Australian Podcast Awards open for entries; NPR training release more resources

• Entries for the 2019 Australian Podcast Awards are now open - see below for more information.

  
  Aug 7 2023: This broken link now points to the Internet Archive.

• NPR Training has just released two online training resources. The producer’s handbook to mixing audio stories is a deep dive in to every aspect of mixing, from selecting your tools to using EQ & compression and tips on getting good balances. How to mix: 8 steps to master the art of mixing audio stories is a simple step-by-step guide (with audio to download and use). (These are both written by Rob Byers, who works for Minnesota Public Radio, but also mixes Radiotopia’s Criminal).

• We’ve updated our Google Podcasts FAQ, with a new video showing the app and player working, better explanations, and even some PHP code.

• Logan Paul, a former YouTuber who was kicked off the platform earlier in the year, is pivoting to podcasting report Vulture.

• Spotify is to give family plan subscribers a free Google Home Mini speaker.

  
  Aug 7 2023: This broken link now points to the Internet Archive.
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• Radio 'embraces fluidity between broadcasting and podcasting', according to a piece from Inside Radio. It highlights how radio stations can improve their ratings with podcasts.

• Direct-to-consumer brands love advertising in podcasts, but aren’t sure whether these ads work, says a story in Digiday. It includes an interview with Podnews supporters Oxford Road.

• Headliner has signed a deal with international German broadcaster Deutsche Welle, to create social video from DW’s audio content at scale.

• Women Podcasters In Solidarity plan a season on gun safety, and are calling for women podcasters to take part. There are more details on their website.

Opinion

Rob Greenlee remembers 2008's Association of Downloadable Media (ADM) - “mostly a failure” - but wonders whether it’s time for a new podcasting industry association:

The thought is to create and industry group that can collaborate to create more standards in the industry around advertising formats, best practices around dynamic ad insertion and programmatic ad buying.

Chelsea Nina Ursin has issues with the taxonomy issue in the future of podcasting:

We need to call creatively-written, highly-produced audio-only shows something besides podcast. … These are not 8-hour audio books. These are not blogs read aloud. These are not essays or research papers on niche topics with some music added in. These are not people chatting and making jokes — a lot of listeners are completely opposed to all of the above kind of content. Those are podcasts — although they still need better subcategories too. But these shows, these works of art, are not podcasts.

Podcasts

The host of Talk For Two is interviewed in Pace University’s newspaper. The podcast claims 10,000 downloads an episode. “He still does not make much money from Talk for Two, but that was never the goal, as he does the show for the love of it and to help to build his portfolio.” (podcasts·com)

A podcast (that we’d like to mention by name but our corporate email subscribers won’t ever see our newsletter again, but you can read the name on the image, yes?) is wrapping up series one. “How far do you push your boundaries? Are you normal? What is normal?” (NOVA Entertainment / Acast)

The Nutrition Diva claims 35m lifetime downloads, and just published their 500th episode. In 5 episodes starting 6 Nov, at the height of harvest season, The Faces of Farming will feature voices of American farmers, highlighting the role not only food but farmers play in Americans’ everyday lives.

Australian Podcast Awards: 2019 Entries Now Open

Entries for the 2019 Australian Podcast Awards are now open, and podcasters who enter in the month of November receive both earlybird entry discount, as well as a host of other benefits.

The 2019 Australian Podcast Awards event will take place in Sydney on 18 May next year, at the iconic Seymour Centre, where winners of 25 different categories will be revealed for their moment of glory, and over $10,000 worth of prizes and trophies will be given out.

23 of those categories self-nominated, and three of those are free to enter provided the podcast is eligible, and that it has already been entered into another category first. Those categories are Diversity & Inclusion in Podcasting, the Popular Vote, and Best Audiogram, Presented by Headliner.

Aside from prizes that winners will receive, earlybird entrants will receive amazing discounts off products and services from partners, including equipment retailers Turramurra Music and podcaster-centric crowdfunding platform Pozible.

Entries are open until 14 February next year, so there’s no huge rush to enter, but if you already happen to have your podcast ready to submit, the Australian Podcast Awards encourages you to take advantage of the earlybird deal and benefits that come with it.

For more information, head to the Australian Podcast Awards website, where you will find links to eligibility & criteria, categories, prizes and benefits.