Podcasting: The Audio Media Revolution

The book "Podcasting" explores the revolutionary change in audio media, featuring interviews with producers and executives from popular podcasts. It offers insights into podcasting's impact on fandom, social media, journalism, intimacy, empathy, cultural narratives, and more, providing an entry into the field of podcasting studies.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 280 pages
Publication date: 10 January 2019
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Podcasting has emerged as a transformative force in the world of audio media, driven by a series of insightful interviews with producers of some of the most popular and culturally significant podcasts to date. These interviews, conducted with producers of podcasts such as Welcome to Night Vale, Radiolab, Serial, The Black Tapes, Were Alive, The Heart, The Truth, Lore, Love + Radio, My Dad Wrote a Porno, and others, as well as executives at key podcasting institutions and entities like the BBC, Radiotopia, Gimlet Media, Audible.com, Edison Research, Libsyn, and others, provide a deep understanding of the industry's evolution.

The fall of 2014 marked a pivotal moment in podcasting's history, with the release of a new iOS from Apple that included the first built-in "Podcasts" app. This marked a significant shift in podcasting's accessibility and popularity, as it brought the medium into the mainstream cultural consciousness. The runaway success of Serial, a podcast that delved into a real-life crime story, further propelled podcasting into the spotlight.

Podcasting's creative and cultural dynamism is the central focus of this book. Through a combination of case studies, close analytical listening, quantitative and qualitative analysis, production analysis, and audience research, the book explores the unique contributions that podcasting makes to a wide range of media-and-society debates. These debates include fandom, social media and audience construction; new media and journalistic ethics; intimacy, empathy, and media relationships; cultural commitments to narrative and storytelling; the future of new media drama; youth media and the charge of narcissism; and many more.

Beyond simply describing what sets podcasting apart from other audio media, this book offers an entry into the emerging field of podcasting studies. It provides a comprehensive overview of the industry's history, trends, and potential future directions, making it an invaluable resource for researchers, students, and industry professionals alike. As podcasting continues to evolve and grow, this book will remain a crucial guide to its understanding and significance.

Weight: 430g
Dimension: 153 x 228 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781501328688