Podcast Journalism: The Promise and Perils of Audio Reporting

Podcasting has become a rapidly growing digital genre, offering immersive storytelling and reaching previously underserved communities. However, it has raised concerns about disinformation, sponsors' influence, dominance of publishers and platforms, and questionable adherence to journalistic principles. David O. Dowling's book examines how podcasting is transforming reporting and reshaping journalism, highlighting its influential achievements and ethical and journalistic shortcomings. It also discusses the blurring of boundaries between news and entertainment, editorial and advertising, and neutrality and subjectivity, which has allowed podcasting to bypass traditional categories and provide openings for marginalized voices.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 312 pages
Publication date: 19 March 2024
Publisher: Columbia University Press

The meteoric rise of podcasting has sparked a revolutionary shift in audio reporting, offering immersive storytelling for a captivated binge-listening audience while also reaching previously underrepresented communities. As a rapidly growing digital genre, podcasts have become a lifeline for a struggling news industry, buoying its fortunes. However, this newfound popularity has also raised concerns about the potential for disinformation, the influence of sponsors on content, the dominance of a few publishers and platforms, and at times questionable adherence to journalistic principles.

In his insightful book, "The Power of Podcasting: Transforming Reporting and Reshaping Journalism," David O. Dowling delves deep into the transformative impact of podcasting on reporting and journalism. He explores podcasting's most influential achievements and its most consequential ethical and journalistic shortcomings, emphasizing the reciprocal influences between podcasting and traditional and digital journalism.

One of the most significant achievements of podcasting is its ability to blur the boundaries between news and entertainment, editorial and advertising, and neutrality and subjectivity. This blurring has allowed podcasting to bypass the limitations of traditional categories, expand the space of social and political discourse, and provide opportunities for marginalized voices to be heard. It has also enabled corporations to extend their reach and far-right firebrands to increase their influence.

However, this blurring of boundaries has also brought with it challenges. Podcasting has been criticized for its lack of transparency, with some hosts and producers failing to disclose their financial relationships with sponsors or their political affiliations. This lack of disclosure can undermine the credibility of podcasting as a source of information and can lead to the spread of disinformation.

Another concern is the influence of sponsors on content. Sponsors often have a significant stake in the success of podcasts, and they may pressure hosts and producers to promote their products or services. This can lead to biased reporting or the omission of critical information, which can harm the public's understanding of important issues.

The dominance of a few publishers and platforms is also a concern. While podcasting has provided opportunities for independent creators to reach a wider audience, it has also led to the concentration of power in the hands of a few large companies. This can limit the diversity of voices and perspectives in podcasting and can hinder the growth of smaller independent podcasts.

At times, there have been questions about the adherence to journalistic principles in podcasting. While many podcasts strive to uphold high standards of journalism, there have been instances where hosts and producers have made statements or presented information that may be inaccurate or misleading. This can harm the public's trust in podcasting as a source of reliable information.

Despite these concerns, podcasting has continued to grow in popularity and influence. It has become a vital tool for journalists and storytellers, providing a platform for in-depth reporting and nuanced storytelling. Podcasts have also been credited with driving cultural and social change, with many podcasts tackling important issues such as racism, gender inequality, and climate change.

In conclusion, the rise of podcasting has brought about a transformative shift in audio reporting, offering immersive storytelling for a captivated audience while also reaching previously underrepresented communities. While podcasting has brought about many positive changes, it has also raised concerns about the potential for disinformation, the influence of sponsors on content, the dominance of a few publishers and platforms, and at times questionable adherence to journalistic principles. As podcasting continues to evolve, it is essential for hosts, producers, and consumers to be aware of these issues and to work towards ensuring that podcasting remains a source of reliable, unbiased, and informative information.

Weight: 466g
Dimension: 152 x 229 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780231213318