episodes
1. intimacy
Podcasting is arguably today’s most intimate medium. We listen through earbuds, discussion of topics like sex and psychological play are widespread, and podcasters regularly create empathy through imaginative engagement. In this episode, we’ll hear a brief history of sex on radio, dip into podcasts like The Heart and Love + Radio, plus we’ll hear thoughts from Kaitlin Prest, Alan Hall and Brendan Baker.
2. narrative
Our cultural obsession with well-crafted audio stories has been steadily increasing since the birth of podcasting. Will we ever lose the thrill of a good narrative or tire of familiar formulas? Most of today’s best podcasters don’t think so. In this episode we’ll unpick arcs, reflect on moments of reflection and hear ideas on ‘story’ from Ann Heppermann, Ellen Horne and Jad Abumrad.
Today’s podcasters have transformed the passivity of listening into the engagement of fandom. With live events, social media chatter, T-shirt sales, and fan art, there is now an active exchange of ideas between audio producers and audiences. In this episode we look into how audiences engage with podcasts differently and hear thoughts from KC Wayland, Helen Zaltzman, Joseph Fink, and Jeffrey Cranor.
3. Audience
4. Authenticity
Typically, podcasts are ‘independent’ shows which are produced as passion projects. Some become commercial hits, most don’t. So podcasting gives producers freedom from the concerns of the market, but also the financial rewards. In this episode we explore authenticity and the 'freemium' economy, with contributions from Richard Herring, Scroobius Pip and the team from My Dad Wrote A Porno.
Release date: 18th February 2019
In a world without gatekeepers or broadcast regulators, podcasters enjoy incredible scope to pursue their own visions. In the Wild West of podcasting, old standards are thrown off and rules are broken. But what are the consequences? In this episode we’ll look at how podcasters are building new ethical principles and hear thoughts from Miranda Sawyer, Camilla Byk, Jad Abumrad and Serial's Dana Chivvis.
Release date: 25th February 2019
5. Ethics
6. Drama
Despite what some podcasters might say, audio drama is not a ‘new form’. It has a long history that can’t be swept aside. But how does the drama we listen to through podcasts do things differently? In this episode we’ll attempt to define 'podcast drama' as a new genre and explore what the future holds for it. We also hear thoughts from The Truth's Jonathan Mitchell, We're Alive's KC Wayland and Fred Greenhalgh.
Release date: 4th March 2019
Today’s finest podcasters are highly creative editors and sound designers who communicate in bold ways. And it’s so easy to for listeners to replay, re-listen and back-scan, which allows for an appreciation of more subtle creative techniques. In this episode we look at what digital editing really means, Lance talks about the sound on Blood Culture and we hear from Brendan Baker, Ellen Horne and Ann Heppermann on podcast aesthetics.
Release date: 11th March 2019
7. Editing
8. Future
The podcast-sphere has evolved dramatically in the past five years. Podcasting has moved out of its geeky ghetto into the cultural mainstream. So is this really the 'Golden Age' of podcasting or can we still look forward to it? In our series finale we are joined by special guests, Fiona Sturges and Michael Bull to explore what can we expect for the medium's future.
Release date: 18th March 2019