Filmmaker J.J. Abrams (“Star Trek,” “Mission: Impossible,” “Lost”) turns his hand to the written word with his new novel, “S.” Conceived by Abrams and written by novelist Doug Dorst, “S.” is a unique chronicle of two readers finding each other in the margins of a mysterious book. The creators of this highly anticipated collaboration discuss the book and the inspiration behind it.
Categories: Arts
A weekly recap of the latest podcast news and helpful tutorials. A show for podcast producers. Subscribe now to get important podcast news and helpful tips and tricks about podcast production, audience growth, monetization strategies, and more. Produced and hosted by podcast producer and editor Aaron Dowd.
Links:
– Consumers crave cheerful content during the coronavirus crisis
– 5 Ways to Fix Your Podcast’s Discoverability Problem
– No commuting, no problem: Podcasting ad revenue continues to grow
– A Survival Guide For Parents: Introducing Podcasts Into Homeschooling
– The Anatomy of a Podcast Open
•••
1
Consumers crave cheerful content during the coronavirus crisis
Starting off with this post this week from Sara Fisher on Axios.com:
> Consumers are looking for fun and lighthearted entertainment to relieve stress during the coronavirus crisis, instead of categories like true crime or suspense.
> Why it matters: Some mediums, like podcasting, that over-index on genres like true crime, may be partially impacted by the fact that consumers need a break from their regular content routines.
> Driving the news: According to new research from tv research firm Magid, consumers are seeking out funny (39%) and fun (31%) videos, movies and TV programs during the coronavirus crisis.
> Users are looking for comedic relief, according to new data from Captify, a firm that specializes in search retargeting. Users searching for search terms within Captify’s network such as funny movies, standup comedy, comedy, funny and sitcom as they relate to movies and TV shows was up over 314% from March 1 to April 12.
I’m not disconnecting from the news, but I need a distraction from it sometimes, and thankfully there are a lot of podcasters still putting out entertaining and educational content that provides some relief.
If you’re one of the podcasters making content that isn’t news: Thank you.
•••
2
5 Ways to Fix Your Podcast’s Discoverability Problem
From Jeremy Enns on his Medium blog, 5 ways to help you with audience acquisition and growth:
> A lot gets made over podcasting’s so-called “Discoverability Problem,” the perceived difficulty of allowing listeners to easily discover relevant podcasts.
> I call BS.
> Here are five quick thoughts on how to fix the discoverability problem for your show.
A great list of advice about growing an audience that touches on some important things that are often overlooked. A few stand-out quotes:
> Instead of waiting for podcasting apps and platforms to deliver the breakthrough development that will take your show and drop it into the lap of every one of your ideal listeners, you need to take the lead in getting in front of your audience and introducing yourself.
> The bar rising on the quality of the average podcast is ultimately a good thing for podcast listeners. As podcasters, we should desperately want people to associate the word “podcasting” with high-quality, engaging media. The only people who will suffer by a rising bar are those podcasters who refuse to adapt.
•••
3
No commuting, no problem: Podcasting ad revenue continues to grow
For this post on digiday.com, Max Willens checks in with a few industry folks about how podcast listener behavior and advertising spending is changing:
> With commuting on hold and everybody Zooming all the time, podcast consumption has taken a bit of a hit as listeners look for new ways to fit shows into their daily routines.
> But podcasting’s simplicity — and its on-demand nature — has meant that for now, ad revenue continues to grow for the medium, with many brand advertisers content to rework their messaging and keep spending, even as direct response advertisers pause or drop theirs.
> Though podcasting has not been immune to the pauses, cancellations and delays that have battered digital media the past few weeks, brand advertising on the format remains healthy: Megaphone, a podcast hosting and monetization platform used by publishers ranging from CBS Interactive to Vox Media, booked around twice as much new business as it lost in March, chief revenue officer Matt Turck said.
I keep returning to how much different our spending habits are going to be moving forward.
I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around just how different life is going to be, especially when thinking about all the jobs and commerce that revolved around people being in groups in close proximity to each other.
•••
4
A Survival Guide For Parents: Introducing Podcasts Into Homeschooling
From Erik Jones, for the Bello Collective’s Medium blog, a look at how to get your kids to listen to podcasts as part of their education at home:
> “Teachers don’t get paid enough,” is a phrase I imagine millions of parents have uttered out loud at some point this month.
> Stepping into the role of teacher is hard on a good day, and all the more difficult with a pandemic going on. There are countless permutations on what the new normal of home life looks like, none of which make it easy to prioritize education.
> I love podcasts, my wife loves podcasts, and both of our kids love learning. On paper, podcasts are perfect for homeschooling, with bite-sized lessons, minimal screen time, and a robust selection of family-friendly content.
> Not so fast. It turns out podcasts don’t hold the attention of young kids, no matter how much you hype it up to them. As much as I love Wow in the World, Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz are no match for Anna and Elsa for a guaranteed peaceful house.
> We didn’t want to give up so easily though, so over the past few weeks we have experimented with what actually works in helping young minds engage with educational audio while stuck at home. Podcasts are perfect as the centerpiece of a learning experience for kids. It just takes a little planning and patience.
> What follows are some of the strategies we’ve stumbled upon in our persistence to make audio work as a component of an at-home education for younger students.
A few of the takeaways:
– Experiment with best times of day and days of the week
– Put podcasts on the TV
– Talk before, during, and after the podcast
– Listen while doing something else
– Good ol’ bribery
As a kid, I loved radio dramas, and I wish I could have had access to today’s free library of podcasts.
•••
5
The Anatomy of a Podcast Open
From Tracy DeForge on the PodcastBusinessJournal.com:
> The old saying goes, “You get one chance to make a first impression.” What can a first impression tell us about anyone? Fifty-five percent of first impressions are made with visual impact. If you think about it, that’s only 55 percent. What makes up the other 45 percent? It’s all about the audio. It’s not what you say, but how you say it.
> An audio impression means the tone of your voice, the sound of your voice, and the words that you use. When you’re thinking about your podcast open, remember it’s your first chance to make a great impression. Also, it’s important to note that the first five to eight minutes of your podcast is the most critical when grabbing and holding your listener’s attention.
> Some people will tell you the main content is an essential part of your podcast. There’s no doubt your content is essential. But what if listeners never get to it? The open of your podcast can impact whether a person chooses to listen to the rest of your show.
> How do you evaluate the power of your podcast open? If you’re just launching your podcast or currently an active podcaster and want to assess your open and see how you can elevate it to the next level, ask yourself these questions.
•••
Closing Thoughts
I don’t have too much to share this week. I did have a wonderful conversation with Mathew Passy for his Podcast Me Anything show, so keep an eye out that, I’ll share a link when the episode drops.
I also recorded a new episode of The Podcast Dude that I’ll edit and publish… soon… Thanks to everyone who showed up for the live stream of that, it was fun and let’s do it again soon.
As always, thanks for listening. Stay safe out there, and I’ll talk to you again next week.
Aaron Dowd
April 19, 2020
Los Angeles, California
Thanks to the folks supporting this show: Kato, Alexander, and Norman, and Don.
Categories: Arts, Education, News
Tags: aaron dowd, podcast news, podcasting
147 unread books and a crazy bibliophile. What more do you need to know?
Categories: Arts
Weekly Jaime Lannister and Brienne of Tarth fan podcast discussing Game of Thrones and A Song of Ice and Fire. Close the Door and Come Here.
Coming To The Main Stage is far greater than any lap dance you’ve ever received and sure to leave you on the edge of your seat at the tip rail. These ladies aren’t holding back, they will give you a real, uncensored take on the reality of the adult entertainment industry. So cue the lights, grab a drink, and don’t forget to bring plenty of cash.
Categories: Arts
This is a podcast finding the comedy in self-development. Susie has been married, divorced, discovered lesbianism and is the mother of two little boys. Susie has a one woman show – Priscilla Queen on the Disaster which is a survival guide on the early years of motherhood. And it’s her mission to offer up a realistic view of parenting as opposed to the heavily curated version we often see nowadays. In a world where we have all looked outside for validation the last few years has given us a choice to distract ourselves or face my stuff once and for all, whilst laughing along the way. Follow us on Instagram: @itsoksusie_thepodcast
Categories: Arts, Health & Fitness
For people who view the world food first. Kelli Brett brings you an endless array of cuisine-related subjects to obsess over.
Categories: Arts, News, Society & Culture
Heart of Darkness is a novella written by Joseph Conrad. Before its 1903 publication, it appeared as a three-part series (1899) in Blackwood’s Magazine. It was classified by the Modern Library website editors as one of the “100 best novels” and part of the Western canon. The story centres on Charles Marlow, who narrates most of the book. He is an Englishman who takes a foreign assignment from a Belgian trading company as a river-boat captain in Africa. Heart of Darkness exposes the dark side of European colonization while exploring the three levels of darkness that the protagonist, Marlow, encounters: the darkness of the Congo wilderness, the darkness of the Europeans’ cruel treatment of the African natives, and the unfathomable darkness within every human being for committing heinous acts of evil. Although Conrad does not give the name of the river, at the time of writing the Congo Free State, the location of the large and important Congo River, was a private colony of Belgium’s King Leopold II. In the story, Marlow is employed to transport ivory downriver. However, his more pressing assignment is to return Kurtz, another ivory trader, to civilization, in a cover-up. Kurtz has a reputation throughout the region. (Summary by Wikipedia)
Categories: Arts
There’s much more to the Western Art world than the finished pieces sold in galleries or at auction. Join George Irwin of Western Gallery for talks with the people who make, collect and present paintings of the American West. If you love Western Art, this podcast is for you.
Categories: Arts, Education, Leisure
Tags: art, art business, art collecting, art marketing, collection, gallery, Horizon, landscape, landscape painting, painting, realist painting, western art
Materialicasa.it is the e-magazine dedicated to the world of home finishes: floors and walls, interior finishes, bathroom furnishings, building and recovery materials, with a monthly NEWSLETTER sent to 17,000 users.
Categories: Arts
Art & Cocktails: Exploring the World of Contemporary Art, Creativity, Business, and Inspiration Join host Ekaterina Popova, artist and founder of Create! Magazine, as she uncorks the vibrant and multifaceted world of contemporary art, creative entrepreneurship, mindset, and creativity one episode at a time. Welcome to “Art & Cocktails,” a podcast where artists, creatives, dreamers, and artpreneurs gather to share their journeys and their art over their favorite drinks. Building on the success of the “Create!” podcast, Ekaterina steers the artistic conversation towards more intimate, heart-to-heart discussions that fuel the spirit and inspire the artist’s soul. Tune in for insightful, honest discussions with leading artists, curators, writers, coaches, leaders, and artpreneurs who not only share their journeys in the creative world but also enjoy a “fireside chat” over a glass of wine or a cup of tea. This podcast offers a rich blend of inspiration, art business insights, and the simple joy of sipping your favorite beverage while discussing what lights your heart on fire. Pour your favorite drink into a beautiful cup, get comfy, and settle down for a session of “Art & Cocktails” each week. Let’s celebrate the artist in all of us with a toast to creativity and the limitless possibilities it brings to our lives.
Categories: Arts
Tags: art, ContemporaryArt, creativity, curator, gallery, inspiration, Magazine
A collection of Tennyson’s poetry : 1 The Brook – 00:16 2 Song from “Maud” – 1:20 3 A Farewell – 2:34 4 Song from “Maud” – 3:26 5 Break, Break, Break – 4:53 6 From “Locksley Hall”- 5:43 7 Song from “Maud” – 6:43 8 Song from “The Princess” – 7:43 9 Lillian – 8:37 10 Ring out, Wild Bells – 9:52 11 From “The Princess” – 11:27 12 Song From “The Princess” – 12:43 13 From “Enoch Arden” – 13:58 14 From “Enoch Arden” – 15:36 15 The Charge of the Light Brigade- 16:56 16 From “The May Queen” – 18:51 17 Song from “The Princess” – 19:36 18 From “Harold” – 20:14 19 From “The Revenge” – 21:28 (From Sam Stinsson)
Categories: Arts
Five Minute Stories, produced by Apocalypse Ink Productions, is a 13 week podcast of flash fiction horror stories written and read by Jennifer Brozek. Some of these stories are old favorites. Some are brand new. All of them were inspired by events in my life and have been twisted into something dark and supernatural.
Tags: brozek, horror, short, supernatural
Are UFOs Real? Over the last 60 years we have heard reports of unidentified flying objects . . . UFOs. We have heard from skeptics that they are all either imaginary, hallucinations, hoaxes or strange, but natural aerial phenomenon. On the opposite side of the fence, believers say that of all observed UFOs some 5% or so are real, solid objects. What is the reality of this? In this series, we will hear from both believers and skeptics alike to help our listeners determine: Are UFOs Real? And if they are real, what will be the impact on Earth, our technology, our environment and our society?
“With all our shows canceled, and everything going virtual, an idea began to take shape. I wanted to provide a lifeline for these teens in our theater community – give them a reason to take meaningful time to reflect through journaling. I reached out to all the students who had recently acted with Northern Stage. Thirty-four brave young actors signed on for this odyssey – opening a window into their unique quarantine perspectives. These are their Portraits of the Pandemic.”- Eric Love, Director of Education at Northern Stage
Categories: Arts
Learn the fundamentals of drawing and painting. Watch techniques for different mediums and pick up tips for making your art better. Easy to follow and clearly explained by an artist and expert teacher.
Categories: Arts, Visual Arts
MuggleCast is your weekly ride into the Wizarding World. Our Harry Potter podcast, hosted by four life-long friends, brings its listeners entertaining and thought-provoking discussions about the universe. With each new episode we discuss everything Harry Potter: the latest news, the Potter books, Fantastic Beasts, the theme parks, the video games, the fandom, and more! The show is currently hosting a Chapter by Chapter re-read of the original seven Harry Potter books!
Welcome to Lodesigns podcast, a creative podcast where artists, desigeners and creatives from several backgrounds come to talk about their passion, experiences, and their struggles in their industry. ☺️ Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/lodesignsstudio/support
Categories: Arts
Writers Week is a school wide celebration of the writing craft. Through the written word, we share stories, lives, and ideas. We also learn from professionals who use writing in their careers, such as authors, journalists, comedians, lecturers, actors, songwriters, musicians, even business people! These adults bring valuable information to our student body about the possibilities that are out there for those who enjoy writing. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dina-patterson/support
Categories: Arts
Jim and Swift are geeks. Jim and Swift like to make lists. Listen to Jim and Swift debate their lists of the top ten of everything.
Categories: Arts
Tags: Arts, Comedy, comics, Entertainment, games, Movies, tv
Arts podcasts include all types of creative and performing arts. Most notably, Arts is the main category where visual arts podcasts and literature podcasts can be found. It also has some overlap with music and film podcasts, which each have separate categories of their own.