{"id":1909,"date":"2020-04-16T17:03:48","date_gmt":"2020-04-16T21:03:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/vpms1.humber.smartmanagedservers.com\/scribemag\/?p=1909"},"modified":"2023-04-05T15:39:11","modified_gmt":"2023-04-05T19:39:11","slug":"its-time-to-make-a-podcast","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/humberjournalism.com\/scribemag\/arts\/its-time-to-make-a-podcast\/","title":{"rendered":"Everyone Has a Podcast But You"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ryan Wanzala |<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the street around town or on transit, many people have headphones in their ears going about their day-to-day business. But it\u2019s not always music they\u2019re listening to. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Podcasts have increasingly become more popular. After all, it\u2019s convenient to your schedule, the quality is highly infectious, and the large sea of content is everywhere. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But this is not new. The format has been around for longer than you
would think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just ask Roly Ortega. He\u2019s a university student and a radio broadcaster at WUFT in Gainesville, Florida.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He isn\u2019t affiliated with a major national network or bestowed with millions of dollars in funding, but he was able to make a fairly popular podcast when he initially joined the trend before its peak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis decade is probably going to be the decade of podcasts, and maybe for a much longer time to come. Just like social media, the internet, and television, this is going to be a permanent thing in our
lives,\u201d Ortega says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Roly Ortega is the founder of his own in-house podcast production company, TheRolyPoly Productions. \u2014 [Credit: ROLY ORTEGA]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

WHAT IS A PODCAST?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Simply put, it\u2019s the concept of a person behind a mic with an idea to share that has swept the world and has become a popular medium. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to a study from the Interactive Advertising Bureau, podcasts
in the United States are expected to generate $659 million in ad revenue this year, or a 110 per cent increase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is no doubt that podcasting caught the ear of the conventional Canadian radio industry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two decades ago, people scoffed at the idea of listening to on-demand content. They were skeptical about whether the idea of live radio would translate well on-demand, especially in a world where streaming video dominates overall media consumption. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today they are seeing this trend to capture a brand-new audience, taking us back to radio\u2019s \u2018glory days\u2019 a century ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seems like what goes around, comes around.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Podcasting has been around since 2004, but after an explosion in popularity beginning as early as 2015, many curators became interested in creating on-demand streaming content to supplement existing platforms like video streaming. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Podcasting also allows specific niche groups to get regular content as
easy as anything mainstream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEverybody wants to do one now these days. There\u2019s new technology on our phones and our laptops that makes it so inexpensive and so easy to do one,\u201d Ortega says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WILL THE POPULARITY LAST?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

James Nadler is an associate professor and program director at Ryerson University. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He believes that the popularity of podcasts will continue to grow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPodcasts are kind of where radio was in the \u201820s when the audience was hungry for the material, and pretty much anyone who wandered into a radio station and could play ukulele would get on the air, because they need to fill the airwaves,\u201d Nadler says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The broadband use of the internet created an infinite number of stories and ideas for people with different niches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nadler is also an executive producer at Summit Crescent Productions in Toronto, producing shows for film and television. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s interesting to me is how NPR\u2019s style of documentary radio work translated well into podcasts, and CBC as well,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The relative ease of creating a podcast was one of the major contributors to the growing popularity and acceptance by corporations and consumers alike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ORTEGA’S PODCAST JOURNEY<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI had a Twitter account where I would report on the latest news happenings regarding public media, whether it\u2019s television or radio. It was not big per se, but it almost had 500 followers. So, since there wasn\u2019t any podcast out there that talks about the latest public media news, I launched \u2018Public Media Daily\u2019 in 2018,\u201d Ortega says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ortega made several episodes of the podcast, and despite the desire to create more, Ortega ended its run in July 2018 due to increased workloads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two years later, he decided to launch a new podcast called 10PM<\/a><\/em>, hoping to capture a new audience with his unique take on the headlines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new show reflected the style of daily news podcasts heard on NPR and \u2018The Daily\u2019 from The New York Times. The twist being that episodes were released at night. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI give you the top news stories of the day, but it would be unique because it would be at night,\u201d Ortega says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe tagline was described as \u2018the evening\u2019s last headline\u2019.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He knew originality was needed to set himself apart from many other podcasts that were already available and used it to spark interest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Something you should look for if you want to start a podcast yourself.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

CANADIAN RADIO AND BIG TECH JOINING THE PODCAST TREND<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Much of Ortega\u2019s motivation can be also used to describe the ambition evoked by the major technological players and broadcast sectors in Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation successfully joined the fray. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In October 2019, the radio division created \u2018CBC Listen\u2019, a multifaceted streaming service that produces a variety of award-winning podcasts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The content is specifically designed for on-demand consumption, rather than over-the-air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With a wide range of series, it caters to many different perspectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Services such as Spotify, Google, and Apple have made major investments to increase the exposure of on-demand content. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The companies\u2019 global reach and planned algorithms allow content to be heard around the world, which explains why Ortega knows CBC\u2019s Toronto-produced \u2018Frontburner\u2019 despite residing in Florida.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of the big names of Canadian radio made the move to podcasting to hold on to audiences during the transition to on-demand content. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rogers Media launched an in-house podcast network called
\u201cFrequency\u201d to directly compete with CBC and other similarly designed programs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bell Media has also partnered up with iHeartRadio, an American radio brand, to deliver their own suite of original podcasts into Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unlike CBC and Rogers, who opted to create original on-demand programming from the get-go, Bell and Corus Entertainment took a different route and began incorporating audio from existing live television
or radio programs and repurposing it as individual podcasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think that, as far as I can tell, the standard morning\/talk radio translated quite as well creatively or financially [into podcasting]. But you do also get political AM radio types who are also moving to
podcasts to get their message out,\u201d Nadler says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BUT WHAT IF YOU’RE STARTING OUT YOUR PODCAST?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCome up with an idea. It can be about anything,\u201d Ortega says. \u201cHowever, for regular episodes, I suggest a set schedule and a routine so that episodes can be released on a regular basis, whether it be once a week, twice a week or even once or multiple times a day.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The chances that other people are also interested can be quite high.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many podcasts fall under entertainment and can include a wide range of interests, so there is no need to feel like you need to focus on news and politics. Many podcasts fall under entertainment, sports, education, science, and a wide range of other topics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Just like radio in the 1920s, podcasts and on-demand audio are surging in the new field of streaming media in the 2020s. \u2014 [Credit: RYAN MICHAEL WANZALA]<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Other things you will also need to have is a microphone, which Ortega says it doesn\u2019t have to necessarily come from your phone\u2019s in-built mic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You will also need something that can record your audio. It can be
as simple as either using your operating system\u2019s recording software like Windows\u2019 Voice Recorder, or a separate handheld recording device. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They usually come with more advanced functions and tools that can allow you to input multiple microphones or to allow you to fine-tune your levels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ortega says that devices from Zoom Corporation or Shure Incorporated, like the handheld H6 Black recorder, can do the trick. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After that, you will need to choose your editing software of choice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can use a free and open-source program like Audacity or shell out a few bucks to use a more popular program like Adobe Audition, which Ortega recommends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHave all your equipment together but you can literally start at any time at any day at any hour you want. You\u2019re not forced to any broadcasting or FCC rules when it comes to podcasting because you can do it whenever you want,\u201d Ortega says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s recommended that you need to find a quiet space to record your podcast in order to provide listeners a clean and consistent aural experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI would produce my podcasts in a quiet setting so that I don\u2019t have any echoes,\u201d Ortega says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This may include a small room like a walk-in closet, or a place that does not have any strong reverb or sudden noises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After you recorded and edited your podcast, you will need to publish it to the world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s quite different from uploading a video onto social media, but it follows the same philosophies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCome up with a title, an image and a few episodes recorded before uploading it to a service,\u201d Ortega says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After that, you can publish it on a WordPress or Blogger blog, which in turn generates an automatic RSS feed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Google\u2019s Feedburner, an RSS feed is a piece of code that allows \u201cwebsites large and small to distribute their content well beyond just visitors using browsers.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This includes podcast streaming services like Google Podcasts that uses RSS feeds to distribute podcasts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Streaming services offer a plethora of ways to distribute your content that can help your podcast grow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ortega added, \u201cI would then use the RSS feeds to distribute it myself to Apple, Google, Stitcher, Castbox and other places.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your blog\u2019s RSS feed can be accessed by using Google\u2019s FeedBurner website. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you got the RSS feed link, you can go to a podcast streaming service, or host, like Google Podcasts, to connect your RSS feed there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, get out there and start your podcast. There is no time like now. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whenever you pop-in those earbuds to listen to a podcast on your way home from school, just know that this medium is \u2018hear\u2019 to stay for a
long time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ryan Wanzala | On the street around town or on transit, many people have headphones in their ears going about their day-to-day business. But it\u2019s not always music they\u2019re listening to. Podcasts have increasingly become more popular. After all, it\u2019s convenient to your schedule, the quality is highly infectious, and the large sea of content […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":1965,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[215],"tags":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/humberjournalism.com\/scribemag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/04\/IMG_5373-scaled.jpg",1707,2560,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/humberjournalism.com\/scribemag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/04\/IMG_5373-170x120.jpg",170,120,true],"medium":["https:\/\/humberjournalism.com\/scribemag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/04\/IMG_5373-200x300.jpg",200,300,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/humberjournalism.com\/scribemag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/04\/IMG_5373-768x1152.jpg",696,1044,true],"large":["https:\/\/humberjournalism.com\/scribemag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/04\/IMG_5373-683x1024.jpg",683,1024,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/humberjournalism.com\/scribemag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/04\/IMG_5373-scaled.jpg",1024,1536,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/humberjournalism.com\/scribemag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/04\/IMG_5373-scaled.jpg",1366,2048,false],"td_150x0":["https:\/\/humberjournalism.com\/scribemag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/04\/IMG_5373-scaled.jpg",150,225,false],"td_218x150":["https:\/\/humberjournalism.com\/scribemag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/04\/IMG_5373-scaled.jpg",100,150,false],"td_300x0":["https:\/\/humberjournalism.com\/scribemag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/04\/IMG_5373-scaled.jpg",300,450,false],"td_324x400":["https:\/\/humberjournalism.com\/scribemag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/04\/IMG_5373-scaled.jpg",267,400,false],"td_485x360":["https:\/\/humberjournalism.com\/scribemag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/04\/IMG_5373-scaled.jpg",240,360,false],"td_696x0":["https:\/\/humberjournalism.com\/scribemag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/04\/IMG_5373-scaled.jpg",696,1044,false],"td_1068x0":["https:\/\/humberjournalism.com\/scribemag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/04\/IMG_5373-scaled.jpg",1068,1602,false],"td_1920x0":["https:\/\/humberjournalism.com\/scribemag\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/04\/IMG_5373-scaled.jpg",1707,2560,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Scribe Staff","author_link":"https:\/\/humberjournalism.com\/scribemag\/author\/scribemag\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Ryan Wanzala | On the street around town or on transit, many people have headphones in their ears going about their day-to-day business. But it\u2019s not always music they\u2019re listening to. Podcasts have increasingly become more popular. After all, it\u2019s convenient to your schedule, the quality is highly infectious, and the large sea of content…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/humberjournalism.com\/scribemag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1909"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/humberjournalism.com\/scribemag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/humberjournalism.com\/scribemag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/humberjournalism.com\/scribemag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/humberjournalism.com\/scribemag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1909"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/humberjournalism.com\/scribemag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1909\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3217,"href":"https:\/\/humberjournalism.com\/scribemag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1909\/revisions\/3217"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/humberjournalism.com\/scribemag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1965"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/humberjournalism.com\/scribemag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1909"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/humberjournalism.com\/scribemag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1909"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/humberjournalism.com\/scribemag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1909"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}