Just when you thought public radio and podcasting were on a serious roll, KPFT/Houston programmer Ernesto Aguillar has thrown cold water over both. In fact, his recent blog post reads more like the ice bucket challenge.
I encourage you to read it here.
While public radio may be leading the league in podcast downloads and is often cited as a shining example of success in the podcast space, Aguillar sees it differently. He posits that public radio podcasting is more about repurposing existing programming in an on-demand format.
In fairness, NPR has been especially successful in producing and marketing its podcasts. A recent article in Wired points to the network’s ability to attract younger audiences while generating much-needed revenue. In fact, NPR podcasting dollars have doubled since 2014. And aren’t the poster children of radio podcasting and the shows that are energizing the space – Serial and Invisbilia – amazing examples of podcasting done right?
But Aguillar’s point is that rather than innovating with a different sound, alternative styles, and more varied content, the podcasting rule of thumb in public radio has generally been to simply make on-air programming available for podcasts, and thus, failing to take example of this experimental exciting space. He also contends that public radio content creators are disconnected from those who have been on the ground floor of the podcast movement.
He could have been talking about commercial radio, too. The difference is that at least public radio podcasts are being accessed at a record rate. NPR and its various shows and programs have held leading positions in the podcasting rankers, year after year.
But the lost opportunity in podcasting for broadcast radio – commercial and public – may be the inability to create fresh programming that isn’t already on the air; on-demand content that sounds different from the norm, and that connects with audiences who may not be enamored with or who aren’t spending much time listening to broadcast radio.
When you consider how commercial radio has approached podcasting, it essentially falls into the pattern that Aguillar talks about in his article. Simply posting hour #2 of the The Z Morning Crew may make it more convenient for fans of that show to access it on-demand, but it does little to expand listenership and engage consumers.
In many ways, the podcasting conundrum is eerily similar to what has played out with streaming in the broadcast world. Rather than envisioning streaming audio as the chance to try different approaches, alternative programming, new business models, and some much-needed experimentation, most streams are simply simulcasts of what’s already on the air.
The Wired article notes that the hot podcasting sector is attracting independent producers who are already invading this sector. As has been the case with streams and connected cars, there’s a hole in the fence inviting anyone and everyone to try their hand at creating content.
So for broadcast radio, podcasting is looking like déjà vu all over again. Amplifi Media’s Steve Goldstein said it best in a recent “Blogstein” post:
“Shoving content on a new platform is a lazy wish. Each medium requires a different content focus, approach and calibration.”
Radio could do so much better. Behind the scenes content, different styles of programming, a deeper dive into talent and who they are as people are all part of a podcasting content strategy that holds great promise for radio broadcasters. Simply presenting the same warmed over programming in accessible, bite-sized segments fails to live up to the true potential of podcasting.
Working with personalities, teams, and shows to reimagine this space, and what it could offer audiences and brands goes to the heart of rethinking this burgeoning opportunity.
NPR has used its savvy digital team and its vision to make amazing progress with podcasting over the past decade. Now that on-demand radio is becoming an established content avenue, the bar has been raised.
As broadcast television has learned, content creation in the on-demand format has invited some unlikely players. To think this space would be led by a company whose business model was once about sending DVDs through snail mail in little red p0uches speaks to the notion that the next big radio podcast could come from an unusual suspect.
Podcasting is one boat that broadcasters can’t afford to miss.
The post Missing The Podcasting Boat? appeared first on jacoBLOG.
