Podcasting: A New Form of Journalism
I’ve written extensively about the decline of traditional forms of journalism but I haven’t spoken in detail about the new media that have arisen in its place. That’s why this week I’ll be blogging about podcasting as an extension of public radio journalism.
If you’re unfamiliar with the term, you’ve probably been living under a rock. But regardless, podcasts are episodic series of digital audio files that are downloadable and perfect for on-the-go listening. They can range from daily breaking news coverage to fictional narrative and storytelling through sound. Some podcasts I listen to weekly include The New York Times’ “The Daily” hosted by Michael Barbaro and “Modern Love,” an audio iteration of the NYT’s popular guest love column. I’m also partial to Jonathan Goldstein’s “Heavyweight” and “Tell Me Something I Don’t Know!” both conversational and educational podcasts that invite me to learn about new topics and hear diverse stories. “Serial” and “S-Town” are my favorite real-life/true crime podcasts while “Homecoming” is my favorite storytelling podcast (reminiscent of a television show without any visual elements). You get the idea—I’m a big podcast fan.
So how do they fit into the world of journalism? Well, hard-edged journalism has been mixed with podcasting’s uniquely personal storytelling techniques since the 1990s when radio was undergoing a digital transition. Through podcasts, complicated topics and news stories are transformed into easily digestible clips and made more personal/relatable by the sheer intimacy of hearing people’s voices rather than reading about them.
Podcasters draw from journalistic standards and training. Stories told through podcasts are no different in the fact that they contain an appropriate number of verifiable and accurate sources, and are narrated objectively and fairly. At the same time, podcasters embrace the idea that their tone, style, and motivations go beyond traditional techniques. Journalism in podcasting tends to be heavier than regular news stories and focus on new angles or deeper perspectives on existing current events. For example, if the news of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh broke in print and web, the podcast counterpart to the story would likely interview the journalist who reported the story or other sources close to the situation to gather more facts and delve further into the story rather than simply reiterating it in audio form.
Last May, on my Maymester trip to New York City with USC Annenberg, I had the opportunity to tour The New York Times and meet Michael Barbaro, the aforementioned host of “The Daily” (and one of my journalistic idols). I talked to him about the Daily Trojan’s plans to expand our podcast production and he shared some valuable insights about the industry. Firstly, news stories told through podcasts are exempt from the inverted pyramid structure that print journalism students are taught to abide by from day one. Instead, stories should be presented in a more features-esque manner and utilize the most engaging soundbites. In podcasts, journalists and editors are at liberty to imbue stories with emotion or suspense. What’s more, he emphasized the intimacy of audio journalism as something unable to be replicated merely through words. There is no closer connection built between an audience and the reporter than hearing him/her think through the story, explain steps and decisions, and verbally grapple with the implications in real time. It’s through these interactions that news journalism, especially political reporting, is imbued with a deeply human element. I would argue that its humanization of the members of the press go so far as to de-stigmatize negative perceptions about journalists and their personal agendas.
Podcasting is a journalistic medium that I personally greatly enjoy and find extremely convenient. I regularly listen to news rundowns that take up no more than 20 minutes of my day and make me feel better-informed with very little effort. I hope everyone takes the time to start exploring podcasts—even if they are just for fun and not news-related. There’s truly something out there for everyone.
Ultimately, podcasters are passionate and well aware of their journalistic roles, as they should be, and working constantly to advance it. In my opinion, podcasting transcends headlines and Just take it from Tim Lloyd, who produces the St. Louis Public Radio podcast: “I consider myself more of a storyteller who knows how to commit acts of journalism.”
