Class. Culture. Podcasting and everything in between
Both, we need both.
Caveat, I am super biased in this argument as I produce and listen to “small independent podcasts” …
“We need long-form conversations from all sorts of lived experience not just people with a following/or specific knowledge and a palatable accent or opinion.”
I have heard a lot of conversations recently about the idea that the podcasting world is becoming oversaturated. “Every man and their dug has a podcast these days” kind of statements.
Although that may be slightly true, and the pandemic may have accelerated that process because people had time and there was/still is a sense of acceptance of doing zoom podcasts – there was not prior to the pandemic.
However, there is enough room for everyone at the table.
I have heard people argue that highly produced podcasts are the only ones worth listening to. I mean look at the “UK podcast awards” - a list of highly produced podcasts run by well-known people. Now, no disrespect to those wonderful podcasts, but we need room to celebrate both.
I first started listening to podcasts and talking about them around 7 years ago. Here is a wee blog I wrote in 2017 “Podcasts can change our lives”. I believed then, and I still believe now that podcasts hold a magical power - especially after the one-hour mark where people enter the state of flow. I wrote recently in a post that podcasts enable a sense of deep connection. The long-form, uninterrupted, free-flowing communication between two people is so intimate and special. It is unlike any other format. It forces us to be present with each other and really listen to and get to understand each other’s points of view. You become connected with the person or people. Whether you listen or you record your own podcasts.
I really believe that the push for highly produced podcasts is damaging.
It will begin to and has already modified what podcasts are and it changes who can be involved in the process of creating podcasts.
Podcasts are about change; change in the way we communicate ideas and slowly changing the existing narrative, allowing room for a diverse range of VOICES that have not had the power to share before.
In contract, highly produced podcasts i.e., BBC, etc., fit the existing narrative that is perpetuated in all aspects of “media”.
We need people to believe they are worthy enough of sharing their stories, just as much as everyone who is involved in highly produced podcasts.
We can’t get too much into the idea that podcasts should be short and well-edited. This prevents people with powerful stories from believing in themselves enough to start a podcast.
Joe Rogan is just a person, who has curiosity and really cool conversations. He is arguably the founding father of long-form, unedited podcasts (although there were a few before him) he is one of the most well-known podcasters. Albeit he had his comedy/MMA following prior to starting it and could dedicate time to keep going and showing up because he has fuck it money.
However, the idea that podcasts need to be more niche and highly produced is exactly what big companies and potential sponsorships want; someone with a big following and “they” (they is always a funny word to use - but I mean the companies) know what you are going to get i.e. a person won’t say anything too against the grain of existing culture and if they do we can edit it out.
We need long-form conversations from all sorts of lived experience not just people with a following/or specific knowledge and a palatable accent or opinion.
Starting a podcast and keeping it going is tough. It takes time and continual self-belief.
Right now, in Scotland especially, there is an idea that long-form podcasts are “not taking off”. I don’t think this means people should stop creating them. Listenership will grow. IT is an adjustment period. America has had a booming podcasting scene for a good few years now. People are used to investing time into listening to someone each week. Change towards this in the UK will take time. But, moving towards less immediate gratification in the way we connect and consume ideas feels so important.
Just because some people don’t get the listenership they hoped for in the UK, does not mean people should stop, or move towards a more niche, themed podcast.
We should not have to change to fit an existing narrative. We should be able to be ourselves.
I feel like this subject particularly grinds me because I feel like it is linked to class.
I think that the existing culture surrounding the media TV/BOOKS/RADIO in the UK perpetuates middle-class values and voices, with working-class -if class exists anymore- voices on the periphery. This “norm”, prior to podcasting prevented and to an extent still prevents the cross-pollination of ideas.
We need a place to mix and understand each other’s lived experiences and that is what I think podcasting can do.
Intentions are the most important thing…
And unfortunately, we live in a society where views and likes are the measures of success. This often changes peoples’ intentions.
I have reframed this in my mind, I love connecting and talking about something I am passionate about on the Wee Stories Podcast, and if anyone listens it is just a bonus.
Similar to the idea of process-focused rather than outcome-focused. It can be applied to everything we want to enjoy in life.
LAST but almost most important thing
The long-form conversation “say what you feel in your heart right now” podcast creates a genuine connection for the people in conversations, but also the people listening.
The edited, highly produced version feels slightly hollow.
If we rely on, in Scotland, purely produced podcasts to change the wave and make an impact like Joe Rogan has I don’t think it will happen. We need to keep going with long-form and hope that slowly as culture changes people will begin to connect and see the potential in them.
“don’t be Ari Shaffir”
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