Crafting a Podcast Framework: Stories or Dialogues? Fictitious or Real?
In the world of audio entertainment, podcasts have emerged as a dynamic and versatile medium, offering a wide range of content to cater to diverse audiences.
One such podcast, 'A Woman's Smile', flows from a conversation between two women in La Jolla, Calif., into one-acts of comedy, satire, fiction, and autobiography. The medium, however, raises questions about hosting a show, choosing between biographical or reportage, and creating a straight-up fictional series.
Podcasts come in various formats. Most follow a conversational thematic talk show format, featuring one or two hosts discussing societal problems, concerns, or topical issues. Examples include 'Hidden Brain' and 'Freakonomics Radio', which offer expert guests conversant in topics of mind matters and economics respectively.
On the other hand, true crime podcast series often run between 8-10 episodes of 45-50 minutes in length each. 'The Clearing', for instance, is a true crime series where the daughter of a murder suspect calls a detective to tell him she thinks her dad was behind several cold cases. 'Caliphate' is another example, where New York Times reporter Rukmini Callimachi tracks former ISIS members and the fall of Mosul, asking the question: Who are we really fighting?
'Ear Hustle' explores the lives of people incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison or those transitioning out of incarceration. Meanwhile, '7-Minute Job Interview' is a podcast for job seekers looking for work, resume tips, and career advice packed into seven minutes.
The format of podcasts also extends to mission-driven, reported journalism. '10 Things That Scare Me' compiles 10 things from 10 people per one-minute podcast on the topic of what freaks people out. More than a third of marketers say podcasts are avenues of content they'd like to explore.
In the realm of innovative formats, Liz Gateley, Head of Creative Development at Spotify Studios, looks for shows that appeal to Gen Z and Millennials. Gateley developed podcasts such as 'Wind of Change', 'The System: The Case of Kevin Keith with Kim Kardashian', 'Batman Unburied', and 'Harley Quinn & The Joker: Sound Mind'. She also oversaw Spotify’s Warner Bros./DC partnership that launched podcasts such as 'Batman Unburied'.
Recently, Spotify started an astrology podcast that offers horoscopes every day in short segments and signed a daily show of hot takes that make up a seven-minute podcast. Podcasts, it seems, remain an open canvas for creators.
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