Who are you and what’s your podcast about?

Oculi-Mundi.com – the Eyes of the World – is the online home of a collection of early, mostly European, maps and related material. The objects in the collection range from the 13th to the 19th centuries and are world maps, celestial maps, atlases, globes, manuscripts, and books.

Our podcast is What’s Your Map? In it, the well-known historian and author Jerry Brotton meets people from around the world and from all sorts of fields, who love maps. They each bring Jerry a map to discuss that is particularly influential for them.

Jerry Brotton, host of What’s Your Map?

How did the idea for What’s Your Map? come about?

We have always admired Jerry’s work, and very happily got to know him through the map ecosystem. He asked if we had ever thought of doing a map podcast; we had not, but it sounded like a brilliant idea! And we always love an adventure.

At Oculi Mundi, we are very intent on sharing the joy of maps and all the ideas and stories around them. Doing a podcast with Jerry is such an exciting way of building on that.

What’s the first podcast you ever listened to?

Talk Art.

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

We couldn’t find any other podcast that actually talked to people about the maps they love, and their personal stories; all we could find were educational podcasts. Those are great – but in our view, maps are all about people: people who make maps, who use them, who get inspired by them. Maps are incredibly complex, contextual objects: there are so many stories to tell from them and about them.

We thought it would be fascinating and great fun to meet people and their maps – past and present. At Oculi Mundi we are a collection, not experts per se; and having someone as knowledgeable, experienced, and engaging as Jerry to host was a no-brainer. The podcast also allows us to present and explore maps that are beyond our specific collecting remit.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

Jerry has done a number of podcasts and radio programmes before. He made a series called Blood and Bronze for BBC Sounds on the Italian Renaissance artist Benvenuto Cellini, and listens to Waldy and Bendy’s Adventures in Art. Our producers, Whistledown Studio, are also very experienced. They produce shows like Our Broken Planet and The Reunion on BBC Radio 4.

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

Have a great producer! And be prepared as far in advance as possible.

We put all the maps being discussed during What’s Your Map? online at Oculi Mundi, so that listeners can zoom in and follow along; so we make a full webpage for each guest. It also contains information on key themes or life experiences discussed by Jerry and the guest. It is important for us to take time to listen to the podcast episodes and think about what to feature online – what kinds of rabbit holes there are – and to ask questions. We also like to make sure that we have all the permissions in place to use digital images of maps that are outside the collection, as well as other images and content.

Blaeu’s World Map, showing the Copernican solar system, 1662. Credit: Oculi-Mundi.com

What can you tell us about series two of the podcast?

Series 2 is going to be great fun – we are very lucky and honoured to have an eclectic, wonderful mix of guests, talking about a terrific group of maps. Our first guest is Google Earth’s Ed Parsons; then we meet the journalist and writer Sathnam Sanghera, NASA scientist Dr Heidi Hamel, cartographic historian Matthew Edney, National Geographic photographer and documentary maker Michael Yamashita, and Margo Ngawa Neale, an expert and curator of Indigenous Australian cultures. Series 2 will launch on 29th January on all major platforms – and as always, the maps will be available at Oculi-Mundi.com/podcast.

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

We have many dream guests! Among them would be cellist Yoyo Ma (who did a beautiful Silk Road project) and someone from the world of aviation. It would also be wonderful to speak with the artist Yinke Shonibare, and to find a specialist in mapping the flow of languages – or maybe the human brain. Other artists we would love to speak with are William Kentridge and Grayson Perry, who use maps in their work.

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

From Series 1, the second episode featuring explorer Dwayne Fields. It shows how deep and how human the context of maps can be, and what maps don’t say as much as what they show. Dwayne is incredibly inspiring, with his polar expeditions re-writing history.

Do you have a favourite episode of the podcast, or one you are proudest of?

A favourite episode from Series 1 is the last one, with Jane Anson. Jane is a wine expert living in Bordeaux. Not only is she very engaging and knowledgeable about wine, but she demonstrates the fascinating history, uses, and sources of mapmaking in an industry and a region that are not obvious when you think about cartography.

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

All the episode webpages and maps, along with information about Jerry and What’s Your Map? can be found at www.Oculi-Mundi.com/podcast.

Listen to What’s Your Map? on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other popular podcast apps >>

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

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Who are you and what’s your podcast about?

I’m an actor and broadcaster. I’ve worked in TV, comedy, and animation on all the major channels and I also have another hat; where I make radio features for BBC Radio 4. I’m also a total history nerd, especially local history.

The podcast is a gentle storytelling documentary series about East London history. Modern history. It features stories about people’s lives. Stories of love, family, business, arrivals, and departures. Full of historical facts about East London, it’s a love letter to two boroughs, Hackney and Newham.

If you like The Repair Shop and This American Life and you like archive voices and London history you will love this series.

Host Sue Elliott-Nicholls, at home in East London since the 80s (left) Sue enjoying a local car boot in Hackney (right).

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

During lockdown I was approached by a local theatre company, Immediate Theatre, to see if I wanted to host a weekly radio series on Resonance FM for isolated elders in Hackney. I scoffed:

“Do you have any idea how hard it is producing a radio show?”

Amused, and fancying a change from recording voice overs in my cupboard I said I would host the pilot.

Two seasons, fifty programmes and almost 50,000 listens later, we had a wealth of fantastic stories and memories of Hackney. Voices and stories any programme maker would kill for.

With gentrification changing the area by the day I wanted to make a series recording the lives of the people who went before. Real tales of real people; so much of the East End history focuses on criminals and wrong-uns, jellied eels or chirpy cockneys offering a cuppa and a friendly biscuit. There are so many more interesting tales to tell.

So I trotted back to Immediate Theatre, we got together with the local archives, applied for Heritage Lottery funding, brought in a brilliant documentary producer Tamsin Hughes and started collecting stories for The Hackney and Newham History Social Club podcast.

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

I loved This American Life. That really opened my eyes (or ears?) to the possibility of making radio outside the confines of the major radio stations.

I love the fascination of the every day. Holding a microscope – or microphone – to the little moments.

Many years ago I hosted a series for BBC Radio 4 called The Things We Do (producer Suki Firth). We looked at five subjects: eavesdropping, flirting, unwanted advice, boys’ banter, and little white lies. It was one of my favourite series.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

I love story-telling podcasts.

I’ve always valued working in audio because when you interview someone you get an intimacy that isn’t always possible when there is a camera and a camera operator. I love the nuances in people’s voices, the catches in their voices, the pauses, the smile, the little laugh. I guess that’s why I like voice acting, you can tell so much from subtle changes in a person’s voice.

So, for story-telling, The Moth, This American Life.

For gentle observation and a sense of place my producer Tamsin Hughes put me on to The Stubborn Light Of Things. You can pretty much go anywhere with a microphone.

Mayank and Anju Patel – owners of the infamous Londis N16, “The Most Famous Corner Shop in the Country” (The Face, 2023).

Can you tell us more about what to expect from the new series of The Hackney and Newham History Social Club podcast?

This new season takes a deeper look into the connections between the past and present. We spend a full day with the Patel’s from Londis N16 and hear their family story through four generations from Zambia and India to becoming “The Most Famous Corner Shop In The Country.” (The Face 2023).

We also have tales of secret weddings, enterprise, family, and more. We talk to Judy Frumin who finds a diary in her mum’s suitcase she brought from Czechoslovakia before the Nazis arrived. She traces the story of two women; there’s escape, dancing, weddings and a tragic death. The journey ends in a hunt for a grave in an east London cemetery.

We meet George James who sold shave ice in Ridley Road Market. The Original Caribbean form of Slush Puppy (before Slush Puppies.)

The series is packed with humour from our guests and I try to add in as many historical facts as I can – told you I’m a history nerd! Did you know The name Londis “Lon-Dis” comes from The “London District of the National Grocers Federation”; a 1950s breakaway group of independent shop owners? Going back to when a common in Hackney was brickfields and farms.

Serving the community since the 1980s; you can buy everything in the Patel’s family store from fresh fruit & veg, homemade samosas to a tin of Heinz soup, a scratch card or a hip vegan dip.

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

I feel like our dream guests are the people we already have. People with fascinating stories to tell. In a later series of The Hackney and Newham History Social Club we tell the story of some photos found in a skip, the story takes us on an incredible journey of history, dignity, family love, ending up in one of the county’s most prestigious art galleries.

I love the fact we can tell working class stories, to me, these are often the most interesting. Stories of adversity, stories with journeys physical and emotional. East London, in particular, has such a rich history of immigration and reinvention.

Having said that, Idris Elba is the patron of Immediate Theatre, it would be amazing to hear about his family. Andi Oliver, Ray Winston, Professor Green, Kano, and Paloma Faith…There’s a lot of talent comes out from our little corner of the East End.

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

I feel like all of the series are packed with amazing stories. For me, I would definitely listen to series episodes in order – the stories are expertly weaved through every episode by our very talented producer.

We have an introductory episode “Moving East.” This tells the tale of a shed in a park with a difficult history on the front line of the National Front.

A love affair with nature along an old sewage works.

A young girl arriving from Cyprus in the 60’s and her obsession with fashion.

It takes you on a journey through ancient routes from Hackney Reservoirs to the Woolwich Ferry.

The mix of humour, banter, and real-life moments make it relatable and fun even when discussing deeper topics.

One listener commented “laughed out loud on the train.”

Love and romance in Carmen and Chock’s wedding. (Find out why Chock had to keep hers a secret.)

Do you have a favourite episode of the podcast, or one you are proudest of?

Honestly, every series of The Hackney and Newham History Social Club is full of the most amazing stories, I think it’s difficult to choose one.

As you look back on your podcasting journey, what challenges have you faced, and how have you overcome them to keep the show growing?

I’ve been very very lucky to have a brilliant team; Tamsin Hughes, Carina VogIelsberger, and Tiziana Silvestre. The project has been overwhelming at times, the team are making the series, researching and collecting stories for the archives at the same time.

I think, for me personally, because I have come from a broadcast background I hadn’t anticipated the effort that needs to go into growing an audience. The socials, the schmoozing, getting the name out there. Even finding the right person to help with marketing – thankfully we’re very lucky to have found Becky Lamb-Pritchard from Distorted who understands the project, it’s so much more than history, it’s comedy, it’s telling stories.

What advice would you give to someone just starting their own podcast, based on your experiences?

Give it an identity. What makes your podcast different to the others? What can listeners find in your material that they won’t find anywhere else? What can you give that no-one else can?

I remember when podcasts first came out and were discussed in a Women In Media event I went to. “It’s like the Wild West,” they said, “But the good ones can rise to the top.”

Also – it’s hard work so keep it enjoyable.

What are your plans for the podcast moving forward?

We’re busy working on some incredible new stories for next year, we have heritage lottery funding until summer 2025 (thank you to Heritage Lottery.)

After that we can see so many possibilities going forward. Bringing museums to life, spreading out to other boroughs and even around the country. The History Social Club could travel to Lambeth, Waltham Forest, Glasgow even.

Our producer told me about a poem called “Wild Geese”. There is a line in it which says: “announcing your place in the family of things.”

We are led by the stories we find.

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

You can find us on Instagram @Thehistorysocialclub.

Or, to find out more about the project and get involved in The Hackney and Newham History Social Club, or if you have a story you think we might like, you can contact us on Instagram or at our website.

For my news and news of other projects, check out @Sweliotknickers on Instagram.

The Hackney and Newham History Social Club can be heard on Spotify and all audio streaming services.

Visit: immediate-theatre.com/work/heritage/hackney-newham-history-social-club or scan the bar code below to listen to the podcast.

Listen to The Hackney & Newham History Social Club

This article was produced in partnership with Immediate Theatre

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We caught up with the hosts of the show to learn more about this concept, the inspiration behind the podcast and where new listeners should start to order the disorder…

Who are you and what is your podcast about?

BOTH: We are London-based American Middle East expert Jason Pack and DC-based former British Ambassador Alexandra Hall Hall. Jason is the inventor of the ‘Global Enduring Disorder’ paradigm: the concept behind the Disorder podcast.

On the Disorder podcast, we speak to political journalists and historians such as Anne Applebaum, Jonathan Powell, Tom Malinowski and many more, and we seek to learn from their experiences to – as the tagline suggests – ‘Order the Disorder’. The podcast has covered topics like climate change, Neo-Populism, and unregulated cyberspace, analysing how they feed into our era of Disorder.

Jason Park, co-host of the Disorder podcast

Why did you start the podcast?

JASON: Firstly, I feel that many of the world’s top table issues are interlinked, but are usually presented as if they were discrete. Issues about the Arab Spring are covered separately from issues about regulating AI. The climate change dossier and the tax evasion dossier are written about like they are not connected. But in reality these issues are all part and parcel of the coordination failures that underlie the Enduring Disorder. Secondly, I noticed that a lot of journalism, think tank reports, and other podcasts are really all about the problems. They diagnose them and tell funny stories about them. I wanted to create a show that was engaging and told real people’s stories, but also proposed solutions. That is why I made the Disorder Show and created our unique ‘Ordering the Disorder’ segment.

ALEX: Partly, I wanted to learn a new skill set. It keeps me on my toes. It forces me to think through my biases and prejudices; be challenged by different viewpoints. I enjoy debating with Jason. It’s helped me find my voice, in this mad, mad, mad, mad world.

Alexandra Hall Hall, co-host of the Disorder podcast

What have you learned from doing the show, so far?

ALEX: It has helped restore my confidence in mankind, to hear so many guests on the show – some of whom have been in the most difficult situations – retain hope, confidence, and determination to fight to make this a better world. The best recent example is Jason’s interview with Evgenia Kara Murza, the wife of Vladimir Kara-Murza, the Russian opposition politician who is serving a 25 year jail sentence on completely trumped up charges, for daring to criticise Putin. She was powerfully, righteously, angry – and hearing her made me want to fight her cause as well.

The Americans on the show tend to be more confident and forward looking than the British. I don’t know if their confidence is justified, but they retain a faith in the power of America to do good in the world. Britain, post-Brexit, seems to be both in denial and in a complete funk.

If you had to describe your show only using other podcasts, what would they be?

BOTH: We aspire for the humour and unified focus of Remainiacs, the moral clarity of Sam Harris’s Making Sense, and the production value and editing of Doomsday Watch and Power Corrupts.

If someone’s new to your show, which episode should they start with?

BOTH: We are a narrative program based on the Enduring Disorder concept, so I think you should start all the way at the beginning with Episode 1 to get a hold on what we are about. Other episodes that really set the stage are: ‘Ep3. The Rise of the Neo-Populists’; ‘Ep6. NATO: A Model for Ordering the Disorder?’; ‘Ep11. The Psychology of Chaos’ and episode 17 is good because it looks back at the first year of the show.

Lastly, what’s your favourite podcast?

JASON: My three favourite pods no longer exist: Remainiacs, Doomsday Watch, and Power Corrupts. And I’m sorry, but Oh God What Now?, and This is Not a Drill, while very good, are just not at the same level.

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

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As well as bringing us International Women’s Day, March is also Women’s History Month. So much of the history we are taught focuses on the male perspective, and the same can be said of many history podcasts. Even when searching for the best women’s history podcasts,  quite often you will be recommended podcasts from the USA, and focused on American history. So for those of you searching for some UK-based women’s history podcasts, we’ve pulled together some shows that look at the history on our doorstep.

History Becomes Her

Who inspires the women making history right now? In History Becomes Her, Mashable journalist Rachel Thompson speaks to some of the women making change today about the women of the past who paved the way for them. Episodes include journalist Zing Tsjeng talking about pirate queens, and Ruth Hunt speaking about Virginia Woolfe and LGBQT+ history. This is also a great one to listen to for the book recommendations to add to your reading list. Listen now >>

Hell Cats

Speaking of pirate queens, a great Audible Original podcast to listen to this month is Hell Cats. It tells the little-known story of history’s most progressive pirates, Anne Bonny and Mary Read. This is a fictionalised version of a true story, so expect adventure on the high seas and an enduring love affair between the women.  This has had great reviews on Audible, with one listener saying “The sound design is like watching a series with your eyes closed”. Listen now on Audible>>

History Cafe

This podcast isn’t exclusively for women’s history, but it has some great episodes that delve into lesser-known parts of British women’s history. In a short series running this month ‘The Secret History of the Suffragettes’, they “peel away the Pankhurst monopoly to reveal something much uglier”. Learn about the WSPU and the terrorist tactics they employed in the name of women’s voting rights.  Listen now >>

Outliers

Another podcast that looks at history from an interesting angle, Outliers is an historic fiction podcast that explores how big events filter down to the people left out of the history books. Made by Historic Royal Palaces, in association with Rusty Quill (who are most popular for making fiction podcast The Magnus Archives and Stellar Firma) each episode has a writer pick a lesser-known person associated with a historical event, and write a monologue from their point of view. I really enjoyed Fresh Sweat and Cloves, where we hear from the widow of Walter Raleigh. Listen now >>

It’s A Continent

This podcast is here to remind us that Africa is a continent, not a country. And as such, there is a lot of history for many of us to unpack. For Women’s History Month, check out some of the episodes devoted to women who have changed their countries. ‘Queen Nzinga: Angola’s Protector’ was made famous by fighting against the slave trade and European influence, whilst ‘Wangari, Kenya’s mother’ tells the story of Wangari Maathai, who was the first Black woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Listen now >>

Same Sh!t, Different Century

In the Women’s March in 2017, three women went viral for dressing as suffragettes and marching with a sign that said “Same Shit, Different Century”. They were Costume Coordinators Amy Trend, Hannah Monkley and Amy Toll, and this is their podcast. Made back in 2018, there are only eight episodes and the first couple are very homemade. But this is a great podcast diving deep into one aspect of history, and it often pops up in lists for offering a different angle on women’s history. Listen now>>

Normal Women

This podcast was created to be released alongside Philippa Gregory’s history book, Normal Women, but it’s not a book podcast but rather a standalone series based on the book premise. The eight-part series doesn’t focus on the normal podcast narrative about the three or four well-known historical heroines. It is a dive into the normal women who we don’t learn about in history, whether they left records or were ‘hidden from history’ in the everyday. Listen now >>

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In Ghastly Women, Esther and her good friend Lily Philips bring to light the ‘other’ side of the so called “weaker sex”. They put some truly horrible women up with the big bad boys, because until we have women who are just as horrifying as some men, we will never get the respect/fear we deserve.

We sent over a few questions to learn more about the podcast…

Esther Manito at the Independent Podcast Awards

Can you tell us about your show – what is your elevator pitch?

There are so many podcasts about men who do horrible things and we wanted to show that women too can be ghastly. From killers, to stalkers and online trolls we cover all the things heinous committed by the fairer sex.

How did the show come about?

It came about from lockdown where myself and Lily would play interactive Pictionary online with an audience and each week we had a theme. The theme of female criminals hooked us.

Why podcasting? What is it about the format that appeals to you?

It’s allows us to be completely transparent and let the listeners get to us in a really honest way. The podcast is incredibly dark and humour is maniacal. It’s such chaos but we have developed such a brilliant fan base who share our sense of humour and it’s such a joy to reach out to them.

Were you influenced by any podcasts or podcasters before you started the show?

I love a podcast called Watch What Crappens. It’s two friends discussing the world of bravo reality TV. It honestly feels like you’re sat with two friends listening to them bantering and I think we have been influenced by this dynamic, drawing our listeners into our world and being ourselves completely.

What have you learnt about women from making your podcast?

That there is still a long way to go when it comes to women’s voices being given a platform. Our podcast is based on mocking the boundaries enforced on female performers and how we still are expected to follow mainstream narratives that want women as affable and as non threatening as possible. This podcast has given us the space to show us as piss-takers who are more than happy to mock the language and ideologies that are often used to repress women.

What do you think the secret is to a good ‘buddy’ podcast?

Chemistry. We both really enjoy each other’s company and I think that’s evident on the podcast. We know each other really well, we are part of each others lives both in and outside of work.

Finally, what is your current favourite podcast you would recommend to readers?

Watch What Crappens- if you like bravo tv
British Scandal – for a gripping story
Casefile – for true crime
Carrie Jade Does Not Exist – brilliant analysis of a con woman

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

Follow Lily Phillips on Twitter @lily_comedy and Esther Manito @esther_manito

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The Duchess

The Duchess is a fascinating series on the most historic homes in the UK & Ireland (think Downton Abbey) and the custodians who run them. The 3rd series has just kicked off and this time is hosted by the 19th Countess of Derby – who embarks on a fascinating journey through the history of Knowsley Hall. From links to Shakespeare, to the 14th Earl, who became known as ‘the forgotten prime minister”, this series will take you on a journey through time as the countess delves into the story of her family’s ancestral seat and the history behind the great Knowsley Hall. Listen now >>

Episode to check out: ‘The Earls of Derby and Shakespearean Theatre 1580-2023‘

Black Prose

The phrase goes “we all have one book in us” well, whether you want to start writing that book or just learn more about the process Black Prose is a fantastic podcast for anyone thinking about putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard. Every week Yolanthe Fawehinmi sits down to chat with some of the best and most talented Black writers of our time — from journalists, and authors to songwriters and rappers, Yolthane’s has a wonderful way of making her guest feel like friends so they share some of the most interesting stories about their lives, career and writing rituals. Throw in some top tips and advice in every episode and this is a series every aspiring writer should be listening to. Listen now >>

Episode to check out: ‘Jords’

Simple Politics

A podcast from the fabulous team behind the massive Simple Politics Instagram account. Tatton, and Diane, together with host Kobi get together every week to reflect on the ever changing political landscape in the simplest way possible. Often light hearted but never straying away from the important stuff, this podcast is a great way to get you a weekly dose of UK politics without feeling like you might need a politics degree first. Listen now >>

Episode to check out: ‘Simple September’

America: A History Podcast

Now is a better time than any to brush up on your knowledge of American history. From the declaration of independence to Donald Trump, this podcast tackles it all. Each week, host Liam and a special guest sit down to answer some very interesting questions. From ‘how are Presidents elected?’ to ‘how accurate is Forrest Gump?’, every debate is refreshing and informative, and with the likes of The News Agents Jon Sopel as a guest you will come away with a new found sense of what the land of free really means. Listen now >>

Episode to check out: ‘What is America?’

Nature Insight: Speed dating with the Future

If you’ve ever heard that 1 million species are at risk of extinction and wondered what that means for you, your family and your future – this is the podcast you can’t afford to miss! Nature Insight: Speed Dating with the Future tells the very human stories behind the science and policy of the global nature crisis. The first episode of the latest series focuses on the thousands of undiscovered species of fungi around the world and how it is estimated in Nepal alone we know only 1/10 of all species, which if you watched The Last of Us probably send chills down your spine. Zombie mushroom virus aside, this series will transform your understanding of the planet and the role we all need to play to protect the species we share it with. Listen now >>

Episode to check out: ‘Filling the Fungi Gap: Scaling Himalayan Heights for People and Nature’

BUILD

Love podcasts? Maybe it’s time to think about making your own. Broccoli’s fantastic podcast series BUILD offers informative and easily digestible step by step guides by podcast experts on where to start. From recording techniques to how to write the perfect pitch email The Build Basics course is free to anyone. After that it’s £7.99 a month to get access to the other 5 pillars of the program which are Marketing, Personal Development, Storytelling, Business and Production. New lessons/episodes are released monthly and considering subscriptions like Masterclass can run into the £100’s a great deal to have the creme de la creme of podcasting talent in your ears. Subscribe here >>

Episode to check out: All of the BUILD Basics courses are available for free.

Auddy is inspiring and engaging audiences through audio. Supporting creators, creating branded content and private podcasts.

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The series uses family possessions – objeks and tings – to explore the ways Caribbean culture has flavoured British life. From the Dutch pots (affectionately known as “Dutchies” among Caribbean people) used at family gatherings, to the “grip” suitcases of the Windrush generation travelling from the Caribbean to the UK.

As the trailer says, this podcast will hold significance for people with Caribbean heritage, but “you’re sure to be charmed” by the stories, no matter your background. We caught up with Catherine and Lynda-Louise to find out a bit more…

What was your introduction to podcasting as a listener?

Lynda-Louise Burrell: I kept hearing about Table Manners with Jessie Ware and her mum. Not just because she works with her mum like myself but also as we are working on a Caribbean food project. Their podcast has nothing to do with Caribbean history, heritage or culture but it is joyful, as all life should be.

Catherine Ross: I have only listened to one made by Black people in Britain more concerned about music and how it reflected and impacted on Caribbean life. I just knew that I wanted ours to be a laugh a minute with lapses into patois and being able to tell our stories and truths unfettered. I wanted our podcast to be like having a chat in a room with your mates.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

LLB: To be honest, I’ve taken just as much inspiration from podcasts I don’t like as from podcasts I do. There are many that I enjoy but these don’t tend to be ones covering the type of stories we wanted to share. And then the types of podcasts you tend to hear from my sector – small, not for profit organisations – are often ones where people do everything themselves and as a result, the sound quality often suffers. So we did have to wait to find the right production company to work with us that were as passionate as we are and wanted to work with us to curate a show we could all be proud of, and spoke to different types of Caribbeans.

We wanted to share their stories and views. We wanted people of differing ages, as usually with anything black, you tend to get the same types of stories from the same types of protagonists keeping us all in this metaphorical box – that all black people are the same. We wanted to capture multiple Caribbean stories of differing people to show that we are not a monolithic people.

CR: I love the podcasts of Black American women such as Michelle Obama, Meghan Markle and Oprah. When I listen to them, I come away inspired, confident and ready to step back into the affray of life.

Why did you decide that audio was right for sharing these stories?

LLB: I used to work in fashion and I am a natural creative. So working in museums now I try to keep things fresh and current to capture the public’s imagination as most exhibitions are rather dull, staid, and let’s face it, boring. In this day and age with social media, fast paced lives, and only seconds to draw people in before they move onto the next thing, I try to ensure our work as a museum draws people in and captures and holds their attention. We take exhibitions around the UK to different museums, art galleries and art spaces so have to keep our work fresh to engage with different types of people wherever they are. This way we get such a variety of different types of people engaging with our work from young people to those in their late 90s; from Caribbeans to white British, to Americans, and Eastern Europeans, all peoples from different communities.

Podcasts were becoming so popular that I thought – if this is how people are now spending their time, they can binge or dip in and out, listen at their convenience while working-out, driving or walking to work etc. so why not let them get their fix of Caribbean culture this way also! A quick convo filled with fun, laughter and a teachable moment, whether through the guest you can reminisce, reflect and connect or reconnect with your culture or explore a different one, it’s all good. I want through this podcast to connect with more people of Caribbean descent, help them reconnect to their culture while sharing our culture with others.

This will help us connect with more people, new people and different people and as a Creative Director that’s what I want through this creative conversation and am sharing my cultural heritage across the global one convo at a time.

CR: People on the move can access this mode of info sharing. I can listen by dipping in and out, and don’t have to listen to it all in one go! I can listen anywhere, which is just as well, as at times the content is so good I laugh out loud and sound like a mad woman or I take exception to what is being said and have a raging row with a machine!

Heritage and family is a massive part of the show, and you work together a lot. But did you discover anything new about each other from making the show?

LLB: I don’t think I discovered anything new about mum but the show just highlighted things such as:

-A retired English teacher will always be an English teacher! She goes through the scripts with a fine-tooth grammar comb. Yes, this is a loosely scripted convo believe it or not but mum will correct everyone’s English before reading it through

-All the world’s a stage… well certainly mum thinks so! She always reads things out in a presenter’s voice. She even does this with emails, again English teacher mode!

-She knows a lot about a lot

-She is extremely funny!

CR: I realise my daughter is quite clever and can take on anyone!! In fact, I sometimes worry for those who cross her. I suppose that’s the confidence of this generation. As a member of the Windrush Generation I hold things back. She knows so much about so many things she’s just right for a show like this, her life experiences of working in some difficult industries, and 13 years of working abroad has equipped her with not just views but strategies for dealing with most things. When people quote her, or refer to her in publications, I want to shout out to the world, “that’s my girl, that’s my baby, look at her go!”

What have you enjoyed most in making this podcast?

LLB: I have really enjoyed the process of making a podcast. It’s more than just speaking down the mic. However, talking is tough, with things to cope with like alliteration, not sounding like a kid’s TV presenter, or a news broadcaster. When a mic is pointed at you, or maybe just mum, your voice does strange things. It’s really bizarre. Just to let everyone out there know, I sound much better LIVE and direct.

But on a serious note, doing my day job as the Creative Director of The National Caribbean Heritage Museum, Museumand, one of my biggest pleasures is talking to people across the UK on a daily basis. Getting to know them, helping them share their stories to enrich Caribbeans and non-Caribbeans everywhere. So on the podcast, getting to meet more people, sharing info that we can instantly then share through the airwaves is a real honour and privilege and doing it this way through a podcast, more people get to hear this info much quicker than through our exhibitions. It does the same service in a different way.

CR: Meeting so many wonderful people who are generous in sharing their stories and experiences. I love hearing from others and feeling reassured that I am not the only one who has gone through certain experiences. It’s great having gaps filled in my cultural knowledge too.

What do you think listeners will enjoy most?

LLB: I think we have a really good, interesting group of guests with interesting stories to share and through our wonderful hosting skills, and mother-daughter dynamic, our fun Caribbean personality seeps through. Hearing Caribbean stories and quips straight from people of Caribbean descent, and of those you usually hear from non-Caribbeans speaking of Caribbeans.

CR: We as a family love sayings, and Caribbeans as a whole tradition, live on sayings, so we end each episode with one and make the end of a show a fun teachable moment. We also in places lapse into Patios. A language we need to keep alive but I think the listeners will enjoy as our sentences can flow beautifully from Standard English to Caribbean patios. The camaraderie, and fun of learning and laughing as we make discoveries about our culture and ourselves. The podcast will help people make sense of their life experiences, history and heritage.

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

Website: museumand.org

Instagram: @museumand

Twitter: @Museumand_

Facebook: @Museumand

Listen to Objeks & Tings on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps >>

The post Objeks & Tings: A mother-daughter celebration of Caribbean heritage 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.

The post Bernard P. Achampong: ‘Pilot Season’ is a more distinctive voice to Unedited appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Today we’re profiling a history podcast that has been educating and entertaining listeners about the history of Africa for more than two years. It’s A Continent challenges the common misconception that Africa is a country, whilst appreciating the identity of each nation. Hosts Chinny and Astrid explore key historical moments that have shaped the continent, in an easily digestible, satirical (and shady) format.

We recommended the show as one of our favourite podcasts for women’s history, but since then Chinny and Astrid have been continuing to unearth lost stories from Africa – and even written a book based on the show! We caught up with them to find out a bit more…

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

AM: Serial season 1-3, the disappearance and murder of Hae Min Lee.

CU: I used to listen to Radio 4 Comedy on my iPod nano.

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

BOTH: We’ve always wanted a creative outlet, and podcasting provides the freedom to be creative and also learn alongside our listeners. Forming our listening community is really important to us.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

BOTH: We like the way Redhanded toe the line with serious issues, and this is a similar approach we take when we are dealing with tough topics. Swindled is another podcast that takes in depth research and shares sometimes shocking stories with their audience.

How much research do you do for your episodes?

BOTH: We like entering research wormholes, there are some topics that are easier to research than others. The British Library, JSTOR and online libraries are valuable resources that we use to form the basis of our stories. In some instances, a documentary or two, or even an autobiography provides valuable insight.

What’s the most interesting historical fact you have learnt from making the podcast?

AM: Being able to recognise people that haven’t been called out in history, for example Albert Luthuli being the first African to win a Nobel Peace Prize, yet he’s not part of the conventional narrative. Wangari Maathai a Kenyan activist and environmentalist, whose story remains little told.

CU: Agreed, also understanding the way the world works, especially when it comes to instability and conflict because of the way African borders have been drawn up. This is the reason we continue seeing issues in Cameroon, Sudan and Somalia.

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

AM: There’s no specific place to start, each episode is self-contained. Start with a country, theme or person that piques your interest.

CU: If I had to choose I’d probably go for Thomas Sankara, or the CFA Franc.

Tell us how the It’s A Continent book came about!

BOTH: We’d been podcasting for about eight months or so, then out of the blue, a publisher reached out to us about turning the podcast into a book. We jumped at the opportunity as it meant we’d be able to share African history to a much wider audience.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

BOTH: You can check out our socials and website to see what we’re up to! @itsacontinent on Twitter, @itsacontinentpod on Instagram and www.itsacontinent.com. Also, our paperback will be out this year, so watch this space for more details.

Listen to It’s A Continent now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps >>

The post It’s A Continent: A creative outlet to learn about African history appeared first on POD BIBLE.

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.

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.

My Love Letter Time Machine came to our attention via a few networking events, and most recently when it was Shortlisted for the International Women’s Podcast Awards 2022. Host Ingrid Birchell Hughes has both sides (extremely rare) of a correspondence between her great great grandparents spanning 1878 to 1882. Her narration does a great job of reading the letters whilst explaining the ‘characters’ (including, her ancestor Fred, his friend – also called Fred – and their friend Ted) and sharing her own thoughts.

We caught up with Ingrid to ask her more about the show!

Who are you and what’s your podcast about?

I’m Ingrid Birchell Hughes and I’ve been an art director, writer and journalist for about 30 years now. My podcast is ‘My Love Letter Time Machine’ where I am serialising the 200+ love letters of my great great Grandparents, Janie and Fred. The letters have been passed down the family – a bit like grandma’s wedding dress – and when I first read them I was amazed how much their characters and wit sparkled off the page. So now, each week I take my listeners 140 years back in time to catch up with Fred and Janie’s story, and take a look at Victorian history through their eyes.

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

Probably RHLSTP with Richard Herring, which is huge now, but when he first started it I think I probably didn’t really understand what podcasts were about, I was just tuning in because it was fun.

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

A lot of podcasts have as their strength a conversation developing over time, well I’ve got both sides of a correspondence here (which is super rare) – it’s basically a conversation, albeit one that took place 140 years ago. Presenting that within the framework of a podcast felt more natural than I could ever have hoped. I’d been searching for a long time to bring Janie and Fred’s words to life, especially after blogging my research on the letters, on and off, for about five years. Whenever I shared their story with people – they sort of get hooked and want to know more. So rather than waking up one morning and thinking ‘oh I know, I’ll be a podcaster’ it was more that the story in the letters was driving me to find the right vehicle. Although now, I completely love doing the podcast and when the story eventually comes to an end, I know I’ll be wanting to do another.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green taught me that podcasts don’t have to be interview based to tell a story — that with a good script, a single voice can bring people along on a journey. I found Griefcast by Cariad Lloyd a real comfort, and showed me that podcasts have real power in enabling people to tell their stories to a depth you don’t often experience outside podcast-land.

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

Historian Dr Kate Lister from the podcast Betwixt the Sheets, I love the work she’s been doing to rewrite our preconceptions about the history of human sexuality. The letters are not exactly ‘my great great Grandfather wrote a porno’ but if you read between the lines of the (often startling) Victorian euphemisms, Janie and Fred share a lot of intimacy. It would be a total dream to get Kate’s expert and refreshingly down to earth opinion on their relationship and how it might relate to her research.

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

Writing a script for a serial podcast is completely different to writing for anything else – you have to really pay attention to the flow and not let anyone get left behind, especially as my ‘co-writers’ — AKA my great great grandparents — constantly need their letters putting into context. And I’ve also discovered the dubious joy of making historical sound effects, which has been a bit of an adventure. Recreating the atmosphere of holiday makers on the seafront of Blackpool in 1879, or a street brawl outside a pub that’s then broken up by the local bobby, has been a challenge but such a lot of fun.

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

If you want the set up for the early part of the story obviously start with the first one. But if you want get a flavour of the back and forth of the correspondence, try the first episode of Season 2. It’s called ‘From City of Steel to Ironopolis’ where Fred and Janie are learning how to deal with a long distance relationship, after Fred moved from Sheffield to Middlesbrough to start his new job as a clerk at the North Eastern Steel Company.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

The next season (season 4) of My Love Letter Time Machine will be out the weekend just before Valentine’s Day. I also share lots of Janie and Fred’s letters and pictures on the @MyLoveLetterTimeMachine’ Instagram.

Listen to My Love Letter Time Machine on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps

The post My Love Letter Time Machine: Co-writing with my great-great-grandparents appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Tomi Dixon – Colouring In Britain

What was your introduction to podcasting as a listener?

My introduction to podcasts was through conversational podcasts where hosts and guests would keep me engaged for hours on my daily commute. The podcasts I listened to early on were 90s Baby Show and HCPod Original as they were extremely entertaining and relatable. They inspired the format of how I wanted to create my own content; that invites people into thought provoking conversations keeping listeners entertained all the way through.

Why was audio the right medium for you project?

Audio was the right medium for the project because I think podcasts have a unique ability to deliver powerful narratives that feel extremely personal. I wanted to drop people into each of these stories by combining the different components of drama, interviews and storytelling to create an immersive experience. I think it would have be difficult to deliver all of that in a media format other than audio.

What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned from making the podcast?

It takes time! Especially if you want to get something right. Sometimes it takes a little longer to get the right wording or create the right sounds/feel. Especially if you want to deliver the story to the listener in the way you intended. The idea for the podcast seemed straight forward, but when I got into it I realised it was really ambitious! I had to take everything step by step in the project and eventually everything became manageable. So I also learned I’m capable of achieving things when I put my mind to it.

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

I would like to see more programmes like Audiolab because this programme gave me the platform to share stories that might not get told otherwise. It was a fantastic opportunity to share the lives and impact of 4 really significant black Britons. People that I think the country should definitely know more about. It would be great to see more opportunities like this for people to tell important stories that don’t get major exposure.

Listen to Colouring In Britain now on BBC Sounds and other popular podcast apps.

Don’t forget to check out the other interviews in this series.

The post BBC Sounds Audio Lab: Tomi Dixon – Colouring In Britain appeared first on POD BIBLE.

What was your introduction to podcasting as a listener?

I’m a veteran of sorts, back in the Ricky Gervais Guardian days I became hooked, for me I could see at that time a democratisation of media production and platforming both for audio and video on the horizon. Serial (S1) of course took the storytelling aspect to another level but the weekly pods like Football Weekly have always been mainstays.

Why was audio the right medium for your project?

I’ve listened to loads of documentary podcasts and what I always envied of the storytellers was the freedom of length that the format allowed. Some are an hour others 20 minutes, some carry on for 15 episodes and others just five. So far I’ve been able to give focus to some parts of Michael’s story and themes that wouldn’t have had space in a traditional TV documentary.

I’m used to recording video and what’s great about audio is the access and freedom it allows. You don’t need to worry about permits for tripods, the shot being backlit or huge amounts of kit. The interviewee also relaxes without a camera in their face.

What the biggest thing you’ve learned from making the podcast?

I’ve never voiced anything before so it was really daunting, but my mentor Clare Walker has been instrumental in helping me to develop a performance for the mic, I’ve learnt that all that talking takes effort and skill!

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

I think Audio Lab and other programs like it are trying to rectify the gap that I see in the podcast world. Podcast makers that don’t have the necessary experience or backing from production companies and the like, but do have great stories and content to put out there. During the infancy of podcasting this wasn’t such an issue due to the size of the industry, but now with huge conglomerates and celebrities involved, there needs to be more ways for creators to have a voice.

Listen to Who Was Michael X? now on BBC Sounds and other popular podcast apps.

Don’t forget to check out the other interviews in this series.

The post BBC Sounds Audio Lab: Hamza Salmi – Who Was Michael X? appeared first on POD BIBLE.

POD BIBLE: Can you give us a little bit of an insight to the National Trust podcast?

SEAN: I like to say it’s the podcast that immerses you in art, history and adventure. And it really does all the things that you would get if you came to a National Trust property. One day we could be talking about an obscure artefact that lives in an archive in one of our buildings, the next we could be on paddleboards, paddleboarding through The Menai Strait in Wales, or the next week, we could be on the back of mountain bikes going bikepacking. So it’s really varied, but if you like adventure, if you like history and heritage, it’s a podcast that packages all of that stuff into one.

But I think the thing that most people like about our podcast is it’s really immersive. And one of the things we try to do is to make the listener feel like they’re there. And especially during lockdown, we really became one of the only ports that people could go to those places, so we’ve come up with lots of techniques that really immerse people within the podcast, and often people say “I felt like I was there” or “I can’t wait to get my walking boots on because you inspired me to go on a walk.”

POD BIBLE: You mentioned it very briefly there, how was that transition into recording and creating things during the lockdown period?

SEAN: Not easy, because probably 99.9% of our podcasts are recorded on location. So that really put a spanner in the works for what we were doing. But it gave us opportunities to be creative, and it gave us opportunities to tell stories that we couldn’t or wouldn’t have told before. So one of my favourites was an episode called ‘Meet the Silver Surfers’. It was about these people in their 70s and 80s, who had been in these groups where they were really active and then suddenly, they were plunged into this world where they had to learn technology. Even with my mum, you know, she never really embraced her smartphone. And then I was getting text messages and the emojis and all of this stuff. And so it was how these kinds of people, these grandmothers embraced Facebook to be able to see their friends. But we ended up looking at a group of people in their 60s and 70s, who would go on these virtual tours around Cuba and the Mediterranean, and because they needed exercise, they all walk in front of their TVs. So that was that was a really nice story that we told.

I think the other thing that we did, that has now become a kind of staple of our podcast, is what I call the microphone distribution network. We started sending microphones out to get those interviews that normally we would rock up with our microphones and record in people’s homes or offices. And that’s really freed us up to take the podcast global you know, so we can have interviews in America, we can have interviews in Australia with experts that really help enhance the knowledge that we have within the National Trust. So the pandemic gave us some difficulties that we had to overcome, but it’s really enhanced what we do and really pushed forward the storytelling we’re able to do now.

POD BIBLE: The show is very much geared towards being outdoors and being in the properties in quite adventurous ways. Is that something that you’ve learned to do from being the producer, or were you already in that world?

SEAN: A bit of both really. Before I did the National Trust podcast, I have a podcast called The Codpast and one of the episodes I did was about a guy who had ADHD and to deal with it, he decided he was going to walk round the coast of New Zealand, I think it took him three years. And The Codpast was an interview based podcast, but that one I did in a very narrative style. And that kind of sparked my interest in doing narrative podcasts. And when I got to the National Trust, I decided to really utilise some of the skill set that I learned from working in television, because my background is television. Rather than using shotgun mics and things, we started hiring DPA mics, so the head-worn mics that Madonna would wear. And we put all of our presenters on radio mics. So if they wanted to climb a tree, they could. It really gave the presenters freedom to really explore rather than waiting for a Producer with a microphone to point it in their direction before they spoke.

And I think when I first started [The National Trust] were doing walks, literature, authors, homes, and gardens. And I started to think, how do I how do I turn a walk into a podcast? Do I just replace the studio with the outdoors? And I didn’t want to do that. So we worked out ways of how we could really embrace and engage the listener. So one of the things is we do a recce before we record, so we know exactly what’s coming in, where things are going to happen and where the best sounds are. And where a presenter will walk over the crest of the hill and, and see a beautiful view. And then we’ll add corresponding music that does that.

But we also have two scripts: we have a script for the Producers, and the script for the Presenters. And the Presenters kind of look at this and start to get hives because there’s massive blank spaces in their script, where there’s stuff that we know as Producers, but they don’t know. So we really want our Presenters to be experiencing things for the first time on microphone. And I always say, the best way to get a sense of a place is to listen to someone’s experience in that place, rather than them knowing everything and asking questions that they already know. So that’s how we did it.

And then it just expanded really. We started small, and then, you know, we’ve started doing these quite epic episodes every year. So last year, it was ‘A beginner’s guide to bike packing’, where we do a 36 mile journey – which is not far for bikepacking, but when you are carrying your recording kit, you’ve got the Producers, you’ve got the Presenters, you’ve got the Soundman, and we’re all on bikes, travelling along 30 degree inclines…. it’s quite a feat!

POD BIBLE: For the most part, you do standalone episodes. So how do you create a show that feels very unified, but each episode is quite unique at the same time?

SEAN: That’s an interesting question, because sometimes people do go “none of the episodes are the same, what you know, how would we create a synergy?” And I think, you know, all of the all of the episodes are about the National Trust. But what I like to do is look outside the Trust. So a lot of the time, ideas will come from an article that I’ve read and I think “okay, so is that something we do within the Trust is that something we can tap into?” So, our epic episode this year has been a beginner’s guide to paddle boarding. Paddleboarding is really big, you go down the middle aisle of your local supermarket, and you’ll see a blow up paddleboard. It’s something that’s really taken off, and it is something that is done at Trust places. But also, you know, one of the things we look at is carbon neutral transport to our places. Our places can be quite far away and the logical thing for a lot of people would be to go by car. But you could hike to our places, you could run to our places, you could cycle. And there’s lots of places we’ve got electric vehicles, but we thought, why not create an episode where we paddleboard to a National Trust property. So we still incorporated some of the art and history, but actually, we incorporated that adventure into the process of getting to the property.

I think everything we do is rooted in the National Trust. But we just find ways that we can utilise things that are quite zeitgeist, but also engaging new audiences. Because I think sometimes the National Trust does have an image of, you know, cream, teas and country homes. That is what we do, we do it really well. But there’s a lot more to the National Trust and the adventure side of what we do in the outdoorsy side of what the Trust does really appeals to a wider audience. So as often as we can we really try and tap into that.

POD BIBLE: Is there something that you still really want to do with the podcast, which you haven’t yet managed?

SEAN: I’ve talked about our epic episodes – we have done a wild swimming episode, we’ve done a backpacking episode, we’ve done a paddleboard in episode. So we’ve done land and sea, we haven’t done air yet. So that’s the next one. There is one episode that we’ve been trying to do for a while, which is called the jetpack paramedic. So there is a company called Gravity that makes jetpacks and there was a test with the Yorkshire air ambulance, where they use jetpacks for mountain rescue. I think they got to someone in 90 seconds, where if the mountain crew had to climb up, it would have taken them half an hour. And that was done on National Trust land. So that’s a story we’ve been trying to do for a while. That was scuppered by lockdown, we weren’t able to finish off doing that. But yeah, something to do with air travel, whether it’s jetpacks or paragliding or hang gliding. That’s an episode that I’d really like to do…

POD BIBLE: And what is the most interesting thing that you’ve learned from doing the podcast so far?

SEAN: I mean, I think that I’ve learned a lot about myself, to be honest, in doing the podcast. I think, an episode that I did last year for Black History Month was called ‘Black hiking’. I am someone who comes from London, and I went to Cornwall as a kid, but I’ve never really embraced the outdoors until I started working for the National Trust. And I remember one of my first recces that I did, I found myself halfway up a mountain in the Peak District. And it was completely silent. And that completely freaked me out. You know, being from London, if everything’s completely silent, something badly wrong has happened. So it was very interesting to try and get used to being in the outdoors. And I remember I met a guy and I said “this is really freaky. It’s too quiet” and he was saying, “Oh, no I couldn’t hack it in London because it’s too noisy.” And my love for the outdoors has grown with the National Trust and it’s probably reflected in a lot of the episodes that we do. But I think that’s probably the thing that I’ve learned the most.

But I think, from a production point of view is just how engaged in podcasts can be and how immersive, you can get with podcasts. And my boss at the National Trust had never listened to a podcast before I came. And I got her to listen to a podcast and she was like, “Oh, this is amazing. It’s this brave new world that I’ve never heard of before.” So I think it’s just the power of podcasting, and how you can really touch people with it, and really help people transport themselves to new places, if it’s done in the right way.

POD BIBLE: And it also goes the other way, the National Trust is such a big organisation, to have so many fantastic podcasts that you do, it really does just help to elevate podcasting, which we’re always going to be happy about!

SEAN: Yeah, and I think one of the great things about the podcast is we do tell stories that you potentially wouldn’t hear elsewhere in the Trust. We do dig deep and we do podcasts that are sometimes challenging, we do pick up on challenging topics. And I think it’s a great way just to show the breadth of the organisation because you could just see the National Trust as cream teas, and in country piles, but there’s so much breadth to it, The people that we work with are absolutely incredible, super passionate, super knowledgeable, and to be able to share all of that knowledge with the listeners, and just share some of these beautiful places with listeners is a really great thing to be able to do in a way that you can’t really do with video, and you can’t really do with copy.

I always say that podcasting is halfway between reading a book and watching a film: you give people just a little bit of a clue of what something looks like or sounds like, and then their imagination does the rest. So the places that people go to in our podcast are probably even more incredible than the actual places that we record them because their imagination’s doing all the work!

POD BIBLE: We do try to give people a ‘point of entry’ into podcasts, particularly when there’s a big back catalogue like yours. You’ve mentioned a couple of good episodes in there already. But is there one particular episode that you think people should absolutely go and listen to?

SEAN: I think ‘Operation Hillside’ is a really good episode, because it is the kind of thing that we like to do: really dig deep into the subject matter and tell stories that are really surprising about the National Trust. It’s one that I can’t tell you too much about, because that will be a big spoiler. But it’s a really interesting story. And it’s a story about something that you probably know, but in a very different way. And I think, you know, one of the producers that I worked with, went to some really deep depths to find archive material and things. And so it’s just a really rich listen to that’s probably a really great one for people to start with.

Listen to Sean talk about the National Trust podcast on the Pod Bible Podcast episode #114.

Listen to the National Trust Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps.

The post Sean Douglas: Senior Podcast Producer for the National Trust appeared first on POD BIBLE.