Podcasting and Media

Overview

Podcasts are a form of new media which uses digitally recorded audio and/or video files to distribute recorded media. These files can be digitally downloaded or streamed by listeners, enabling speakers to reach a large audience. Audience members use technologies such as smartphones and personal computers to download or stream podcasts. This form of new media is enabled by personal computers, home recording equipment, and devices on which the podcast can be listened. Podcasts are at times compared to older forms of media such as radio broadcasts. Some podcasts follow formats common to radio, such as the radio drama format used by the podcast Welcome to Night Vale (Bottomley, 2015). But critical differences, such as the ability to listen to a podcast at any time, and the ability to download a file for listening off-line have made podcasts more portable and accessible than radio programs. Podcasts do, however, require access to new technology and fast Internet connectivity to download or stream a program. This means that some poor or rural communities are not able to regularly utilize this form of new media. As of 2022, only 65 percent of rural households had Internet access.

The transition from radio to podcasts was in many ways seamless, meaning that recorded radio programs were were easily adapted to a podcase format, making audio files of the program available for download by listeners. This allowed a producer to make both a radio program and a podcast, thereby reaching a large audience of diverse listeners. Podcasts were developed by a number of media outlets in the early 2000s, and by 2005 Apple had released an update for iTunes which was able to support, find, and download podcasts. This made it easier for users to find podcasts and encouraged or enabled many large media outlets, such as the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and National Public Radio (NPR) to design and distribute podcast programs. There were also many different, sometimes very small podcast providers. As of 2022, the most popular means to download podcasts included Apple, YouTube, and Google Podcasts.

Some podcasts are serial, meaning that they have a set of episodes that should be listened to in sequential order. This is the case for audio books, or stories and reports told over a long period of time. Others are designed to be listened to individually, with no need to listen to the preceding work to understand a selected podcast. The topics covered by podcasts are broad and range from those covered by the mainstream media to those focusing on special topics or presenting diverse viewpoints. Some podcasts are fictional and some are nonfictional. For example, Chang Sup (2017) has studied the ways that "citizen news" podcasts in South Korea have been used to advance new perspectives and cover topics that would not have been featured in mass media. Chang focuses on the news topics that are presented, but also on the way that podcasters are able to report the news. Specifically, they are able to use humor and satire in a way that would not be acceptable in the mainstream media.

In the United States, scholars have studied the ways that independent podcast producers and networks work to engage their audiences. The audience of podcasts is different from that of other media. Often times this audience is described as being younger and more affluent than the audience of other media types, such as the audience of radio broadcasts. These audience members use podcasts for a variety of reasons, such as entertainment and social networking in which they can discuss the podcast that they have just listened to with other audience members (McClung & Johnson, 2010). This information about audience members helps to inform podcast producers, but it is not specific enough to attract advertisers of specific products and services. For this reason, podcast networks are interested in finding out more about their listeners and if possible directly engaging with their audience through surveys, in person events, and write-in features on social media platforms. Direct audience engagement ensures that producers are meeting their audience's expectations, as well as that they are able to market their productions to advertisers. Wrather (2016) has examined the ways podcasts connected to Maximum Fun, a independent podcast network, engage their audience members through social media. Evidence of audience engagement in Wrather's study includes artwork produced by listeners, personal appearances and options to attend live recordings of podcasts, and tweets about specific podcasts. All of these events are designed to both keep existing listeners and to gather information about those listeners so that producers can continually fine-tune their productions. This increased engagement and knowledge about audiences can, however, produce a commutative loop whereby a podcaster asks for feedback, receives audience engagement, and then has to respond again in future podcast. This shows the audience that a podcaster cares about their opinions and feedback; however, it also draws the podcaster into topics that might not have otherwise been addressed in the podcast.

In some instances, producers of mass media have utilized podcasts as a way to reach larger audiences or to explain and expand upon the materials that they have presented on other media platforms. For example, von Krogh and Svensson's (2017) study examined the Swedish MattssonHelin podcast in which the editors of two of Sweden's largest tabloids would have a weekly discussion, via podcast, in which they discussed the news, how the news was covered, and why they had made specific editorial decisions in the last week. These discussions, which occurred weekly between 2013 and 2016, were praised for providing a type of transparency for the public that informed listeners about how mass media was produced and edited. Yet, they also placed a good deal of pressure on Swedish media corporations to also justify their editorial decisions in ways that the public would accept and understand. Editors who were not used to providing such justification had to either change the ways that they explained their decisions or hire a new speaker who was able to provide explanations for editorial decisions.

As Internet connectivity has become faster, and users have access to better personal computing technologies, video podcasts, sometimes referred to as vodcasts, have become more popular. Some of these are feature-length videos, others only include a short video clip. Vodcasts are sometimes presented as a step after podcasts, while other times they are presented as an additional option for a podcast. They are sometimes not used because a podcaster believes that audio files are an adequate or more appropriate way to express their opinions or provide information. Or, a producer may lack the technology required to make a high-quality vodcast. Some producers have chosen to keep making podcasts because the files are smaller and therefore take less time and bandwidth to download.

Further Insights

Podcasts have been used for a diversity of applications. While entertainment is the main focus for many researchers, there are also studies about the ways that podcasts have been used as educational tools. For example, Cheta and Eberechukwu (2018) have studied the difference between podcasts and vodcasts in education and are interested in which format ensures the best student learning. From a sample of ninety-eight students, they found that students who were taught through podcast had a higher academic achievement than those taught through vodcast. In foreign language classrooms, podcasts provide a useful tool for listening to native language on a diversity of topics. In Cross's (2014) study of Japanese English language leaners, it was determined that nine weeks of podcast listening, coupled with journaling and engaging questions, resulted in significant improvements in listening and comprehension skills.

Podcasts have also been used as a tool of activism, allowing listeners to gain insights into international conflicts in a direct way. Often these podcasts are part of a larger campaign that blends print and digital media, along with face-to-face events to press for a specific cultural or political change. For example, in the United States, young activists who are or who support DREAMers have used podcasts as a way to highlight the experiences of immigrants and press for changes to immigration law. These podcasts are often created by youth activists for other youth activists, and in this way are able to easily adapt to the expectations of their audiences and appeal directly to new supporters. They also provide a strong support for immigration by forging a personal connection between immigrants and potential supporters who would not otherwise come into contact. Zimmerman (2016) has examined the role that these podcasts play in both building strength among immigration advocates and creating a forum in which DREAMers are able to express their hardships, desires, and plans. This is an example of how a disenfranchised group is utilizing podcasts as a tool not for entertainment but as a way to engage in serious political deliberations.

Issues

Podcasts are also a useful tool for gaining insight into different perspectives on a commonly understood subject and to provide a personal touch on large topics. Salvati (2015) has examined the ways that history is presented in podcasts. Focusing on the ways that amateur historians present history, as opposed to a history professor, Salvati's work theorizes how podcasting enables listeners to gain new insights into history. Podcasters also may encourage their listeners to produce their own studies of history, what Salvati calls DIY histories. The production of these small, independently produced podcasts are an important step, especially for underrepresented groups, who are commonly overlooked by experts in a field. However, for audiences to make the most of these kinds of podcasts, they must first be well educated and able to critically assess the expertise and sources used by a podcaster. This is a form of media literacy that is frequently accessible by affluent communities, but not always included in the curriculum offered to underrepresented groups.

The personal quality made available through DIY history is also popular among journalists and media producers who use podcasts as a way to distribute personal stories and direct information regarding a topic. Lindgren (2016) has examined the ways that journalists have adapted their style to produce more intimate narratives, which frequently include personal storytelling to engage their audiences. Some of these personal stories take on the form of confessions, which engage many audience members, and allow the podcaster to speak about personal and/or mundane topics, which would not normally be addressed in the mass media. While Lindgren is optimistic that these personal narratives can open new topics for discussion, she warns that in doing so there is a risk of exaggeration and fabrication. As such, audiences need to be additionally diligent when analyzing personal narratives provided through podcasts.

While podcasts are useful in many contexts, there are questions as to whether they can replace in-person and face-to-face communication. For example, many parks have developed a set of ranger talks, in which the public gets to meet a park ranger who then leads them on a guided tour or detailed discussion of issues pertaining to the park. These ranger talks are designed for various ages and serve a critical role in educating the public. However, they also use park resources (in the form of rangers) and are sometimes poorly attended. For this reason, some parks have chosen to record the talks and distribute them to visitors. Visitors, however, were found to prefer the face-to-face presentations.

Contemporary and future research by communications scholars will address the ways that this new media type has affected the overall media landscape. Researchers will ask if podcasts can maintain their dominate position as a media of choice among the young and affluent, or if they will fall out of favor as those consumers age. Additionally communication scholars will study the ways that podcasters are able to circumvent the standards and norms of more traditional mass media and how these various forms of presentations affect audiences. Another area of inquiry is whether mass media producers be forced to change their own practices to match those of podcasters. Communications scholars have much to learn from these productions, and after they complete their studies, communication researchers will be able to participate in discussions with both podcast producers and listeners about how to best use this new form of media.

Bibliography

Bottomley, A. J. (2015). Podcasting, Welcome to Night Vale, and the revival of radio drama. Journal of Radio & Audio Media, 22(2), 179–189.

Chang Sup, P. (2017). Citizen news podcasts and engaging journalism: The formation of a counter-public sphere in South Korea. Pacific Journalism Review, 23(1), 245–262.

Cheta, W., & Eberechukwu, A. S. (2018). Podcast versus vodcast and students' academic achievement in information and communication technology (ICT): A research course. British Journal of Education, 6(1), 103–110.

Cross, J. (2014). Promoting autonomous listening to podcasts: A case study. Language Teaching Research, 18(1), 8–32.

Lindgren, M. (2016). Personal narrative journalism and podcasting. Radio Journal: International Studies in Broadcast & Audio Media, 14(1), 23–41.

Litman, C. (2022, Apr. 19). Podcasts vs. other media: What's the appeal? Sounds Profitable, soundsprofitable.com/update/good-data-back-to-basics

McClung, S., & Johnson, K. (2010). Examining the motives of podcast users. Journal of Radio & Audio Media, 17(1), 82–95.

Salvati, A. J. (2015). Podcasting the past: Hardcore history, fandom, and diy histories. Journal of Radio & Audio Media, 22(2), 231–239.

von Krogh, T., & Svensson, G. (2017). Media responses to media criticism: An analysis of response practices in the weekly Swedish podcast MattssonHelin. NORDICOM Review, 38(1), 47–64.

Wrather, K. (2016). Making "Maximum Fun" for fans: Examining podcast listener participation online. Radio Journal: International Studies in Broadcast & Audio Media, 14(1), 43–63.

Zimmerman, A. (2016). Transmedia testimonio: Examining undocumented youth's political activism in the digital age. International Journal of Communication, 10, 1886–1906.