PRX Expands Podcast Training Program
The number of people diving into podcasting is at an all-time high. At PRX, we know from experience that the skills needed to succeed can be overwhelming for most. While the podcast medium is booming, and the barriers to entry are low, growing audience and sustaining a show are extremely difficult challenges.
With generous support from the Boston-based Barr Foundation, PRX is launching a multi-tier podcast training program in 2018. Building on the success of Project Catapult, an immersive podcast training program PRX launched last year for public radio stations, PRX is creating a suite of workshops for teams and individuals who want to improve their skills and shows.
“At the Podcast Garage, we’ve had a front-row seat to the incredible amount of interest, and the challenges, in the entrepreneurial endeavor of launching a podcast,” said Kerri Hoffman, CEO of PRX. “From the hobbyist to the professional, we’re creating and fostering a growing community focused on the craft, distribution and monetization of podcasts.”
The Barr Foundation’s significant investment will enable PRX to expand the existing suite of educational programs currently offered at the Boston-area Garage and provide the capacity needed to develop digital training resources.
“Podcasting is a media platform with tremendous potential to elevate the stories of culturally diverse voices. We are thrilled to support PRX, Inc.’s training programs for experienced and new podcast producers in Boston and beyond to develop their creative expression and storytelling,” said San San Wong, director of Arts and Creativity at the Barr Foundation.
With the funding, we are also bringing on Kerry Donahue as Director of Training. Kerry is the former director of the audio program at Columbia Journalism School.
“PRX has a long history of supporting producers and bringing new voices to public media,” Donahue said. “Now, thanks to the Barr Foundation, the PRX training program will offer producers at every level a chance to hone their skills.”
As director of the audio program at Columbia, Kerry worked with students of all experience levels, from around the world. She’s a graduate of the audio program herself and began teaching as an adjunct instructor in 2003. Kerry was also the first producer of programming at Audible, where she worked closely with PRX’s John Barth.
Stay tuned for the rollout of PRX’s training program in early 2018, and the addition of more Podcast Garages in new cities. Until then, check out the Boston-area Podcast Garage calendar, which offers sound engineering workshops, expert podcast panel discussions, audio maker mingles and much more.
