scispace - formally typeset
Search or ask a question
Journal ArticleDOI

A Golden Age of Podcasting? Evaluating Serial in the Context of Podcast Histories

19 Nov 2015-Journal of Radio & Audio Media (Routledge)-Vol. 22, Iss: 2, pp 170-178
TL;DR: This article considers the 2014 podcast Serial within a context of technical change and podcast histories, and argues that Serial is a significant moment in the history of podcasting.
Abstract: This article considers the 2014 podcast Serial within a context of technical change and podcast histories. Building on previous work, the author argues that Serial is a significant moment in the history of podcasting. Recent trends have shifted podcasts from iPods to networked screen-based mobile devices in smartphones and connected dashboards, locations where global brands enjoy a significant advantage. It is in this context that the author places Serial as cultural object.

Content maybe subject to copyright    Report

Citations
More filters
Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors suggest that by considering podcasts on their terms we might begin to uncover new truths about a medium in change, and they suggest that when one considers the manner in which podcasts are created and consumed then there is an increasing sense in which podcasting can present itself as a distinct medium.
Abstract: When evaluating any new medium or technology we often turn to the familiar as a point of reference. Podcasting was no different, drawing obvious comparisons with radio. While there are traits within all podcasts that are radiogenic, one must also consider whether such distinctions are beneficial to the medium. Indeed, one might argue that when one considers the manner in which podcasts are created and consumed then there is an increasing sense in which podcasting can present itself as a distinct medium. While it is true to suggest that as an adaptable medium radio has simply evolved and podcasting is its latest iteration. In doing so, we might fail to appreciate the unique values that exist. In this article, I suggest that by considering podcasts on their terms we might begin to uncover new truths about a medium in change.

75 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: McGregor et al. as mentioned in this paper explored the impact of the post-2014 podcast resurgence on non-fictional audio storytelling formats and found that podcast is fomenting a new, more informal, genre of audio narrative feature centred on a strong relationship between host and listener, with content that is "talkier" and less crafted.
Abstract: This article explores the impact of the post-2014 podcast resurgence on nonfictional audio storytelling formats. The empirical study comprises themed commentary by five significant US, European and Australian editors who commission and produce audio documentaries and features for broadcast and/or podcast. The article provides insights into the changing role played by public broadcasters, the growth of independent podcast networks and the perceived differences between radio and podcasting as a mode of delivering and receiving audio content. Of particular significance is the belief of senior commissioning editors that podcasting is fomenting a new, more informal, genre of audio narrative feature centred on a strong relationship between host and listener, with content that is 'talkier' and less crafted. The US audio storytelling podcast sector is growing fast, and much of it has links to a public media ethos, but how to resource it without compromising its editorial independence remains unresolved. Disciplines Arts and Humanities | Law Publication Details McHugh, S., How podcasting is changing the audio storytelling genre. The Radio Journal: International Studies in Broadcast and Audio Media, 14(1), 2016, 65-82. This journal article is available at Research Online: http://ro.uow.edu.au/lhapapers/2358

72 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The authors explored the true crime podcast audience within the uses and gratifications theoretical frame using an online survey (n ǫ = n.308) and found that true crime podcasts audience is...
Abstract: This study explores the true crime podcast audience within the uses and gratifications theoretical frame. Using an online survey (n = 308), this study found that the true crime podcast audience is ...

55 citations


Cites background from "A Golden Age of Podcasting? Evaluat..."

  • ...Contributors examined the history of podcasting (Bottomley, 2015), the future of podcasting (Markman, 2015), how podcasts compare to radio (Cwynar, 2015), and the impact of two specific podcasts, Serial and Welcome to Night Vale (Berry, 2015; Bottomley, 2015)....

    [...]

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In 2004, a new movement called "Podcasting" was proposed, which promised the democratisation of media production tools and the means to freely distribute work as mentioned in this paper, using domestic tools and open source software the pioneers threatened to disrupt the top down media ecosystem that we were used to.
Abstract: In 2004, a new movement began. It was one that promised democratisation of media production tools and the means to freely distribute work. Using domestic tools and open source software the pioneers threatened to disrupt the top down media ecosystem that we were used to. That movement was podcasting. In the ten years that have passed since we first heard the word ‘Podcast’ thousands of podcasts have started, audiences have grown steadily, technologies have evolved and the medium has become increasingly professionalised. By 2015 the medium had become a significant talking point through the success of podcasts such as Serial, Start-up and WTF, suggesting that podcasting may have reached maturity

54 citations


Cites background from "A Golden Age of Podcasting? Evaluat..."

  • ...Whilst there is a suggestion that the podcast Serial has prompted renewed interest in serialized narratives, the content of podcasts has had little impact on radio....

    [...]

  • ...Through podcasting, the podcast 99% Invisible was able to offer longer form content than it could as an insert into networked radio, and the team led by Lind at This American Life were able to create Serial....

    [...]

  • ...The experience of Serial in 2014 is a case in point, as listeners who discovered the podcast late could start at the beginning and catch up (Berry, 2015)....

    [...]

  • ...Dredge S (2014) Serial podcast breaks iTunes records as it passes 5m downloads and streams....

    [...]

  • ...Research conducted in 2014 around the podcast Serial (Berry, 2015) indicates the transition of podcast listening to mobile was fundamentally important to success....

    [...]

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The structural shifts behind the rise of podcasting have led to programming aimed at sustaining audience attention, a development coinciding with the sharp increase in engaged time with digital longfor... as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Structural shifts behind the rise of podcasting have led to programming aimed at sustaining audience attention, a development coinciding with the sharp increase in engaged time with digital longfor...

49 citations


Cites background from "A Golden Age of Podcasting? Evaluat..."

  • ...S-Town’s success is reflective of podcasting’s brief yet fierce evolution that has bourgeoned into a “golden age” (Berry, 2015)....

    [...]

  • ...In addition to studies on the establishment of podcasting’s uses, evolution, and intersection with radio (Berry, 2015, 2016; Cwynar, 2015; Markham, 2015; Mou & Lin, 2015; Wrather, 2016) are approaches to longform audio journalism via genre (McHugh, 2014) and convergence (Panda, 2014)....

    [...]

References
More filters
Book
01 Mar 2000
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explain how an unknown novelist, such as J.K Rowling of Harry Potter fame, ended up as a bestselling author and why teenage smoking out of control, when everyone knows that smoking kills.
Abstract: ow does an unknown novelist – such as J.K Rowling of Harry Potter fame – end up as a bestselling author? Why is teenage smoking out of control, when everyone knows that smoking kills? What makes TV shows like Sesame Street so good at teaching kids how to read? Why did Hush Puppies, a daggy 30,000-pair-a-year accessory become a hip million-pair-a-year accessory in two years, with practically no input from the company? What makes word of mouth such a powerful marketing tool?”

1,176 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors sketch a theory of media convergence that allows us to identify major sites of tension and transition shaping the media environment for the coming decade, which is more than simply a technological shift, it alters the relationship between existing technologies, industries, markets, genres and audiences.
Abstract: Responding to the contradictory nature of our current moment of media change, this article will sketch a theory of media convergence that allows us to identify major sites of tension and transition shaping the media environment for the coming decade. Media convergence is more than simply a technological shift. Convergence alters the relationship between existing technologies, industries, markets, genres and audiences. ●

556 citations

01 Jan 2006

490 citations


"A Golden Age of Podcasting? Evaluat..." refers background in this paper

  • ...Markman’s work in 2012 and 2014 discusses the wealth of content that is still being created at the almost infinitely thin end of what Anderson (2006) calls ‘‘the long tail....

    [...]

  • ...Markman’s work in 2012 and 2014 discusses the wealth of content that is still being created at the almost infinitely thin end of what Anderson (2006) calls ‘‘the long tail.’’...

    [...]

Journal ArticleDOI

346 citations


"A Golden Age of Podcasting? Evaluat..." refers result in this paper

  • ...Therefore, in the consumption of Serial we see similar patterns to those noted by Gladwell (2001) with other trends, where early adopters ‘discover’ something new and share that experience with others via personal recommendation....

    [...]

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Podcasting as mentioned in this paper allows anyone with a PC to create a "radio" program and distribute it freely, through the internet to the portable MP3 players of subscribers around the world, which not only removes global barriers to reception but, at a stroke, removes key factors impeding the growth of internet radio: its portability, its intimacy and its accessibility.
Abstract: The Apple iPod has not only become a ‘must have’ style accessory for the ‘wirefree’ generation but has also revolutionized the way we consume music. At the time of writing, (November 2005) the revolution has already started in the audio world, and has been going for the last 18 months. ‘Podcasting’ allows anyone with a PC to create a ‘radio’ programme and distribute it freely, through the internet to the portable MP3 players of subscribers around the world. Podcasting not only removes global barriers to reception but, at a stroke, removes key factors impeding the growth of internet radio: its portability, its intimacy and its accessibility. This is a scenario where audiences are producers, where the technology we already have assumes new roles and where audiences, cut off from traditional media, rediscover their voices.

213 citations


"A Golden Age of Podcasting? Evaluat..." refers background in this paper

  • ...Early articles on podcasting (Berry, 2006; Madsen, 2009; Menduni, 2007) considered it an extension of radio....

    [...]

Frequently Asked Questions (11)
Q1. What contributions have the authors mentioned in the paper "The premise was, in itself, original for an audio podcast but one that mirrored narratives in the classic serials of radio’s past. producer sarah koenig explained that the genesis of the project came from an experience of listening to audiobooks on long car journeys (syme, 2014) at a time of renewed interest in serialisation (ganita" ?

This article considers the 2014 podcast, Serial, within a context of technical change, and podcast histories. Building on previous work, the author argues that Serial is a significant moment in the history of podcasting. It is in this context that the author places Serial as cultural object. 

Podcasting seemed to both democratise access and break content free from the tyranny of the schedule, in media markets where traditional broadcasters invited audiences to have more control of their media experiences (Johnson, 2012 & Perez, 2012). 

As Street in The Poetry of Radio, the Colour of Sound notes, what the authors used to know as ‘radio stations’ (his emphasis) are increasingly becoming “platforms for audio experiences” (2012, p.112). 

Serial showed that in thedays of Wi-Fi, it is easy to subscribe and download” Adair concludes “Serial is something of a gateway drug, leading many of us to other podcasts.” (2014). 

the improving skills of podcasters could also be behind the growth, as whilst “podcasts used to be pretty amateurish ... today's top podcasts ... are full-scale productions with real staff, budget, and industry expertise behind them. 

Retrieved from: https://medium.com/forthe-love-of-podcast/serial-makes-me-want-to-stop-podcasting-83b78948f43Dredge, S (2014, November 18) Serial podcast breaks iTunes records as it passes 5m downloads and streams. 

Serial could represent a reminder of the medium for lapsed listeners or an incentive to explore for newcomers, as Reviewer Bill Adair (2014) offers, “Many of us hadn’t downloaded a podcast since the iPod era, when you had to go through the hassle of syncing with your desktop computer to get a new episode. 

They stated that - “We’ve tracked podcasting since 2006 in this research series, and The authorstill remember the days of hunting down an RSS feed, copying it and pasting it into iTunes, downloading the podcast to my computer, and then syncing it to my iPod to listen to later” Continuing the researchers added “Today, all that friction has been reduced to just one step; thanks to the convergence of Broadband access, computing, and media server that is the modern mobile phone.”(Webster, 2014). 

As for podcast listeners specifically, podcast consumption accounted for more of their “share of ear” than any other form of audio, including radio. 

Episodes were distributed via a conventional podcast RSS feed, through the podcasts website, and on platforms such as Soundcloud and YouTube. 

Only when Apple embraced podcasts in 2005 and added the capacity to download podcasts via iTunes did the process finally become more fluid and one that the average user could navigate.