“A podcast is an episodic series of digital audio files which a user can subscribe to so that new episodes are automatically downloaded via web syndication to the user's own local computer, mobile application, or portable media player”. (Wikipedia)
In radio it sometimes feels like the podcast is taking over, not because it is, (we've all seen the listening figures) but because podcasts capture the imagination and get the column inches.
A quick internet search brings up the best of lists 2016, the top 50 podcasts you need right now/are essential to download, the podcasts which will change your life, make it better, make you laugh or keep you up to date on the latest topics. In contrast you rarely see lists of the best radio programmes and even less frequently lists comprise programmes from different countries (language allowing).
Podcasts came onto the radio scene and have created some exciting new content and are starting to create a different kind of broadcast star or extending the careers of current broadcasters. And while some people predicted that Podcasts might not last it seems that they have enhanced audio broadcasting and potentially draw in non-traditional listeners and the golden egg – the younger listener – in 2016 Edison research showed that the highest number of listeners per month were those aged 12-24 in the US.
But with such small listening figures (in comparison to traditional broadcast radio and to some extent streaming services) should the radio industry be spending time and budget on podcasts? Do advertisers get this new platform? Who are the rising stars and what will their impact be? How do you even start a podcast and what is the measure of a successful podcast? All of these questions and more are being covered at the Radiodays Europe Podcast Day, 15 June 2017, Copenhagen, Denmark.
We are bringing together the world of podcasting to speak at the conference on the 15th June (with a more in-depth look at podcasting during our workshops on the 16th June, more on that to come), the list of confirmed speakers includes:
Ruth Fitzsimons, SVP International Operations & Content Partnerships at AudioBoom, UK, Claire Tonti, Creative Director at the independent podcast company Planet Broadcast, Australia, Pablo Fernández Delkader, Prisa Radio, Spain, Laurent Frisch, Head of Digital, Radio France, Brendan McDonald, Producer of the succesful «WTF Podcast», USA; Leslie Merklinger, Senior Director of Audio Innovation, CBC, Canada; Erik Diehn, CEO of Midroll/Earwolf/Stitcher, USA; Helen Zaltzman, Producer of the multi-award winning podcast «Answer me This!» and «The Allusionist», UK; Cajsa Lindberg, Controller SR P3, Swedish Radio; Nicholas Quah, founder of Hot Pod, a specialized newsletter about podcasts, USA; Rune Born Schwartz, Innovation Manager, Bauer Media, Denmark.
*If you’re interested here are some of the podcasts that hit the best of lists:
http://www.esquire.co.uk/culture/news/a5508/21-essential-podcasts/
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/dec/21/the-50-best-podcasts-of-2016
https://www.stuff.tv/features/29-best-podcasts-2017
http://www.vogue.co.uk/article/best-podcasts