We can all hear you
The age of the podcast means everyone can convey their passions, marvels Rachel Dobson. She rounds up the best of the emerging voices and the stalwarts who don’t let us down
Rachel Dobson
PRESS RECORD
DO YOU REMEMBER
a time when everyone asked you to read their blog? Next it was to watch their YouTube channel and now we can all make a podcast. It sounds like a democratic arena because we can do an online course then produce recordings. Upload your content and it sits snuggly among the celebrities and professional broadcasters waiting to be discovered.
Creators love the podcast format because it’s intimate and there is often no limit on duration, so the story can be told, however long it takes.
It has to be said that quality varies massively. With a
showbiz name, a production team, regular episodes and publicity and advertising, the celebrities have the upper hand. Listening to a seasoned presenter is like sinking into a warm bath: relaxing, smooth and predictable. But the diversity that comes from podcasts made by people who are new to the format is brilliant in many ways. How else would I hear their thoughts or begin to understand a niche topic?