How do I make compelling Podcast audio content?
The traditional media companies have a vested interest in new media. It is understandable when you realise that many of the most listened to podcasts originate from these companies, whether national or commercial broadcasters.
What’s interesting is content coming from radio producers who are now working exclusively in the Podcast arena. They and the emerging quality from some so called ‘hobby’ Podcasters probably doesn’t worry the big broadcasters or perhaps it doesn’t at this stage.
The BBC’s RnD department always have an eye on emerging technology and they are often at its forefront pushing the envelope of the use of tech in the new media world, but what of the content?
What’s that got to do with creating compelling content I hear?
In March 2015 the BBC gathered some of the leading lights of the audio industry to talk through the future of audio. That’s right audio, not radio. Although current thinking is that podcast, online streaming audio and any form of audio broadcast is actually radio. We’ll get into that in a future blog or podcast.
The question, at the BBC event, wasn’t just about what makes compelling audio, but how will it be heard?
Simon Marks is a news anchor and media consultant whom thinks the real challenge is to come up with engaging audio in a platform neutral way. He says “There is an ease and rapidity of production for audio creators today. You (as producers) have the ability to get the audio into the hands of people in whatever they use”.
The question has to be how and where people listen and what they listen to?
Anna Boval is the online editor at BBC newsbeat and she believes it is important to think about the device your audio is consumed upon as well as the content. “You need an eye candy way in, but the logo isn’t that important. The audio should live alone over the branding”.
What makes compelling audio and how should it be delivered?
Miranda Sawyers is the Observers radio critic and her advice on creating compelling audio content is to simply get it out quickly, don’t ramble and definitely know what you’re talking about. She says “People who are engaging in life tend to be engaging on radio. (You should) say what you want to say and say it quickly and sharp”.
Miranda advises to listen to different and emerging audio content to get a better understanding of where compelling content is heading. She includes loveplus radio, the new guardian podcasts as well as BBC radio world service one minute bulletins to get a feel of what’s out there.
A well-known and what is a vanguard Podcast which if you’re into Podcast you must have listened in to is Seriel from NPR. Dana Chivvis is a producer with Serial and believes the very same elements of radio but provided in a new media format is what makes compelling audio. She believes it always starts with the story “Fantastic characters, a great plot that moves forward and a narrative tension (which is) the building blocks that great audio should have”.
Dana also believes Podcasts provide a greater freedom than radio where you can break out from radio’s restraints. She thinks this helps NPR to tell stories differently. “We do serialised stories, an old radio idea, but updated for a new medium. We (have) used the benefits of the new medium to update the idea.”
Wherever we listen to audio in the future it is clear that quality content will always be the key to engaging a listener. As Podcasters we need utilise the platforms we broadcast on, understand the techniques of radio production and then use this with the added freedom Podcasting provides.
They key is to use a radio skills for podcasts, but we would say that.