ready to roll, ahead of the launch date. But I had forgotten about making a press pack, writing shownotes, making sure the RSS feed was accepted in time, writing social posts… there’s a million little jobs that go along with every episode. Now I have an (evolving!) checklist for all stages of production and distribution.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt as a professional audio producer?

It’s probably less of a technical, more of an emotional lesson. No matter how nervous you are – to lead an interview, to set up gear, to direct a voiceover session – you’re almost definitely the most qualified person in the room. So if you need a list of things to cover in your introduction, or a big post it saying ‘hit record!’ that’s absolutely fine, but believe in yourself, you’re the authority here. If it’s you, a client, and a guest on a video call, chances are the client will be in their head about asking the right questions, and the guest will be hoping they don’t make a fool of themself, or they get to touch on their talking points… they definitely aren’t second-guessing why you asked them to change input to the USB mic or turn off the fan. So work out what you need to do, or need them to do, and ask for it with confidence.

Oh and technically, really make sure your backup system is set up and reliable. Auto-save has rescued me a number of times, and I always keep on top of my storage.

Which episode would you say is the perfect introduction to your podcast?

Oh my goodness, so hard to choose! But because I heard a friend recommend it the other day – ‘Graham and Jules’ S2 E2, it’s a proper story of chance and coincidences. There’s love letters, special songs, and wedding crashers! Or, the episode released on Valentines’ Day – ‘Andy & Evin’! It’s the first of the third and final season.

Where can the Pod Bible readers find out more about you?

Twitter is the best bet @mariapassingham – I mainly post about podcasts, TV, and football, but sometimes interesting things as well.

Listen to Equal Parts on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps >>

The post Equal Parts: True love stories by the people that lived them appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Memories From The Dancefloor is a docu-series hosted by Journalist Damian Kerlin. Released during LGBTQ+ History Month, it celebrates LGBTQ+ venues and unravels the forgotten history behind queer nightlife across the UK. Damian speaks to founders, artists, promoters and patrons to unpack the expressions of queer identity after dark, colourfully told by the community that lived it.

We asked him more about his show, and how he found it podcasting for the first time…

What was your introduction to podcasting as a listener?

For me it was both I’m Grand Mam and Emma Gannon’s Ctrl, Alt, Delete.

I’m Grand Mam is the perfect example of how to get humour right in audio. Nothing feels forced. It is a conversation between two best friends and instead of it being about them, it is their reaction to the world around them. Ego in podcasting is rife and it turns me right off. I’m Grand Mam has hit the balance perfectly and their nuanced approach is why it is laugh-out-loud good. They are also Irish, but I’m not biased.

Ctrl, Alt, Delete was this phenomenon that was your typical interview podcast blueprint, but instead of relying on celebrities or big talent Emma spoke to people who genuinely inspired and interest her. It makes the whole experience really authentic and like most of us when talking to people we admire you can hear that 2OH MY GOD I CAN’T BLIEVE I’M SPEAKING TO YOU” in Emma’s voice, which makes it relatable. Emma has introduced me to some incredible people who I follow on socials and have reached out to too.

How have you found the process of podcasting compared to writing?

There are a lot of similarities, such as the research and setting up of interviews. For me what was different was the scripting and layering. When you write you take the reader on a journey, as wanky as that sounds, but you do. It is the same when scripting but suddenly it’s not just your voice or your style running through 1,800 words, it is quite literally others. You need to find balance in opinions, who compliments who and if not, why? Then there is the added layer of actual audio. People talking for 30+ minutes isn’t interesting. You need to create atmosphere and ambience. When should you introduce music, what should pop and when. I learned so much and I can’t wait to do more.

Did the show develop or change from your original application?

The premise very much remained the same, but I was flexible in our structure and approach. I wanted their story, but I didn’t know what these people were going to say. For instance, we delve into racism on the podcast, and once I started doing some digging, I knew I had to speak to Marc Thompson the founder of Black and Gay Back in the Day. Marc’s story was essential in ensuring balance in the narrative and that voices and perspectives were heard. This podcast is about being open and sharing experiences in a safe space. I refused to limit that as I wanted to hear them out, and the result has been incredible!

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as a podcaster?

Be prepared and always have a back-up plan. You may have a vision of how you want an interview to go or what you would like to get from it but it’s not that simple. When reflecting or discussing people’s experiences or perspective it can be challenging for them or it can be totally different to what you have researched.

Give them time to go on their journey and bounce off their enthusiasm, and garner from them when is good to push for a point and when is best to back up and take a different route. It’s a conversation, not an interrogation. Also, gassing all day is a hoot but knackering.

What song will always get you on the dancefloor?

Girls Aloud – Sound of the Underground. That guitar intro has had me running out of toilets squealing since 2015.

What would you like to see more of in the podcast space?

I am a sucker for a narrative. It’s the writer in me. I want more podcasts that take me on a journey – there we are with that ‘journey’ again –  which tells a story and challenges my thinking. I want that light bulb moment. I adored Pandora Sykes’ Unreal: A Critical History of Reality TV and A Positive Life: HIV from Terrence Higgins to Today. Storytelling at its finest.

Do you have any tips or tricks for budding podcasters looking to apply for something like the Acast Amplifier programme?

Just do it! Sometimes you can ‘oh’ and ‘ah’ about something and then it never materialises because you kept putting it off. The time is now!

Listen to Memories From The Dancefloor on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular apps >>

Find out more about another Acast Amplifier project, Stacked, here >>

The post Introducing… Memories From The Dancefloor appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Who are you and what’s your podcast about?

ANDREW: My name is Andrew MacDougall, and I’m one of the regulars on Hacks & Flaks, the new podcast that shines a light on how media (Hacks) and PR (Flaks) work in tandem to make the news. I’m a former Director of Communications to former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper who’s been working in PR in London for the past ten years, advising corporates, charities and high net worth individuals in my role as a Director at Trafalgar Strategy.

GILES: I am Giles Kenningham, former Number Ten spokesman and in a life before that I was a journalist for ITV News.
Our podcast lifts the lid on how and why stories make the front and back pages but also why some stories end up in the dustbin. It also takes an irreverent look at the more comedic sides of the media.

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

ANDREW: The first podcast I can remember binging on was ‘Serial’, the true crime series about Adnan Syed. Now I can’t stop listening to podcasts, from ‘The Missing Cryptoqueen’ to Joe Rogan.

GILES: One of the first podcasts I listened to was Elizabeth Day’s “how to fail” which was and remains a great format. Now I listen to an array across the spectrum and am trying to listen to more podcasts and watch less television. I am currently listening to the comedian Paul Chowdhry’s “Pudcast”.

Why did you decide to start podcasting in the first place?

ANDREW: Having worked in politics, business and the media, I didn’t feel there was a podcast that properly examined how the news comes together and how that’s changing in the age of social media. Enter ‘Hacks & Flaks’! In any age of declining trust in media we think it’s important to demystify this vital cog in our democracy.

GILES: I’ve always been fascinated in how the media works and shapes the agenda. We also felt there was a gap in the market for a podcast that lifts the lid on how the media works but does so without taking itself too seriously. The media show on Radio 4 aims to do that but is massively constrained by the straitjacket of BBC editorial guidelines

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

ANDREW: As someone who’s benefitted from cognitive behavioural therapy to help improve my mental health, I’m a big fan of Ryan Holiday’s pod ‘The Daily Stoic’, which explores the Stoicism that underpins much of CBT. Stoicism is an operating system for life in the dizzying age of social media and I love how the pod gives you strategies and insights that can help you in your daily life.

As a Canadian political junkie, I also love ‘The Herle Burly’, a political pod that actually knows what it’s talking about and knows what it feels like to be caught in the grind of modern politics. It’s also a real conversation for real people, not a sermon, and that’s a vibe we’re trying to match in ‘Hacks & Flaks’.

And as a football junkie, and a Chelsea supporter, I love the ‘London is Blue’ podcast, where the hosts really do a good job of including their listeners in the pod and building a community of people who love Chelsea Football Club.

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

ANDREW: My dream guest for the podcast would be Rupert Murdoch, a man who had seen – and lead – multiple revolutions in the media, from the rise of The Sun and red top culture in the UK in the early 1970s, to the rise of opinion-led cable news in the United States in the 1990s and beyond.

GILES: So many people. But for starters any of my favourite comedians from Kevin Bridges to Peter Kay. On a more serious note Bill Clinton.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far from making the podcast?

ANDREW: My biggest lesson to date has been that chemistry really matters. On ‘Hacks & Flaks’ we have a great host – Petrie Hosken – and a great collection of regular contributors, including my business partner Giles Kenningham, another former political staffer, and Mick Booker, an experienced (and hilarious) journalist. We get along well in real life and that comes across on the pod. And of course we have a wonderful producer – Amanda Redman – who keeps us all on track and on point!

GILES: Sometimes the best moments come from going off piste. Given we are not live, we have the luxury of time and can always edit bits out if they are too off topic.

Listen to Hacks and Flacks on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps.

The post Hacks and Flacks: How media (Hacks) and PR (Flaks) work in tandem appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Who are you and what’s your podcast about?

Hi! I’m Philip Gawthorne and I’m an action movie screenwriter living in Hollywood. Our podcast Die Hard on a Blank explores the influence of Die Hard on action cinema, one action movie at a time. I co-host the show with Liam Billingham, a brilliant film podcaster and fellow cinephile. Each episode is a deep dive on a different action movie that contains some kind of ‘Die Hard DNA’. It’s essentially a fun movie discussion podcast that treats the action genre with real respect and love.

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

How Did This Get Made? was really my gateway drug into this world – I quickly became addicted to it. The three hosts are absolutely brilliant – wildly contrasting personalities who together have incredible chemistry. What they’ve achieved in the podcast space is truly inspiring – now they do live shows and pack out venues all across the United States. I think they blazed the trail for everyone in this game.

Why did you decide to start podcasting in the first place?

I’m a passionate cinephile with a particular love of the action movies of the 1980s and 1990s, which was really a golden age of action cinema. I was a video store kid and there’s a sense of nostalgia to the whole experience – there’s something wonderfully comforting about revisiting all these films that I loved so much growing up. At the same time, I work in the Hollywood studio system as a screenwriter, so I come at the analysis from an inside business angle, as well as being an action movie fanboy. This project was something I’ve wanted to do for a while, and when I met my co-host Liam Billingham, everything clicked into place. He has the same effusive love of action movies that I do, but he comes at it all from a completely different cultural perspective (I’m British, he’s American) which makes for highly entertaining conversations!

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

I’m a huge fan of The Rewatchables and Clash of the Titles – two shows that adroitly balance serious cultural/critical analysis and a light-hearted sense of fun. I want our show to evoke the same friendly, inviting vibe that those podcasts have, where you feel like you’re hanging out with your mates when you listen. There was another show called 80s All Over that I absolutely loved, where they reviewed every movie of the 1980s, one month at a time. It was a fascinating endeavour, as everything was placed in a social-political context, and you got a real sense of different filmic trends throughout the decade. I want to do the same thing with Die Hard On A Blank, as we’ll be discussing all the films in chronological order of their release. It’s a kind of “action movie genealogy project”, where we’ll be able to track how the Die Hard formula evolved, adapted and mutated over time. Each episode will be entertaining in its own right, but in its totality it will be a comprehensive analysis of Die Hard‘s enduring impact on action cinema.

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

There are several guests I’d love to have on, but right now there’s a podcaster and presenter called Kyle Brandt that I’m a huge fan of. He’s primarily an NFL guy, but he’s guested a few times on The Rewatchables discussing 80s action movies like Commando and Cobra and I know we’re very much on the same action movie wavelength! Van Lathan is another guy I’d love to have on, as well as Matt Gourley, who did a wonderful podcast called I Was There Too and now co-hosts the 007 podcast James Bonding We’ll be doing all the Bonds, Bournes and Jack Ryans, so I’d love to have guests who can provide additional expertise in certain areas, especially if there’s an action movie they’re really passionate about!

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as a podcaster?

Doing a podcast is a lot of work, so it’s important that you absolutely love it, which fortunately I do! I think finding the right partners and co-host is also critical – it needs to be about a subject that you are utterly fascinated by and truly passionate about, that you discuss with someone whose company you genuinely enjoy. That’s certainly been the case with Die Hard On A Blank – it’s a transfer of enthusiasm with the audience, and Liam and I certainly have abundant enthusiasm for action movies!

Which episode would you say is the perfect introduction to your podcast?

The show starts with a two-part double header (out on December 21 across all platforms) all about the original 1988 classic Die Hard, and that’s a great entry point for new listeners. We break down Die Hard scene by scene, moment by moment, then we go on to discuss all the pop-cultural elements that influenced it. That includes films such as The Detective starring Frank Sinatra (who was originally offered the role of John McClane), the 1976 disaster movie The Towering Inferno, and the first Rambo picture, First Blood. We also talk a lot about Nothing Lasts Forever, the 1979 thriller novel upon which Die Hard is based. In other episodes, we’ll go on to talk about films like Road House, License to Kill, The Hunt for Red October and Die Hard 2 – look out for that episode, I think it was the funniest one we’ve done so far (by which I mean I mean the most embarrassing for me).

Where can the Pod Bible readers find out more about you?

I’m on all the usual social media places – Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. I’m also on the Blu-ray/iTunes commentary track for the 2020 sci-fi/horror/action film Underwater, alongside the director William Eubank, who is a frequent collaborator of mine – so you can hear me gabbing about that movie there. I recently appeared on my friend Andy Maiorano’s podcast The AndyPlex, where we discuss Blue Thunder, the most underrated action movie of the 1980s in my opinion, and we talk more about Die Hard on a Blank and the show’s format. There’s a few fun games we play on our show that we chat about in that interview. Liam also has his own show called Rohmercast that’s really cool – he was recently listed in Vulture’s article about the best film podcasts. So come check us out – we want to welcome all our pals to the party!

Listen to Die Hard On A Blank on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps.

The post Die Hard on a Blank: Exploring the influence of ‘Die Hard’ on action cinema appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Who are you and what’s your podcast about?

I’m Joanna Youle, I am an EX BBC 6 Music journalist and audio creative living on Ibiza. My podcast Ibiza- The Reset Rebel is about the rascals, rebels and rogues who live here and the ones how have reset the narrative of what the island is known for.

Joanna Youle speaking to indigenous rights advocate Bruce Parry

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

I hate to say it but my own at 6 Music! I was making the BBC 6 MUSIC DAILY MUSIC NEWS DOWNLOAD and had to say that phrase every day!! ha ha!! It was a news round up podcast when podcasts began, right in the early stages of podcasts being born in the early 2000´s.

Why did you decide to start podcasting in the first place?

As I said, I was making podcasts for 6 Music back in the day when podcasting really started to become a thing and I could see quite quickly the power of them and the way listeners had become that little bit more discerning looking for content that was not spoon fed and I wished to tap into that and paint a picture of Ibiza as an island know for something other then parties!! There is so much more to the island, hearing peoples opinions of it when I travel is very frustrating!

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

The Diary of a CEO, The Awake at Night podcast, The Guilty Feminist, Ocean Matters and the Farmarama podcast.

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

Bahramji. I love his music and he fuses the path between the two worlds the collide in Ibiza with such amazing grace – the party one and the spiritual one.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as a podcaster?

Not to give up. Even when you think no one is listening at the start, something magical happens that keeps you producing and you stay committed. You meet someone and have an amazing conversation or learn something life changing or find out about something happening you never would have or a historical fact about the island that make me love it even more.

Which episode would you say is the perfect introduction to your podcast?

The Reset Rebel celebrates 100 episodes – so No 100, as it is a taster of all the best guests and my favourite moments so far.

Where can the Pod Bible readers find out more about you?

My website joyoule.co.uk or my Instagram @theresetrebel.

Listen to Rebel Reset on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps.

The post Reset Rebel: The rascals, rebels and rogues of Ibiza appeared first on POD BIBLE.

About a year before the pandemic, I made the very sensible decision of spending all my savings on a creative writing master’s. Despite a long freelance career that straddled the corporate and creative worlds, I wanted to narrow my focus and instead at least try to commit to a more creative life. I was a professional singer with a residency at a London hotel and after completing my MA, I decided that singing would be my main source of income while I worked on my novel and other creative pursuits of podcasting and standup comedy.

Clever.

When lockdown hit, I didn’t just lose my income, it felt like I lost my voice.

I started a podcast with my boyfriend in 2019. The Dabblers’ Book Club was a simple couple’s hobby, built around the fact we both loved to talk and we both liked reading. Well, he loved reading, I always needed a bit of a nudge. The pod forced me to read a book every fortnight and to clarify my thoughts on it by talking it through. We reviewed novels and would laugh at one-star reviews on Amazon. It was a modest podcast but it was fun and it gave me the opportunity to connect with a range of people for interviews – it felt like a permission slip to approach people I admired and respected for a conversation. A particular highlight was interviewing the wonderful author Douglas Stuart about his Booker winning debut, Shuggie Bain.

In the early stages of lockdown, despite the chaos in my head, The Dabblers’ Book Club gave me a sense of purpose and even identity. I’m undeniably an extrovert but growing up in a strict religious household instilled a sense of shame in me about any traits that might be deemed unladylike; I knew from a young age that I was ‘too loud’ and that anything I said would be subject to intense scrutiny. So when it came to podcasting it wasn’t the chat, but the edit that felt like a battle. I started out cutting huge sections of what I’d said in case the logic was even slightly flawed or ill-considered; I’d take out jokes I’d found funny at the time; I’d edit out every ‘umm’ to the point I sounded like a robot; and even though there was no clipping or distortion I’d cut out the occasional foghorn that was my laugh. I simply couldn’t believe that not everyone was listening to tear me apart. That some people do actually want to hear what you think and will allow you your flaws. The inner critic is hard to silence. As schedules changed, reading got harder and we let the podcast fizzle out, but I’m determined not to let my voice die with it.

So, I’ve given myself permission to be too loud again or – as anyone who’s not my dad would call it – to have conversations in public. Lots and lots of conversations, in fact, with brilliant people, covering everything from love, loss and grief to travel, creativity and identity. To get me through this post-pandemic lull and make some noise, I’m launching The Noisy Hajar Podcast, a weekly podcast where I’ll invite guests to talk about absolutely anything they want. As a judge at the British Podcast Awards, I should know better than to dive in without a clear structure or plan, but that’s also the beauty of podcasting. Just as some of best lines in TV comedy history came from hours of improv, you never know what gems you’ll find just by talking things through. To get some inspiration (and bag some future guests) I’ll be heading to some of the brilliant live podcast events at the London Podcast Festival this month. Here are my picks.

Halfies: A Live Podcast
Thursday 8 th September | 9.30pm | £9.50

If you’re dual heritage like me and have never known which box to tick on a diversity form, this one’s for you. To talk about the funny side of growing up a ‘halfie’, I’ll be joined by razor-sharp comic and fellow Anglo-Iranian Darius Davies and ‘the best British-Surinamese, Irish-Palestinian duo on the circuit’, Shirley & Shirley, aka Joanna Carolan and Pascale Wilson. Buy tickets >>

A Gay and A NonGay
Friday 9 th September | 7pm | £9.50

I saw James Barr’s brilliant ‘Straight Jokes’ show at the Edinburgh Fringe and I know this live podcast, nominated in the Best Interview and Sex & Relationships categories at this year’s British Podcast Awards will deliver just as many laughs. Expect audience interaction, a safe space for Dan to ask questions to the LGBTQ+ community in Things That Dan Cannot Say, and a laugh-out-loud look at the differences between Gay and NonGay people. Buy tickets >>

Griefcast
Sunday 11 th September | 7pm | £14.50

Grief isn’t something we seem to have a particular language or culture around in the UK, but luckily people are trying to change that. This podcast has been a lifeline for some of my friends who’ve experienced the heartbreak and aching loneliness of loss. Comedian Cariad Lloyd is joined by Karen Hobbs, Marcus Brigstocke and Saima Ferdows to talk all things grief and death and to plan their own funerals at the same time. Buy tickets >>

Chart Music: The TOTP Podcast
Sunday 17 th September | 2pm | £12.50

Now that I’m 36, a good Friday night in consists of a bottle of wine and 90s Top of the Pops, so this is right up my street. For this special live episode, host Al Needham will be joined onstage by David Stubbs, Sarah Bee and Taylor Parkes for a concentrated, 90-minute blast of putting the trainers to the anus of an episode of our favourite Thursday night pop treat. Buy tickets >>

90 Minutes Or Less Film Fest Fest: Dan Schreiber on Naked Gun 2 1/2 – The Smell of Fear
Sunday 18 th September | Noon | £9.50

I loved the Naked Gun films as a kid, and still have Priscilla Presley’s three-point flashing dress emblazoned in my memory, so this is a must-watch for me. For this live edition of the show, Sam Clements will be joined by Dan Schrieber to watch the film and then chat about it after. A pretty perfect Sunday afternoon. Buy tickets >>

Read more articles about the London Podcast Festival or head to the Kings Place Website to buy your tickets!

The post Permission to make some noise (and finding inspiration at the London Podcast Festival) appeared first on POD BIBLE.