Today we’re learning more about Alex Jungius, Director of  This Is Distorted, a multi-award winning content agency with audio at its heart. The company has a real focus on the power of audio to emotionally connect people, but it’s also forward looking and embracing the developments in podcasting, new technologies and video options for the audience.

We asked Alex to tell us more about his love of podcasting and where he thinks the future of podcasting will take us…

Tell us a bit about who you and your role at This Is Distorted!

For the past 25 years, I’ve been immersed in the world of audio and radio, working in everything from hospital radio to commercial radio, and now in the realm of podcasts and on-demand audio. I started out focusing on imaging and sound design before transitioning to show production, executive producing radio programs, and eventually overseeing entire radio stations.

In 2015, I took a leap of faith and left mainstream radio to launch Distorted, which at the time was still a relatively new venture in the burgeoning world of podcasts. However, that risk has paid off, as it turned out to be the best decision I’ve ever made. At Distorted, my primary responsibility is to expand our speech-based offerings, working with companies, brands, and individuals on their audio projects.
Nowadays, we refer to ourselves as an audio agency, as we’ve evolved beyond being a production house. We aim to solve our clients’ problems by utilizing audio as a solution, and we’ve expanded our services to encompass everything on the periphery of an audio project, including video, social media, marketing, and more. The audio landscape is constantly evolving, and it’s a thrilling time to be a part of this industry.

This Is Distorted podcast studio is based in the North of England, at the centre of Leeds

Why podcasts? What is it you love about the medium?

Having spent many years working in the highly structured and regulated world of radio, the freedom and flexibility of podcasts have been a breath of fresh air for me. I’m fascinated by the fact that there are no set rules or conventions to follow, and that the medium provides an almost limitless canvas for creativity. This has led to an explosion of diverse styles, approaches, and voices entering the audio space, many of whom may never have considered working in audio if not for the world of podcasts.

Despite the fact that podcasts have been around for some time now, I believe we’re still in the early stages of the medium’s evolution. Looking back, we will likely view this as a period of growth and experimentation, and the landscape of podcasting will undoubtedly be very different in the years to come as the industry continues to mature and establish itself as a significant player in people’s content consumption habits.

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

Apart from dabbling with creating podcast content for the radio stations I was working at, the first main podcast I listened to as an avid fan was the The Ricky Gervais Show. It felt so different to what you’d hear on air and like a new format had been born.

You recently were part of the team behind Synthetic Stories, the first AI created podcast – where did that idea come from?

The idea came from a conversation over lunch in our office. We’d been chatting about how AI could influence our industry and I suggested how easy it would be to piece together an AI podcast series. From there, the idea snowballed into a quick project that the whole team got behind and within 24 hours the project was live and in people’s ears.

While it was easy to put together and a lot of fun, the resulting product was still worlds away from what humans can create. Nevertheless, I believe that AI will soon become an integral part of the production process, if it isn’t already, for many people. It’s a powerful tool for generating ideas and streamlining production processes, although it cannot replace human creativity (at least, not yet).

What do you think the future of podcasting holds?

Two things for me, I’d like to see podcasting double down on niches. It felt like the beginnings of podcasting allowed anyone to create content on the subject matter they were most passionate about and that created a home grown ecosystem of super niche podcasts serving passionate listeners across the globe. I feel like the medium has become too much about big names and dumbed down mainstream content. It might have an audience but does it really add anything to the content you can get elsewhere.

The other area is video. This can be a polarising subject but I think video has a huge part to play in podcasting’s next phase of growth. To help with discoverability is the obvious answer but also to elevate the audio content and compliment it, rather than replace it. I’d like to think of podcasting as a style of content now rather than treating it purely as audio only. Podcasting needs to break free of the RSS feed if it’s going to evolve and thrive and video and new platforms will help push the medium into more people’s ears (and eyes).

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

Crafting compelling fiction content for podcasts is a challenging task. It can be expensive and difficult to create a show that sounds both professional and engaging. However, despite the difficulties, I believe there is a vast potential for original fiction content in podcasts that is yet to be fully realized.

At Distorted, we have considered developing fiction podcasts in the past. However, we have always been hesitant due to the high costs involved and our desire to produce content that meets our standards. I am hopeful that new developments in production technology will make producing high-quality fiction podcasts more accessible and cost-effective in the future. With the right resources and creative talent, I believe that original fiction shows have the potential to become a significant part of the podcasting landscape.

What is something you haven’t managed to do yet, but you would really like to work on?

True crime! I love a true crime podcast and we’ve got a folder of original true crime ideas I’d love to bring to life one day!

This Is Distorted is a multi-award winning content agency with audio at its heart. Passionate about emotionally connecting brands, artists and businesses with audiences through the power of sound.

Distorted content is broadcast across multiple platforms from traditional radio to online streaming services. Reaching an audience of over 10 million listeners each month, working with over 450 partner radio stations and networks, and regularly take the number 1 spot in the itunes podcast charts. Find out more at thisisdistorted.com.

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Despite having no children to listen with, I’ve recently stormed through the catalogue of creation stories pulled together on In The Beginning. The show is made with children in mind (and with children in the cast!) and children will enjoy the playful way of connecting to other cultures through the sound design, acting and storytelling. But Producers Lucia Scazzocchio and Hawa Khan have created a show that is also perfect for adults wanting a light-hearted snippet of global culture in their podcast playlists.

I sent some questions over to Lucia to find out more about how the team pulled this show together…

What were the origins of this podcast – take us back to the Beginning of the show!

In the Beginning… Hawa Khan my co-writer/producer and I created a new family audio tour for the Tower of London where historical events are experienced through the eyes of two child ghosts. We had so much fun writing and producing together that we decided we would like to something else. Hawa is a natural storyteller and we are quite passionate about traditional stories and myths. We both come from quite mixed backgrounds and realised that many of these stories aren’t that well known in the UK. We wanted to tell these stories in a way that fully represented multi-cultural Britain in voices and styles of speech familiar to young audiences.

We pitched the idea to all the children’s networks we could think of, but kept hitting a wall. We then applied for an Audio Content Fund and partnered in Fun Kids who backed the idea from the start. We applied three times before the project was finally funded.

Did you take inspiration from any podcasts in particular before you started?

Not directly, I listen to many, many different podcasts and I did immerse myself in audio drama, especially the more immersive productions from QCode or Gimlet. There are some children’s podcasts that possibly inspired on a subliminal level, like Wow in The World, Radio Lab for kids and I was an avid listener of audio books when I was child. I bought by niece a Yoto player and rediscovered many of the stories I had listened to on cassette.

Co-producer and voice actor, Hawa Khan

The show was originally a radio show and made into a podcast – can you give us a little insight to how it worked between yourself as Producers/Writers and then the actors/the Fun Kids radio station.

The radio show and the podcast are the same format. I would say the big difference when producing for a radio station is that everything has to fit exactly into the time allocated, which isn’t the case for podcasts!

The process was: Hawa and I first selected, then researched the stories, gathering as much information as we could about the people and places these stories come from.

Many of these stories are from ancient indigenous cultures and have been passed down over generations and some are still very much part of religious and cultural life. We wanted to make sure we properly acknowledged the people who these stories belong to and spent a lot of time researching the names, places and religious aspects.

Leona Fensome did a brilliant job helping us contact academics and indigenous elders to make sure we used the correct language and terms.
The next stage was writing the scripts. Hawa and I co-wrote each script by trying to embody the characters, Hawa is a brilliant voice artist so she developed the characters as we went along, deciding what accents, intonation and personality each character would have. We had decided from the outset that the voice of each character would be decided by their personality rather than from where the story is from. This means a Chinese dragon has a West Indian accent, or the Taino Sun is based on an Indian Raj. Hawa then worked with the children and adult actors to develop their characters and give them voice. The children played themselves, but the adult actors are all experienced in channelling diverse accents and characters so they really brought that into the studio when we recorded. We had already worked with some of the children and actors on the Tower of London project so this was helpful.

Once everything was recorded I worked on the pacing and sound design. Fun Kids helped us hone the original application and concept but they didn’t intervene during production. They trusted us to produce these stories in our own way. The final addition to this series becoming a podcast, was the creation of the artwork by Delphine – each episode has its own image which is gorgeous.

One of the things I really liked in the series was the children’s voices in the show. How important was it for you to have that?

Children love listening to other children and the children’s voices provide a narrative thread through the series. The children in the series are being told the stories and ask the kinds of questions that children listening might also ask. There is also a little life lesson in each episode that connects to the children’s interaction at the beginning of each episode.

As Producers, how did you find doing that aspect? (Never work with children or animals comes to mind!)

Hawa Kahn is a creative school facilitator so she is very used to working with children and firing their imaginations. The children in the series aren’t professional actors and the script was written around them – they are two sets of siblings. Time and patience is the key, with plenty of breaks. These children were superb to work with and incredibly literate. The youngest were 5 when we recorded and they were all just amazing.

Have you seen a difference in the reaction from listeners since it became a podcast?

Fun Kids has a very specific audience – children! The difference now that the series is a podcast is that it can reach audiences beyond Fun Kids and I think adults will enjoy listening just as much.

Do you have any advice for budding producers for Children’s audio?

Test your concepts and ideas with children first. They will tell you if it’s good and engaging. We got the children involved to read through the scripts, they were quite vocal if they thought something didn’t make sense or wasn’t funny.

Do you have a creation story you haven’t told yet but would love to?

There are so many! I think we will have to do another series. For example closer to home is the ancient story of Queen Albina and her sisters who was exiled from Syria to an uninhabited island which is now Britain.

Lastly, is there anything we didn’t ask that you’d like to add?

It was important for us to have a space to share more detail about the creation stories so In The Beginning.. now has a bespoke website inthebeginning.world where you can learn about the different myths, where they are from and more about the people they belong to. We have also transformed the artwork into a colouring book and postcards.

And finally I would say have a listen, you will hear stories from all over the world, told in a very unexpected and humorous way by an incredibly diverse and talented cast.

Listen to In The Beginning on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps >>

The post Lucia Scazzocchio: Producing stories for children with In The Beginning appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Can you tell us the origins of Small Wardour – what drew you to this project?

Small Wardour is a new collaboration between Wardour Studios, founded by David Smith, and Small Audio, founded by Carla Herbertson. Before I was at Apple I worked as an Audiobooks Editor and Podcast Producer at the book publishers Penguin, so I got to work on some great children’s books. When I first started we recorded the audiobook editions of the Moomins books by Tove Jansson and we worked with Carla and David on their production and recording. I absolutely loved working with them both and between us we made something that I’m still proud of to this day. After that we often worked with them on various projects and they always brought that amazing creative energy.

I then went on to head up Apple Podcasts in Europe for the next eight years, which was a great opportunity to get an in-depth overview of the market, meet and work with so many amazing podcast creators and see the industry I loved so much evolve. But whilst I really learnt a lot there I always missed the creative side of podcasts and being on the other side of the table. Like a lot of people the pandemic really made me reassess my priorities so when Carla and David launched Small Wardour I knew I just had to be a part of it.

I read recently that podcasts aimed at children are more likely to be listened to with others (whilst the majority of adult listeners listen solo). Is this something you consider?

Yes absolutely! Whilst it’s really great to create shows that children love, there’s something really special about creating shows that the whole family can enjoy together. We know from David and Kim Normanton’s podcast Super Great Kids’ Stories that parents are listening along so we try to make something the whole family can enjoy – I myself listen with my little ones, it’s such a great way for families to bond over some screen-free entertainment together. In both the shows we are producing and the shows we consult on we keep this in mind. It’s a big part of our ethos that we create thoughtful, meaningful content and it’s really very rewarding to create something that facilitates quality family time.

What is the most valuable lesson you have learned from podcasting for children?

To really think about the ease of discoverability and how to do that in the right way. On most podcast platforms it’s the parents who will be doing the browsing and making the choices so it’s important the content speaks to them too.

Do you like to have constant input throughout the process of producing a podcast, or do you prefer your role to be siloed?

At the moment we are a very small team so we all work together on the creative process – especially around the ideas for a new show. Even though the focus of my role is in development and strategy I really enjoy this part of the job! We have a lot of fun bouncing ideas around and work well collaboratively to put the shows together. David is the expert in the studio so it’s him and Kim that do the audio wizardry.

What is something you haven’t managed to do yet, but you would really like to work on?

We’re a fairly new business so there is still a lot to come for us! But I’m really excited about building a meaningful, supportive community around a children’s podcast. A place where parents can connect around a shared love of a show and what it means for their family. This sounds a bit lofty and conceptual but we all know how intimate podcasting can be and the connections listeners can feel towards hosts. I’d love to see if that could be extended between listeners too!

We do try to give people a ‘point of entry’ to help them discover new things. What would you say is the best thing to start listening to as a parent to showcase what you do?

I’d definitely say Super Great Kids’ Stories. It’s actually a Wardour Studios production as opposed to Small Wardour but it’s this podcast that got me back into the world of children’s audio. My little ones absolutely love it and it’s developed a really loyal fan base.

And for children – which episode do you think they’d like to start with?

If they don’t mind a little scare I’d recommend a story with Baba Yaga – she is my all time favourite witch! They could start with Baba Yaga’s breakfast (episode 8). Kim Normanton tells it so wonderfully – we couldn’t stop singing the Baba Yaga song in my house for ages! Otherwise, Tuup’s telling of Anansi and the Drum of Common Sense is more light-hearted and just so much fun!

Listen to the award-winning Super Great Kid’s Stories on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast apps. Find out more about Small Wardour at smallwardour.co.uk.

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Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your new show?

I’ve been making a food podcast called Lecker since 2016, which I often record in people’s kitchens, and after a while I started to notice how similar most people’s kitchens were. It didn’t really matter where they were from, what sort of food they regularly cooked, whether they were disabled or not; their kitchen would still be the same standard fitted design with 36 inch high continuous work surface that you need to be standing up to use, high and low cupboards, everything built into the corners etc. And so I just got really interested in where this design had come from and how we all ended up with such similar kitchens when other rooms in our homes allow for much more personalisation, even for renters. But I didn’t want to make a straight-up history show – the interesting thing about the fitted kitchen is that it’s really based on design innovations that happened around 100 years ago, and hasn’t really changed that much since. So it was important to me to show how people today live with this design, and all the implications of it, and also how we might approach kitchens differently in the future.

Kitchens is a self-contained series (although it sits on the Lecker feed), and the first time I’ve made something that’s quite like this. Each episode focuses on a different aspect of kitchen design, but they’re all interlinked and themes come up throughout the series that relate to other episodes. I’ve also edited a print zine featuring original illustrations and writing around the theme of kitchens from around 20 different contributors, which is available to order from leckerpodcast.com/kitchens from 16th August. I’ve done a collaborative zine before for the podcast and it went down really well so I thought a second one would be an interesting companion to the series.

On a personal level, Lecker is the overlap on the Venn diagram of the two things that interest me the most: audio and food. I’ve been working in audio (first radio, then podcasting) since around 2011, but before that I worked in hospitality and did a lot of cooking for a living. It was such an interesting job, both in terms of what I learned about food, and also of the people that I met during that time. It definitely laid the early foundations for starting Lecker.

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

A question I’m often asked is how difficult it is to make a food podcast, since food is such a visual thing. But I’d argue that it’s only very recently that we’ve started taking such an aesthetic approach to cooking and eating, and there’s actually a much longer established oral tradition of sharing recipes and talking about what we like to eat. So I think podcasting is a great format to continue this tradition and it’s actually kind of liberating to not have to consider what a dish looks like before you post it on Instagram, for example; it’s equally if not more exciting to hear someone talk about what that food means to them and why they love it. In general I love the medium because of how varied it is, and how it can encompass so many different styles and content of audio.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

For this series Avery Trufelman’s work was a big inspiration. I loved Articles of Interest so much, and her architecture series for Curbed, Nice Try, was something I listened to while figuring out how Kitchens was going to sound. I love the tone of her work – she’s very switched on to digital pop culture and the internet, and she explores quite academic subjects from that perspective which always makes her podcasts really fresh and exciting, as well as very informative. I also love the work of Lory Martinez, who runs a Paris-based podcast studio called Studio Ochenta and does extremely exciting things in multilingual audio storytelling. I love everything that the podcast Farmerama does, they’re such an inspiration for what you can achieve as a small independent team covering what is on the surface quite a niche subject, but manage to make every episode have such wide-ranging appeal.

There is a great mix of people you speak to in the first series, how did you chose who to feature?

It was important to me that each guest felt like someone who could talk very naturally about themes that I was interested in exploring. For example, Ruby Tandoh is someone I’ve wanted to speak to for Lecker since it started, and this felt like the perfect opportunity, as her new book is all about rejecting aspirational ideas in cooking and kitchens, and celebrating what you have and what you personally can do in the kitchen. This meant that rather than the interview being a more general or biographical conversation, we could get a lot more specific about things like…why so many cookbooks have such an aspirational aesthetic and why she’s not interested in doing that herself, along with her experiences as a working class food writer, and cooking in rented kitchens her entire life.

I wanted to make sure there was a good balance of ‘experts’ and people who could speak from personal experience (I put expert in scare quotes as all the experts featured in the series also spoke very eloquently about their own personal experiences and interests in the field too). So I was delighted to have the opportunity to speak to people like Professor Deborah Sugg Ryan, who’s a design historian and a total authority on kitchens, along with Johnny Grey, a legendary kitchen designer renowned for his ‘Unfitted’ kitchen designs for people like Sting and Steve Jobs. But I also spoke to lots of people who aren’t kitchen experts at all, and maybe even haven’t thought that deeply about their kitchen before, but actually, it turns out, have a lot to say about it. Our kitchens are where lots of different ideas overlap but they’re also such a consistent presence in our lives that often we don’t give them a second thought. So it was really exciting speaking to Katie Pennick, who is an accessible transport campaigner, about how ideas about inclusive design might apply to kitchens, and how the layout of most kitchens symbolises lots of really negative assumptions that society makes about disabled people. I honestly learnt so much making this series!

Do you have a dream guest for future series?

I’m not yet sure whether there will be a series 2 of Kitchens! We will see. But I have lots of great plans for Lecker over the next year or so, including a three part series I’m making in collaboration with the great audio producer Katie Callin later this year about food and folklore on the Isle of Man. We’ve been funded by the Manx heritage foundation Culture Vannin to make it which is very cool. No guests confirmed yet but it will involve lots of herring.

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

The Lecker website has a whole page bringing together everything Kitchens related! Find it at leckerpodcast.com. Lecker is on Twitter and Instagram and here’s the Podfollow for your podcast platform of choice.

Listen to Kitchens now on ACAST, SPOTIFY, or your favourite podcast app.

The post Kitchens: Lucy Dearlove from Lecker podcast launches a new series, appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Like aspiring actors flocking to Hollywood for more exposure or influencers utilising TikTok to reconstruct scenes from their favourite movies/TV shows, creators are translating their work into video in the hopes of growing their audience.

People gravitate to the faces of other humans because we’re hardwired that way. We use other people’s facial expressions to develop emotional context so our brains react differently to faces. We prioritize them over other visual stimuli.

Should I add video/visuals to my podcast?

Yes you should 100% add video/visuals to your podcast. It’s a fairly simple process and here’s why. If you put your face on camera, people are going to pay attention. It’s in our chemical makeup. And when people pay attention, your engagement goes up.

Setting up a video/visuals for your podcast can be costly because you have to take into consideration purchasing quality recording, lighting and a suitable space to record your content. I setup a recording studio that offers you the opportunity for you to record your show at very affordable price. BBE Studio is located in the heart of creative London Hackney,  which is a 15 minute journey to/from Shoreditch/Hoxton/the City and this modern, minimalistic space offers you the opportunity to record your podcast using professional sound and video recording equipment.

BBE Studio comes fully equipped with the latest audio recording equipment including: 4 Pod Mics, RODEcaster Pro, camera (with a tripod and mic) and professional lighting that is customisable to suit your mood.

Adding visuals to your podcast gives your audience another reason to choose your content instead of the flood of other stimuli they see every day. A video podcast provides a different sort of appeal that audio podcasts alone cannot and can you can easily produce this content in the comfort of our studio.

FAMILIARITY

The Familiarity Principle – the more you’re exposed to something, the more familiar you become to it. It’s the same reason why the same people deliver the news every night.

It’s also why brands bombard us with advertisements we barely pay attention to. Use the same logic with the visuals of your podcast. By consistently repurposing your show to video, your audience will become familiar with your face, which means they will come to prefer you as host to others they can’t see.

Social is made for video

Social media is optimised for video, not for audio. Not yet anyway. By default, the audio is muted on every video post. Not ideal if you’re trying to promote your new audio-only show.

Luckily for podcasters the emergence of audiograms has made this problem a bit easier to solve. Instagram is also becoming a video app and not the photo sharing app it once was 10 years ago. The changes Instagram will unveil in the following months will make video more immersive offering a full-screen experience on the app, so now is the time to add great visuals to your podcast for improved engagement and overall growth.

YOUTUBE FANS

There’s no doubt podcasts are growing in popularity. In 2020, Apple reported that over 50,000 new podcasts were created as a result of the pandemic. But, YouTube is absolutely gigantic and has been around for much longer than podcasting. Google estimates that over 1.9 billion people log into YouTube every month. That’s roughly 30% of everyone who uses the Internet.

YouTube could be rocket fuel for growing your audience. Of course, you could upload the audio of your podcast over a static image, but then you’d pass up on the advantages outlined above.

Ready to start adding visuals/videos to your podcast?

Tips to remember when adding visuals/video to your podcast

• Use a quality camera/recording gadgets
• Make sure the area you’re recording from is clean
• Ensure you have good lighting
• Use the most interesting sections of the recording to the promote your episodes if you don’t have the time to edit the footage or finances to outsource a freelancer

With adding visuals/videos to your podcast, the main factors you need to consider are: the cost of purchasing professional equipment and you also need to evaluate the space you’re recording in. It doesn’t need to be the Taj Mahal, but it should look somewhat decent. Like the BBE Studio in Hackney.

So unleash your creativity, share your story and inspire others at the BBE Studio.

The BBE Studio is a multi-purpose studio in London for podcasters and other creatives. Booking your podcast session is as easy as 1,2,3 and from only £20 per session: you can’t get it any better. Find out more on the website bbeldn.co.uk/podcast-studio-in-london.

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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?

Hear Me Roar with Ashveen Kohli is the only British podcast that actually champions the success stories of our ethnic minority heroes. We’re talking about real life legends that are our generations first brown ‘insert title here’! Our guests are winners and overachievers in their industries and communities.

Oftentimes, minority podcasts only focus on the traumas and difficulties inherent to our situation as minorities. The Hear Me Roar Podcast is about bringing to light our successes; to encourage our listeners to be bold and follow in the footsteps of the great achievers in our communities!

What was the first podcast you ever listened to?

The Receipts podcast was the first podcast I listened to and loved straight away, as it is for a lot of others. It’s like being on the sofa with the girls and a glass of wine!

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

I spent my career in investment banking being the only brown woman in the room. I always felt like there was a lack of relatable role models for people like me in the workplace and in the media. The podcast just began as a way to start meaningful conversations with people I could learn from. It just so happened that a lot of people were craving these conversations from our guests as well.

Ashveen Kohli with an upcoming guest Jaye Parson, Fashion Designer: Ashanti, Floyd Mayweather, Jhene Aiko.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

I regularly ask myself ‘what would the Ikonn’s do?’, so The Ikonn’s podcast is definitely one that I’ve always found personal growth from. This wife/husband duo have a mindset that I really think is rare to come by, particularly on social media. They’re honest and very intentional about the topics they choose to discuss. Their podcasts are generally about their numerous businesses and their eco-friendly actions, personality behaviours and a bit of mindfulness thrown in. I feel like they’re the best kind of influencers out there, as it’s all authentically them.

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

So the Hear Me Roar producers and I sat down at the very beginning and actually made a dream guest list of people we will hopefully have on! Michelle Obama is probably at the top of my list, but there’s also Naga Munchetty and Gurinder Chadha.

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

To listen… like really listen. A lot of the time we go through life not really hearing other people and giving the response we think is correct, but since our podcast involves interviewing each of our guests (and whilst they might be in serious or casual environments), I’ve definitely learnt to drop the rigidness, and instead, just listen to them. Something I think the Buddhists have gotten right: “When you talk, you are only repeating what you already know. But if you listen you may learn something new.”

Ashveen Kohli with Tom Walker from Veenpool Media & Studios (Episode 17) on Start a successful Tech business with minority business clients.

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

Probably ‘What it’s like to be a Brown Doctors in the NHS’ because you’re sitting down with friends and having a real chat about the stuff you’ve been dying to ask your Doctor but never really do. Its also very personal, a bit sassy and a whole lot of saucy too!

I also think for the more CEO-savvy listeners, ‘How to be a Tech Entrepreneur’ with Tom Walker was a lot of fun! It was recorded very late into the night in the studio, and it was such an easy conversation, and it also covered a lot of my favourite topics, including business, technology, and talking about the examples set by reigning captains of industry, e.g. Nike’s, Phil Knight!

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

The podcast is available on all platforms, including Apple, Spotify, Amazon, Google, and Youtube! Just search “Hear Me Roar with Ashveen Kohli”. Check out our Instagram handle @HearMeRoar_Pod or email me directly if you want at ashveenkk@gmail.com!

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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 Kerry Keenan and Your Floating Bed is a collection of sleep journeys for children. During the first lockdown, my 7 year old daughter, Autumn, struggled to sleep. Like a lot of us, she found lockdown disruptive and unsettling. So I began to create ‘sleep journeys’ for her to help her unwind and calm her fizzy mind. These are simple stories using guided meditation and positive affirmations, where we imagine her bed floating away to a destination of her choice.

Then I heard how Autumn’s friends were also struggling to sleep, so I began sharing the sleep journeys, and that’s when I had the idea of creating a podcast.

Now we are having so much fun building our collection of sleep journeys using listeners’ destination requests.

What’s the first podcast you ever listened to?

Dear Joan and Jericha!! (Couldn’t be further away from what I’m currently creating!!!!)

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

The pandemic has had such a negative impact on people’s mental health in so many ways. A recent survey from the Education Policy Institute UK, The Prince’s Trust, and Parentkind found that it’s children’s mental health, not their education, that is really suffering during lockdown. I knew what we were creating was positively resonating with children, and podcasting felt like an effective way of sharing. Also, to my knowledge there wasn’t many similar options in podcast form. I’ve been blown away by the feedback from listeners, each individual message means so much, and it has spurred me on to make more sleep journeys. I love that we are beginning to build our community of listeners. Since starting the podcast, I’m so proud Your Floating Bed is now being used as a resource for Kidscape who support children effected by bullying. We have also been added to a couple of school mental well-being resources.

Which podcasts do you take inspiration from?

I love podcasts. I consume so many. My favourites are ‘chatty pods’ like Adam Buxton and Louis Theroux. Or Comedy pods like Dear Joan and Jericha. I particularly enjoy anything exploring human psychology, like what Dax Shephard is doing on Armchair Expert, or Brene Brown, or Emily Morse or Fearne Cotton.

In terms of what I’m creating with Your Floating Bed, I’ve not really taken inspiration from any other podcasts, as it sort of happened organically. In terms of mindfulness, the work of Emma Lucy Knowles who I met last year, is massively inspirational because she’s a wonder woman and has such a gentle, accessible, and effective approach to guided meditation. I’ve been discovering more podcasts for kids out there and it’s so great that there is such good content for them, such as Peace Out, and Super Great Kids’ Stories.

Who’s your dream guest for the podcast?

That doesn’t really apply to my podcast. So why don’t I just say the Dalai Lama?!

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

Patience. It takes a while to gain momentum. I started this two months ago and I’m still not there. When you are not a famous face, and you are not interviewing famous faces on your pod, it takes time and a lot of hard work to spread the word and build a listenership. I believe in what I’m doing, and hearing positive feedback from listeners has given me the drive to keep creating this pod.

Making the podcast is challenging me in lots of new ways. I’ve really enjoyed doing listeners requests, and some have been a massive challenge. One little girl has asked for a sleep journey to ‘soup’. Her Mum asked if that was too bizarre, but I said nothing is too bizarre! I love the challenge! So watch this space for a ‘soup’ sleep journey!!!

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

Each episode has a similar format, but is its own journey, and its own adventure. So which destination you choose will depend on how you are feeling at the time of listening.

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

You can listen to Your Floating Bed on Acast, Spotify and wherever you find your podcasts.You can follow the podcast on Instagram and Facebook.

The post Your Floating Bed // a podcast for children struggling to sleep appeared first on POD BIBLE.

ACAST: Let’s kick things off: how did your podcast come about?

Dane: Howard, aka “The Hza”, approached me while I was doing my group podcast, Quotas Full, with some other comedians. It was already an idea I had, but Howard came with some microphones and a free room, and then I came with a series of questions and ideas for guests. We put it together and hey presto, podcast!

Howard: I couldn’t cope with people not hearing Dane talk like he does! We were having lunch and he was speaking his mind about
something and I told him the world needed to hear this side of Dane Baptiste — he embodies the ‘question everything’ mantra.

What do you love about making a podcast?

Dane: I love people watching; it’s a natural part of the comedian’s complex in my opinion. Having a podcast allows you to ‘people listen’, which always allows you to have a much more rounded idea of who somebody is. As children, only slumber parties gave people the opportunity to be intimate with friends and acquaintances — podcasts bring that opportunity back.

Howard: For one hour or so we get to connect with a guest in a totally unique way, not knowing whether we’ll end up going deep or just having a real laugh. Some funny people have come on the show and talked really seriously, which has been amazing. The format of the show keeps it fresh and different every week.

How do you plan an episode?

Dane: It’s a collaborative effort between the Hza and I; we basically look at people we think are both interesting and iconic to our listeners, and we do our best to curate these people for the best meeting of minds.

Howard: Our questions are generated in different ways. I’ll usually know the guests’ questions before the show, and I’ll think of my question in a way to balance against theirs. Dane just does his thing, which works!

Once it’s recorded, what’s the process for getting it out to your listeners?

Howard: It always feels like a chore, but it’s not that bad! I’ve taken a few notes as the show records, but I’ll always edit it from start to finish just to get it flowing as best it can. Someone always coughs, don’t they? Once I’ve edited it we send the individual tracks over to our sound mix master Dee Dhanjal at Audio Culture, so it sounds perfect. Without the mix the show just isn’t the polished product the audience loves. Dee is our unsung/sung hero!

Do you do anything to connect with your listeners?

Dane: Well, the show’s ethos is for listeners to hear what’s being discussed in the hope they’ll question their reality more often. We encourage them to question us and their environment and, when we can via live shows, we can include them in the conversation. In the meantime keep your questions coming, folks!

Howard: We push the socials pretty hard every week and love to mention to our listeners during the show that they should contact us with their questions. The opening of the show is a question from one of the audience, which is a brilliant way to connect with the listeners.

What’s one hot tip for budding podcasters out there?

Dane: Choose a subject or guests who you’ll enjoy speaking about and to, respectively. Keep things exciting and, if not, brief — as the attention span isn’t what it used to be. Think of who you want as listeners and think about how best to engage them. Most of all, have fun — it’s really supposed to be a conversation that interested people wanna hear, so keep it informative and inclusive.

Howard: Grow your show in your own way, tweak it along the way, and just keep going! And enjoy it!

You can listen to Dane Baptise Questions Everything on Acast and all other podcast platforms. Got a podcast or thinking of starting a podcast? Join the world’s biggest podcast network to grow your show and make money. Find out more about joining Acast.

This article came from Issue #013 of Pod Bible magazine, which you can read online or buy in our shop.

The post Talking podcasts with Dane Baptiste and Acast appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Hi Rosie! Your podcast evolved from your work in different mediums – first your book Is Monogamy Dead? and then solo stage show The Conscious Uncoupling. What made you decide to make The Breakup Monologues as a podcast?

The creative lineage dates back even further than that! The Conscious Uncoupling was the final part of a trilogy of solo comedy shows that began with The Science of Sex. I toured that around the U.K. in 2009 and 2010 but have revived it for subsequent performances in New York, Sydney and at Edinburgh Fringe. That was a silly lecture all about the psychology of attraction, the kind of subversive sex ed. lesson we all wish we’d had at school. But behind my grubby lab coat, makeshift props, spoofy ancient love poems and graphs was a serious intent to get to the bottom of how relationships worked… and sometimes didn’t!

So there’s been this more serious line of psychological enquiry underpinning my creative work about love for over a decade. I think it stems from growing up gay and feeling different. There are many things about love and attraction that are universal but some that are different for queer partnerships. Did you know that lesbians divorce at a much higher rate than anyone else? That surprised me. But also made me feel better about my very serially monogamous past. It’s not atypical for a queer woman.

Did you take inspiration from any podcasts in particular before you started?

I guested on The Guilty Feminist to talk about my book Is Monogamy Dead? (which had stemmed from the middle part of the aforementioned trilogy) just before starting The Breakup Monologues. So that definitely inspired me to record the second and third seasons live at Kings Place. Although I’m changing format and feel for the new season [which started on 12th February]. That’ll have more of a magazine feel with separate interviews linked by me. That was also a format familiar to me because I’ve presented a show on Resonance FM for many years. So, if anything, my original inspiration came from radio… and the sort of mix of intelligence and humour of some of Radio 4’s artsy and cultural output, Woman’s Hour, Loose Ends and so on.

What is the most valuable lesson you have learned as a podcast producer since the start of The Breakup Monologues?

To be adaptable. Lockdown threw a big spanner in the works for me. I’m a live performer. It’s in my blood. So it took me a while to adjust to the fact that live shows weren’t going to be happening again for a while. I also had to figure out how to replace the lost ticket sales income. Fortunately a couple of superfans came to the rescue and put some money into the new season.

Also, to think about your USP. When I began talking about breakups onstage and in the podcast, audiences said it was so needed. Breakups weren’t talked about. Now there are more podcasters and authors discussing them. Which is what I was trying to achieve in a way. But now I also think I have to work harder to make The Breakup Monologues distinctive. And I think the cerebral/science angle about the parallels between addiction and heartbreak, or the sociological aspects of how polyamory changes the conversation about breakups and the way we bring those ideas in alongside the more personal anecdotes, is the kind of thing I have always enjoyed doing. Some of my favourite reviews of my book were the ones that acknowledged that there was clearly a huge amount of research that had been done but that research came across in such a light, accessible way. Also, I think inclusivity is a big thing for me. Not just in terms of sexuality. One of my favourite guests was Lynn Ruth Miller, who talked about dating and sex for the over eighties!

Earlier this year, you were awarded funding from the British Podcast Awards and Wellcome Trust to make a miniseries, My Chemical Romance. Where did the idea for these bonus episodes come from?

I had been aware for a few years of the work of neuroethicist Brian D. Earp into the idea of ‘love drugs’ and ‘anti-love drugs’ that could either help us to stay in a relationship or reduce the trauma of leaving one. Could the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind actually become a reality? So when the Pulse Award scheme from BPA and Wellcome was announced, it seemed like the perfect idea to explore in a double bill.

Did you have to produce this series in a different way to your regular episodes?

Yes. Although that hadn’t been the plan. I wanted to record these as a live double bill at Kings Place with a diverse and intelligent panel including Brian. However, the event was scheduled for late March, just at the start of lockdown. So instead I recorded a socially distant conversation with Brian and then did something completely new. I put an open call out online for listeners to submit their stories about how drugs we already take such as SSRIs, birth control pills etc had affected their romantic lives (and had perhaps had side effects of acting like an anti love drug). This was really interesting to put together.

And did you learn different things from doing the My Chemical Romance miniseries?

I suppose I felt more confident that you can still make great content without necessarily needing celebrity names. Obviously The Breakup Monologues has had some big names and will continue to do so. It does help with getting the word out and getting media or social media attention. But a great story or a new, intriguing idea is still worth a lot too.

What is something as a podcast producer you haven’t tried yet but would like to?

Over lockdown, I’ve been listening to a lot of the classic long form investigative or storytelling shows like Serial, S-Town, The Missing Cryptoqueen and Passenger List. I am desperate to make something like this, where you start off with a question but then maybe go off on other fascinating tangents. I have an idea I love for a series like this. But I might need some production support and finance to really do it justice. So we will see.

In the meantime, I’m also adding a slightly more themed and narrative approach to the latest season of The Breakup Monologues. There will be one particular episode where I’ll be unravelling the mystery of why one tiny breakup, after only a couple of casual dates, ripped right to the heart of all my vulnerabilities and kind of defied the ‘normal’ breakup rules of how much something is supposed to hurt if it hasn’t lasted very long. It’s a very nuanced change in atmosphere but the listening experience might feel a bit more like chapters of a book.

How do you experience other podcasts as a listener? Can you turn off your editing ear and just enjoy shows, or do you always tune in to the things you would have done differently yourself?

I tend to enjoy podcasts in different genres to mine. Although recently I have been listening a lot to the clever use of music in other podcasts. I always just had a fun little theme that came in and out at the start and end. But now we’ve got another piece by the same composer which fades in and out throughout the show as well. It’s a very simple change but one that points to the slightly different direction I’m taking things.

Do you have a dream guest?

I mentioned the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind above. It’s one of my all time favourites. I’d love to interview Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet about how they’d feel if the memory erasure process depicted in the film became a reality. They’ve had a few divorces between them. I wonder if they’d erase their ex-partners!

And now it’s coming full circle and you’ve been commissioned to write a book based on the podcast! Can you tell us about that?

The Breakup Monologues book will be published by Bloomsbury at the end of May. It tells my own story of trying to learn from my breakups, and from all the experts and friends that I’ve interviewed, and figuring out how to actually try and stay in a relationship at last. I think my breakups have proved to be such learning experiences, and ultimately really positive, that I’ve become a bit of a breakup addict. Is it possible to do that much active learning and growth while actually staying in a relationship? We will see!

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

The Breakup Monologues is on Instagram @breakupmonologues where I post fun backstage images from the live shows, exclusive extracts, bonus content and ideas from the show and book. I’m also on Twitter @rosiewilby. It would be great to hear from people there. Otherwise there’s my website www.rosiewilby.com, the show is available on all good podcast platforms, my first book is available from all great bookshops as a paperback, ebook and audiobook and the new book is available now to pre-order. 

The post Rosie Wilby: Podcast producer for The Breakup Monologues appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Our Voices in the NHS podcast shares the untold stories of doctors and nurses working in the NHS during these incredibly tough times. It’s a weekly podcast, with short episodes around 10 minutes long that combine first-hand monologues with beautiful sound design. We asked host Alex Melia to tell us how Our Voices came to be.

Where did the idea for Our Voices come from and why did you decide to do it as a podcast?

I’ve always been fascinated by the untold stories of real people. I think the kind of people who often feature in ‘reality’ TV shows for instance really don’t reflect real life. I felt that podcasting was the best format to enable these stories to be told and heard and for them to hopefully impact people in some way.

One of my sisters, as well as my father, work for the NHS, and I’ve heard some amazing stories from them so I was passionate about concentrating our efforts on medical professionals to begin with. This has turned out to be timely with so much positive sentiment for them right now when people want to get a real glimpse into their lives. Most of the NHS professionals are from overseas, enriching our country so much, and I wanted to bring attention to them.

What was the collaboration process like between yourself and the producers?

It’s been quite a long process, which has so far spanned around 4 months. We began by having strategy sessions where we talked about the values of the podcast and what we wanted to communicate to our audience, in addition to what sort of audience we were looking for.

Fascinate have worked day and night on this. It’s not uncommon for us to be exchanging messages at midnight, and I love the fact that they are as passionate about this as I am. Fascinate also have an excellent track record of producing podcasts which have gone out to tens of thousands of listeners, and the beautiful sound design is just one example that they know how to make this podcast the best that it could possibly be.

Sam and Rich from Fascinate, producers of the Our Voices podcast

The podcast is formatted as short stories. Why did you choose this rather than a Q&A or interview format?

As human beings, our lives are dictated by the stories we tell, both to ourselves and to others. This podcast is all about allowing people to share their stories so a Q&A just wouldn’t have done it justice. Also, this podcast is less about me and more about the guest. I wanted to be the facilitator of great stories rather than playing the ‘host’ in a traditional sense.

Personally most of the podcasts I love (and are the most meaningful) follow a narrative structure, and I think this is reflected in the general listener population. There’s a lot of Q&A style podcasts out there and we wanted to try something different. It’s great to be able to distil the story in the way we do which makes things more engaging, more concise and more accessible for the audience no matter where they are or what they’re doing whilst they’re listening.

It’s obviously much more of a time investment our end but we think it’s worth it!

Did you take inspiration from any other podcasts in particular?

I was particularly inspired by NPR and Gimlet, who both produce incredibly high-quality podcasts. There was a particular podcast on NPR’s ‘This American life’ called “24 Hours at the Golden Apple’, where people were interviewed in a diner and they talked about their everyday lives, which I found fascinating –both mundane and enlightening stories. There’s also a podcast made by Gimlet called “Heavyweight”, where the interviewee talks about a particular event which has happened to them in their lives, and they then provide their reflections afterwards.

We usually ask if you have a dream guest for the podcast, but I think in this instance it is more poignant to ask: do you have a dream listener? Who do you think needs to hear these stories?

I think my dream listener would be Peter Kay. I got the book ‘Dear NHS’ by Adam Kay who collected stories from 100 notable people from the world of entertainment where they spoke about their experiences with the NHS. One story from Peter Kay struck me where his character from the TV programme, ‘Car Share’ went into hospital to have a brain scan. As I read it, it struck me that he embodied the values we try to represent in this podcast: warmth, authenticity, humility, empathy and a small bit of humour thrown in for good measure. He’s from the same area that I’m from too! Even with success, he’s stayed true to himself and lives a very normal life in the area he grew up in.

Alex Melia, host of Our Voices – in the NHS

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

Well, as an interviewer I’d say: don’t try to fill the silence, as that’s often where the gold is. When you give someone space in those moments, sometimes they’ll recall something which even surprises themselves.

Is there a particular interview or story that has really stuck with you?

Yes. I spoke to a doctor from Libya who was working in her home country during the civil war and she found herself in the position of having to care for patients who were from the militia which had killed people from her own community. I was struck by the level of compassion and bravery that doing that must have taken, especially as she was threatened with her life as the militiamen all kept guns under their pillows. One of the militiamen warned her that if she failed to care for the men properly, she would be shot and killed immediately. There was no hint of anger or resentment when she told me this story which was staggering; she had this calm sense of acceptance about it all.

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

They can either go to our website: ourvoicespodcast.com or they can go to Apple, Spotify or whether they listen to their podcasts. Fascinate Productions can be contacted at www.fascinateproductions.co.uk.

Listen to Alex on episode #075 of the Pod Bible podcast.

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To pontificate about podcasts, enquire about advertising or ask us any questions, fill out the form on our contact page, get in touch via social media. or email info@podbiblemag.com.

The post INTERVIEW // Our Voices – In the NHS appeared first on POD BIBLE.

Feedback from attendees:

“Thank you for doing this today, cheered me up, genuinely great tips from all your contributors.”

“Good range of guests, none [of the sessions were] too long and LOVED the round table […] shows you how with a LOT of passion and dedication, one can get there eventually!!”

“There was a good amount of variety and the right amount of time was dedicated to each segment.”

If you missed the event, don’t worry. You can buy a ‘watch again’ ticket here – and view at your own leisure!

Pod Bible watched the event live, and we thought it was a great podcasting event and squeezed a lot into the 2 hours. There were 5 sessions, covering both hosting and production skills. The sessions included panels, Q&As and practical podcast tips. Our favourite session was with voiceover artist & voice coach, Nic Redman. Just make sure you’re not in public when you watch that one!

It was great to see a wide range of speakers, and they came from both independent podcasts and big productions.

If you’re a podcaster or interested in podcast production, you should take advantage of the replay service. You can also watch the video as many times as you want. And be sure to check out more podcast industry news in our news section.

The post Watch the ‘Pods Up: Level Up!’ Podcast Masterclass on Demand appeared first on POD BIBLE.

The Podcast Show organisers aim to invite one internationally recognised podcast to guest curate a part of the festival each year. Today they announced that podcast sensation My Dad Wrote A Porno will be the inaugural guest curators for 2021. The award-winning podcast trio, Alice Levine, Jamie Morton and James Cooper will appear at the show and curate a special programme of events that will feature some of their favourite podcasters and creators.

Alice Levine, Jamie Morton and James Cooper from My Dad Wrote A Porno said:

“We’re super excited to be curating The Podcast Show, the biggest podcasting event in Europe and cannot wait to reveal what we’ve got planned for the event in 2021. After years in the podcast space we are bringing together some of our favourite creators to make this a truly unmissable day. That, and we like the website now has to have “Porno” written all over it.”

The Event Director of The Podcast Show 2021, Jason Carter, said:

“The Podcast Show 2021 is shaping up to exceed our expectations as the No 1 festival covering every facet of the podcast world from business to entertainment. We are delighted to announce even more major partners through to the super exciting news of our evening ‘LDN Live’ podcast festival for fans across London. If that’s not enough, we are so honoured to have the blockbusting ‘My Dad Wrote A Porno’ guys curating part of our daytime show too, and this is just a taste of what’s to come at the biggest show of its kind for Podcasting.”

We at Pod Bible cannot wait for all that’s in store at the Business Design Centre in July next year. From speakers to workshops to live podcast shows, we’re looking forward to sharing our expertise, meeting lots of wonderful people and of course covering it all in our magazine and online!

Tickets will be available and the full Podcast Show 2021 line up will be announced in February.

Read the full Press Release below:

WORLDWIDE PODCAST SENSATION
MY DAD WROTE A PORNO
JOIN THE PODCAST SHOW 2021

‘LDN LIVE’ IS ANNOUNCED, A CITY-WIDE PROGRAMME OF LIVE PODCAST EVENTS

ORGANISERS ALSO ANNOUNCE MORE PARTNERS:
AUDIOUK, IAB UK, POD BIBLE, SJM CONCERTS,
THE RADIO ACADEMY, INSANITY GROUP, MARSHALL, MEGAPHONE, SHURE, ZOOM, REBEL BASE MEDIA, RESONATE RECORDINGS, FRESH AIR PRODUCTION, ELGATO & ALLIANZ MUSICAL INSURANCE

JOINING PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED PARTNERS INCLUDING SPOTIFY, BBC SOUNDS, ACAST & AUDIOBOOM

TICKETS ON SALE FEBRUARY 2021

The Podcast Show 2021 are delighted to announce additional partners join Spotify, BBC Sounds, Acast and Audioboom for the inaugural festival at The Business Design Centre London on 21-23 July 2021.

Further partners announced today include Pod Bible, SJM Concerts, Insanity Group, Marshall, Megaphone, Shure, Zoom, Rebel Base Media, Resonate Recordings, Fresh Air Production, Elgato & Allianz Musical Insurance. UK Radio & Industry bodies also partner the show, the first to be announced including The Radio Academy, AudioUK and IAB UK. IAB UK is the industry body for UK digital advertising, and have partnered with The Podcast Show 2021 to deliver a track of sessions focused on the unique opportunities that podcasting offers to brands and agencies, and how content creators can take full advantage of working with advertisers. Sessions will feature exclusive insight into consumer listening habits, provocative debates, creative workshops and more, bringing together many of the biggest players in the commercial podcasting space.

Organisers have announced that each year, they will invite one internationally recognised podcast to guest curate a part of the festival, and proudly announce that podcast sensation My Dad Wrote A Porno will be the inaugural guest curators for 2021. The award-winning podcast trio, Alice Levine, Jamie Morton and James Cooper will appear at the show and curate a special programme of events that will feature some of their favourite podcasters and creators. The full Podcast Show 2021 line up will be announced in February.

Alice Levine, Jamie Morton and James Cooper, My Dad Wrote A Porno said: “We’re super excited to be curating The Podcast Show, the biggest podcasting event in Europe and cannot wait to reveal what we’ve got planned for the event in 2021. After years in the podcast space we are bringing together some of our favourite creators to make this a truly unmissable day. That, and we like the website now has to have “Porno” written all over it.”

By night, the LDN LIVE evening programme takes over London for an unprecedented series of live podcasts, making this the biggest festival of its kind. Top promoters SJM Concerts will partner to bring favourite voices to life in venues across the city. LDN Live will run from 21-25 July 2021.

Alex Simmonds, Promoter at SJM Concerts: “We are really pleased to be involved as a partner for The Podcast Show 2021. The festival will be a pioneering event to showcase how podcasts work successfully in the live arena. We have a lot of exciting, interesting and entertaining shows to announce, so watch this space.”  

The Podcast Show 2021, produced by AV Media & Events (AVME), a joint venture between SME London and GetOnMedia, will deliver the biggest festival for the business of podcasting in Europe and will welcome the entire podcasting community from around the globe. Held over three days, the event features a series of industry panels with over 350 speakers and more than 100 sessions, workshops and masterclasses. New creators can also up their game and fill their little black books by soaking up the many ‘Podvice’ masterclasses or bespoke networking sessions. For those not able to soak up the atmosphere in person, the show will be live streamed to reach podcasters around the world. 

Jason Carter, Event Director of The Podcast Show 2021 said: “The Podcast Show 2021 is shaping up to exceed our expectations as the No 1 festival covering every facet of the podcast world from business to entertainment. We are delighted to announce even more major partners through to the super exciting news of our evening ‘LDN Live’ podcast festival for fans across London. If that’s not enough, we are so honoured to have the blockbusting ‘My Dad Wrote A Porno’ guys curating part of our daytime show too, and this is just a taste of what’s to come at the biggest show of its kind for Podcasting.”

Centrally located in London’s media district, moments away from the Eurostar and rest of Europe, The Podcast Show will be the largest podcast B2B and consumer show outside of North America. The Podcast Show is the ultimate networking event, whether you are in the business of podcasting, new to podcasting, an independent creator, publisher or IP owner, or looking to innovate and improve your craft. The Podcast Show will play host to a series of standout show features including the ‘Brands & Advertising Exchange’ and the ‘International Pavilion’, as well as a series of stages created to both inspire and showcase emerging podcasting talent, including ‘Rise Up Platforms’, ‘Pitch A Podcast’, and the ‘Creator Centre’ – full programming information will be announced in February 2021.  

The Podcast Show 2021 are committed to supporting the future of the industry by creating meaningful opportunities for the next generation of creators.  Working with partners, The Podcast Show has developed Project Amplify which will open up the industry for new creators who want to make an impact through podcasting.   More information about the extensive plans will be released in the new year.   

Will Jackson, Managing Director of AudioUK, said: “As the trade body for UK audio-led production, AudioUK sees The Podcast Show as a natural home for our 100+ member companies across the UK. We’re looking forward to playing our part in exploring how our sector can best develop as we look to a bright future for podcasting. This will also include developing skills in this space which we have already been working to do via our Audiotrain programme.”

James Chandler, CMO of IAB UK said: “Podcasts offer advertisers the ability to connect directly with audiences and give their brand a voice in a very real way. By collaborating with content creators themselves, brands can deliver entertaining and engaging offerings that add value for audiences, while always respecting the relationship and trust that exists between podcasters and listeners. We’re really excited to be partnering with The Podcast Show to further explore the potential for further growth in this area.”

Adam Richardson, Editor of Pod Bible said: “We’re delighted to have partnered with The Podcast Show 2021 and cannot wait for all that’s in store at the Business Design Centre. From speakers to workshops to live podcast shows, we’re looking forward to sharing our expertise, meeting lots of wonderful people and of course covering it all in our magazine!”

Nick Pitts, Deputy Chair of The Radio Academy said: “We’re thrilled to be partnering with The Podcast Show 2021. The Radio Academy is here to support everybody in the audio and radio sector, and the creativity and accessibility of Podcasting makes it a really exciting part of our industry. We welcome Podcasters with open arms, and we can’t wait to be part of The Podcast Show in May.”

Andy Varley, Founder & CEO, Insanity Group said: “We are delighted to be partnering with The Podcast Show in its inaugural year.  Podcasts are undoubtedly one of the most popular and powerful media platforms, and we have had a huge amount of success exploiting titles in a plethora of genres.  Whilst we all enjoy consuming podcast content, The Podcast Show will delve into the business side of this fast-paced industry, and the team and I look forward to contributing creatively to the editorial of this brilliant new event.”

Alex Coombes, Commercial Director at Marshall said: “Marshall are privileged to be part of The Podcast Show. For the best part of a decade we’ve been transferring our iconic sounds from the main stage into personnel audio devices to help music lovers connect closer to the artists they love. Podcasts are the next evolution of how we consume sound and explore our passions, and Marshall can’t wait to be part of a fun show that will help the next generation find their voice.”

Matt Turck, Chief Revenue Officer at Megaphone said: “We are excited to be a part of the largest gathering of podcasting professionals in Europe. On behalf of our partners in The UK and across the continent, ware excited for these few days of learnings and what’s going on in our rapidly changing medium.”

Jay Walpole, Sales Director UK Musicians and Consumer Audio at Shure said: “Our microphones are the go-to for live performance, and we’re honoured that many leading podcasters from around the globe have chosen them to capture their words. We’re excited to be a part of The Podcast Show in 2021, and it will be a great opportunity for us to give everyone a closer look at our new MV7 Podcast Microphone. We look forward to supporting the next generation of podcasters.“

Martin Pohl, VP of Sales and Marketing at Sound Service GmbH, UK distributor of Zoom said: “We are looking forward to exhibit at  the Podcast Show 2021 and introduce our new line of products which had been especially developed for the needs of podcasters and podcast production enviroments. The brand new ZOOM PodTrak P4 and PodTrak P8 will be available soon and we are excited to show them at the Podcast Show 2021 and get the opportunity to meet podcasters from all over Europe. See you next year in London!”

Mark Asquith, CEO of Rebel Base Media said: “I’m thrilled to be taking part in The Podcast Show 2021. The team and I have been in podcasting for over 6 years now and have watched the medium go from strength to strength. Whether you’re podcasting for business, for community or for passion, there’s no better time to be a podcaster. It’s an incredibly diverse, dynamic space to be in so we’re really excited that there is an event like this – bringing together thought leaders, professionals, creators and fans from across the globe – right here on our doorstep.”

Jacob Bozarth, President & CEO of Resonate Recordings said: “The business of podcasting is rapidly evolving, and The Podcast Show in London is uniting businesses and creators during a critical point in the growth of this industry. We are honored to sponsor this breakthrough event and can’t wait to see where it leads.” 

Neil Cowling, Founder of Fresh Air Production, said: ‘With podcasts becoming such a powerful part of any good business’s marketing and communications plan, we’re thrilled to be showcasing the very best in branded podcasts at The Podcast Show.’

Michelle Ferniza, Marketing Manager at Elgato, said: “At Elgato we are constantly exploring ways to enable and support content creators everywhere. Partnering with The Podcast Show is not only a great way to engage even more podcasters, but also to learn from and empower budding talent. We look forward to being a part of this uplifting experience, enriching the community, and connecting with the great minds of this thriving industry.”

Clarice Goff, Marketing Consultant at Allianz Musical Insurance said: “We’re so excited to attend The Podcast Show 2021! 2020 has shown us the real power of podcasts and how they’ve become an important part of our everyday lives. It’s about time that podcast creators are being celebrated and to be given the opportunity to meet and collaborate with each other at the show is going to be an amazing experience.”

Pledging to support the Equality in Audio Pact, The Podcast Show encourages, and nurtures continued opportunities, including supporting gender balance, minority groups including LGBTQIA+ and ethnic diversity among panellists, speakers and those in attendance. For more information about the act, visit equalityinaudiopact.co.uk. 

Day tickets for The Podcast Show will be on sale from February 2021 and start from £55.

Visit www.thepodcastshowlondon.com for any partner & exhibitor enquiries, as well as further announcements on speakers, live shows, on-sale dates and to sign up to their newsletter.  

Ensuring the best experience for everyone, The Podcast Show will be adhering to the Government’s current social distancing rules to protect members of the public, crews and staff at all times, if applicable, in July 2021.

For more information please visit http://www.thepodcastshowlondon.com/.

ENDS

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Both podcasts that are already running and brand new ideas are accepted. Every student who submits will also get access to a digital masterclass with JaakMaate and a free trial of the podcast editing suite, Soundtrap.

We think this kind of initiative is a great way of opening up the microphone to new voices.

Read the full press release below to find out how to submit your podcast!

Spotify says:

Calling all university students in the UK – Spotify has unveiled Spotify Next Wave, a new initiative aimed at discovering the emerging voices shaping the future of podcasting.

University students* in the UK can sign up – whether they already have a podcast or have been thinking about starting one. For all students who sign up for Spotify Next Wave (until November 27th), Spotify is providing access to a virtual podcast webinar hosted by JaackMaate as well as a free, three-month trial** of Soundtrap for Storytellers, a one-stop-shop online studio for high quality podcast creation.

According to Spotify’s annual global Culture Next Trends Report, 68% of Gen Zs and millennials said that podcasts help fuel self-discovery. We believe initiatives like this will help empower emerging voices in podcasting, as part of Spotify’s commitment to deliver a unique, differentiated experience that users and creators can only find on Spotify.

How to Sign Up

The process is simple; just visit Spotify.com/nextwave to drop a link to your podcast episode. Full terms and conditions HERE.
Have a podcast but it’s not on Spotify? It’s easy to upload to Spotify via Anchor or Spotify for Podcasters.
If you don’t have a podcast yet, select “Just Getting Started” and you can create one through Anchor or Soundtrap.
Learn more about the Spotify Premium Student subscription plan, offering access to all of the Spotify Premium features subscribers love most. Students don’t need to be a subscriber to participate in Spotify Next Wave.

*U.S. and UK residents only.
**Monthly subscription fee applies after the trial ends. Terms and conditions apply. Open only to users who haven’t already tried Soundtrap.

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POD BIBLE: What does a producer consider when taking on a new podcast job?
TOM WHALLEY: There’s a bunch of things. Firstly for me, it’s whether or not I have the time to do it. I help produce a bunch of podcasts for Stakhanov as well as The Huey Show for BBC 6Music, Kermode On Film, The Cycling Podcast, and I present my own monthly show called Service Course, so I’m pretty busy. I’ve got a toddler to look after, too. Secondly, I think about whether it will be a fun podcast to make. I really enjoy complex projects that involve a lot of sound design, so I’m always looking for podcasts where I can be really creative. Thirdly, I like to think about the potential of the podcast. Is there an audience for it? Can we grow it? And will it pay any of my bills? 

PB: How do you strike a balance when producing content for shows that fall under a unifying theme, but are all unique?
TW: Consistent sound design across a range of shows can help link them together, even if the content is radically different. The same goes for featuring familiar voices across your full range of shows. It’s also vital to have your presenters talk about the other shows on the network or feed. There’s also an element of trust involved. Stakhanov have built a really strong audience who trust them to produce new and unique content. Once you’ve got that trust it’s not actually that difficult to give the audience something different on the feed. Just being on that feed is an endorsement in itself.

PB: How much preparation do you do before episodes are recorded?
TW: It totally depends on the show. We recently did a 3 part documentary series for Stakhanov called The Return Of The Premier League. That involved days of selecting music, searching for archive material, and scripting. With the regular Football Ramble Daily shows, it’s not something I need to prepare too much for, I just need to make sure I’ve got all the right clips and I’m across the latest football news. The real prep there is done by the presenters who absolutely know their stuff because they do such a lot of research and are ridiculously well informed.

PB: What is the relationship between a producer and the show’s host?
TW: It’s a pragmatic one. I’ve worked with too many hosts to mention over the years and you work with each one in a slightly different way. I think you just need to work out what your presenter needs and work out how best to facilitate that. The main thing, whatever the relationship is like, is to build up trust. Back in my local radio days, I once had a presenter who trusted me so little that she thought I was waging some kind of psychological war against her. When there’s just 2 of you in a studio at 1am and that’s the kind of vibe you’ve created then things are not going to go well. Blimey, they did not go well that time.

PB: How do you experience other podcasts as a listener? Can you turn off your editing ear and just enjoy shows, or do you always tune in to the things you would have done differently yourself?
TW: I absolutely love listening to other podcasts and it’s a massive source of inspiration for me. I love hearing different production styles and then thinking about how they were done. Occasionally I’ll hear something where I spot an obvious edit, or the levels are out, or they just let a piece run on too long (sometimes this is when I’m listening to my older stuff), but 9 out of 10 times I’m hearing tricks that I want to emulate myself. I’ve learned a lot from shows like Radiolab, Science-ish, Ear Hustle, Crimetown, Atlanta Monster, 30 for 30, and Beef & Dairy Network.

PB: What is the most valuable lesson you have learned as a podcast producer?
TW: It’s all about working with people who understand podcasts. There are too many people who think “I should have a podcast” but they don’t listen to any other pods and are not part of the podcast community. I think you’ve got to really live and breathe podcasting in order to be successful. 

PB: Do you like to have constant collaboration throughout the process of producing a podcast, or do you prefer your roll to be siloed?
TW: For me the hardest part of doing creative work is listening to feedback but it’s honestly the most valuable thing you can have when making podcasts. I like to be able to work alone to some degree but my work benefits so much for having people cast a fresh set of ears over it. Sometimes that can mean you do 10 versions of a podcast before you finally hit the version that is ready to publish, but it makes the end product so much better. 

PB: What is something as a podcast producer you haven’t tried yet but would like to?
TW: I guess the only thing I’ve really yet to do is fiction. I don’t think I’d be any good at writing it but I’d love to bring some great fiction to life. In fact I’ve just had a couple of conversations about a really great comedy script so watch this space.

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Pod Bible: What appealed to you about the project?
Hannah Fisher: The most eye catching aspect of The Last Bohemians to me was the focus on women – and the focus on women who had done something radical and different in their lives. I found out about the podcast on Twitter because Kate did a call out for anyone who had an interest in the topic of magic and the occult. My grandad wrote books about witches and was a magician, so I also had a strong personal interest in the topic. Then, of course, the fact that Series 1 was so good and that it’s produced by so many women is even better. It felt like an exciting new challenge to face and so far it’s been great fun! 

PB: What does a producer need to consider when tasked with a single episode of a larger series, as opposed to an entire series?
HF: I think so far I’ve been quite focussed on my episode only. That’s the nice aspect of this way of working as it means you can really do a deep dive into your topic and your interviewee. However there have been some different aspects I’ve had to consider, such as when another theme is highlighted in a different episode or if a similar question is asked. Then it’s a case of seeing if there is a way around it to avoid repetition between episodes, even if they are on different topics, or just whether to avoid that topic all together.

PB: How do you strike a balance between the right amount of preparation and allowing for ‘happy accidents’ in an episode?
HF: I always go to a recording with an idea of questions and a background of the topic of the interview. Whether it’s a person, a news item or a general chat! However, you have to be prepared for anything. I do a lot of reporting, and this means I have to be able to quickly turn up to an unfamiliar environment and be ready to speak to whoever I can. In this case, ‘happy accidents’ are very much my friend! I guess the thing is to be prepared but also to be open. It’s a good thing to have a certain element of chance – it might mean you get to find out something new, or that your conversation goes into detail over an unexpectedly interesting avenue.

PB: Were there any aspects of what you heard in Series 1 that you kept in mind for your episode, or did you try to avoid letting what previous producers did influence your work?
HF: I loved Series 1 and listened to it all before starting to edit. Each episode showcased their bohemian women in different ways, yet highlighted their key moments and effect on popular culture. But from then on, I’ve tried to stay away from the series so I can make sure I stay true to my interviewee and follow their individual story. This being said, if I’ve lost sense of what I’m trying to create, as often happens in the midst of the creative process, I have gone back to certain parts of previous episodes that have stuck in mind. What I’ve tried to bear in mind though is the fact that every interview is different – they all focus on different people. Therefore, what works for one episode may not necessarily work for mine!

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