The Podcast Academy: Podcasting's Usurper or Savior?

There’s a new professional podcast group in town, and the reaction has been rather… mixed. But that doesn’t mean indie podcasters should fear it. Those who want to preserve podcasting as it was in 2006? Well… they’ll have a rougher time accepting the change.

February 18, 2020

Article

The Podcast Academy is here. It’s a professional podcasting group that aims to recognize the best in podcasting with an annual award ceremony called The Golden Mics. Announced at Podcast Movement Evolutions 2020 in Los Angeles last week, the reactions were split. One side was excited to see a solid and amazing professional awards ceremony that could bring the big dogs out to a red carpet event that could elevate podcasting. The other side was worried about the representation of indie podcasters. Would they be left in the cold?

It’s to that second group I want to speak today. If you are worried about the indie voice and wonder why I'm not, it's likely because you and I have a different definition of what “indie podcasting” means.

I hear a lot of people conflate indie podcasting with amateur or hobbyist podcasting. I'm impressed every time somebody grabs the mic and decides to jump headfirst into this thing we call podcasting. I think that’s a wonderful thing that I hope continues on for eternity.

But while all amateurs or hobbyists are likely independents, not all indie podcasters are amateurs or hobbyists.

Plenty of indie podcasters produce amazing content that sounds great, is well-researched, and is well-produced. No, you don't have to be a part of a gigantic corporation to make an amazing podcast. But yes, people from some really big corporations like Sony Music are on the governing board of The Podcast Academy, so I get that it’s a little scary. But people from PRX and Wondery are also on the governing board, two organizations that have amazing podcast content creation at their core. And yes, even independents will have a seat at the governing board as well.

So how can indie voices compete with those big names? By making content that will appeal to the peers inside The Podcast Academy, that’s how. The concept of peer groups is one of the things that makes me think The Podcast Academy will succeed and is why I’ll be forking over the $100 annual dues to become a member. Let’s take a look at those peer groups:

Art
Creative Executive
Director
Editor
Host
Journalists/Reporters
Launch Peer Groups
Marketing/PR
Performers
Producer
Professional Representatives
Sound
Writers

Many amateur or hobbyist podcasters will look at that list of 13 roles and be puzzled. Director, host, and producers as separate roles? Aren’t performers hosts? And why are all those not-podcasting roles on the list?

But independent podcasters who make great content won’t be puzzled at all. Because they know the value of all of those roles -- even if they have to assume many/most of those roles on their own. That’s the kind of indie podcaster I’m talking about: Those who recognize there's more to making a podcast than just grabbing a mic and saying whatever's on your mind.

Not that there's anything wrong with the record-and-release style of podcasting. Nor does this new organization seek to eliminate that type of podcasting. All they want is to elevate the people who are making amazing podcasting content.

How could I not be excited by this? Elevating better content brings more people into podcasting’s fold. I’m convinced that when people’s first encounter with podcasting provides an IHNI - “I Had No Idea podcasts could this amazing” - moment, they tend to seek out more amazing content.

So no, I do not believe The Podcast Academy will leave amateurs or hobbyists on the ground. At least not any more than they already are on the ground. Will it elevate them to the next level of status? Only if they can make a great show that appeals to the peer groups listed above. Is that guaranteed? Nope. Not at all. It's hard work to make a show at those levels, something the people on the governing board know requires many different people, roles, and a lot of work to hit repeatedly.

Here are a couple of metaphors for you: You might be a great cook, with the ability to dazzle your friends at your dinner parties. But that’s not the same as running an amazing restaurant. Especially one worthy of a Michelin star or two. Maybe you’re really funny at a party with a repertoire of crowd-slaying jokes. Does that mean you’d be successful as a standup comedian? Are you worthy of your own giant Netflix special?

There’s a lot of room between being successful at home and being a commercially viable success. But the good news is that commercially viable success doesn’t negate the efforts of those who have yet to achieve that status.

In case you didn’t catch it, I am excited about The Podcast Academy and will sign up to become a member. I see the fee as money well spent to support an organization of people who’ll not only put on a very cool event but also provide training, education, and other talked-about initiatives to elevate podcasting.

Is there a chance this will fail? Absolutely. Many have. And many more continue to exist, some with their own long-running awards show. I hope those other organizations that recognize podcasting differently continue. There’s plenty of room for all of them.

So no, I'm not worried about the truly independent voices who are making amazing content. Nor am I worried about the hobbyist or amateur podcaster. This doesn't stop anyone from doing what anyone wants to do with their own podcast. However, this could provide a roadmap to making better content that stands a better chance of being recognized by this particular group.

And if that’s not what you want; fine. Keep on keepin’ on.

But a lot of people do. I do. I want to hear the kinds of shows that this organization should elevate and recognize. That's the kind of content I'm looking for.

I'm also looking for you to go to RateThisPodcast.com/podpont and rate the podcast. Even better: go to BuyMeACoffee.com/EvoTerra and buy me a coffee to keep the show going in an ad-free format.

And finally, if you are in business and you need help figuring out whether or not your company’s podcasting efforts are worthy of being recognized by The Podcast Academy, get in touch with me: evo@podcastlaunch.pro or go to SimplerMedia.pro to see a list of services offered to clients all around the globe.

I shall be back tomorrow with yet another Podcast Pontifications.

Cheers!

Transcript

There's a new professional podcasting group in town, and the reaction has been rather mixed, but that doesn't mean indie podcasters should fear it. However, those who want to preserve podcasting, it was back in 2006 yeah, they're going to have a tough time accepting this change.

Hello, and welcome to another podcast. Pontifications with me, Evo. Tara. The podcast Academy is here. It is a professional podcasting group that is designed to recognize the best in podcasting with an annual award ceremony called the golden Mike. It was announced at podcast movement evolutions 2020 in Los Angeles last week.

And the reactions, as I said earlier, were split. It was either cool, we need a real solid, amazing professional award ceremony that brings the big dogs out so that we can elevate podcasting. And the other one was, what about the Indies? What about the other voices? Okay. Those were the two big rallying cries.

I want to speak today to those who are worried. About the indie voice. I'm not worried about the indie voice, but I think maybe it's because you and I have a different definition of what in the podcasting means. See, when I hear a lot of people talk about indie podcasting, what I really see them talking about is amateur podcasting is hobbyist.

Podcasting is, I just. Picked up a microphone. I've been listening for awhile. Maybe I can do this on my own level of podcasting, and I think it's great. I'm, I'm, I'm impressed. Every time somebody grabs the mic and says, I think I can do this podcasting thing, it's a wonderful thing and I want them to continue on doing that.

But that's amateur hobbyist level. You can still be an Indy podcaster and produce amazing content, amazing content that sounds great, that is well-researched and is well done. You don't have to be a part of a gigantic corporation. And yes, some really big corporations are involved with the podcast Academy, like Sony music, and I get that.

That's scary. But also PRX, which is a big podcasting company, Wondery, which is a podcasting company and plenty of independent voices as well. So you don't have to be one of the pros to be there, but you do have to be capable of making content that will appear. No, that will appeal. To other peers inside the podcast Academy.

Oh, and who are these peers of the podcast Academy? Well, I'm signing up. I'm going to pay the a hundred dollars a year annual fee to be a member of the podcast Academy because this is what I do. This is my job. This is not a hobby for me. This is my profession. So I will be in the podcast Academy. Podcast Academy's going to be broken down into various peer groups, peer groups that you may not even think about as an indie podcaster and certainly not as a hobbyist or an amateur podcast or peer groups of art.

Creative executive director, editor. Host. Those are three different things, not the same. Then there's journalists and reporters. Then there's launch peer groups, marketing and PR professionals, performers and producers with producers, editors. Yeah. Two different things. Producers versus editors, professional representatives, sound engineers and writers.

This is how the podcast Academy. Sees what podcasting can be because this is what the founding members, the governing board of the podcast Academy do. They recognize there's more to making a podcast than just grabbing a mic and saying whatever's on your mind. Not that there's anything wrong with that and not that this organization wants to eliminate that.

They don't. They want to elevate. Those who want to make amazing podcasting content, and I'm excited about that for a number of reasons, but the biggest reason that excites me is because we know that better content brings more people into the fold. It really does. When more people encounter a podcasting go, wow, I had no idea it could be this amazing.

They tend to want to seek out more. More amazing content. Yes. So no, the podcast Academy will not leave amateurs or hobbyists on the ground any more than they already are on the ground. Will it elevate them to the next level of status? If they can make a great show, if they can make the kind of content that appears.

Appeals to these peer groups and absolutely they can make it and elevate their game and make better content. Is it guaranteed? Nope. Not at all. It's hard work to make a show at those levels, which is why organizations like Wondery employs so many different people, takes a lot of work to make a high quality podcast, and that's O K we should embrace this idea.

You know, you might be a great cook, you might be able to make amazing food, but can you make an amazing restaurant? Maybe. But there's a lot more work that goes into running a successful restaurant that's worthy of a Michelin Shah star or two than it is cooking things at home. You might be really funny at a party.

You might tell great jokes, are you ready for standup? Are you ready to have your own giant Netflix special? Lots of room in between those two things and the successful ones don't wipe out the ones at the bottom. That's not the case and I don't think that's going to be the case here. Again, I am excited about the podcast Academy in case you hadn't noticed.

I am signing up to become a member. Which is going to cost me money and that's fine. I think it's money well spent because that money's going to go back into supporting podcasting, into running this organization into having a very cool event and also to do some training and other things that they've talked about doing.

Have we seen any of that? No. Is there a chance this will fail? Absolutely. Because many of the other ones have all those, not all have, I should point out that there are existing. Groups out there that are doing award show that do award shows every year. And I hope they continue cause we've got plenty of room for all of them.

This is just one, and this is one that really has me interested and excited in a way that the other ones haven't done it yet. Maybe it's a flight of fancy. I'm not worried about it. I'm not worried about the independent voices. Truly independent voices who are making amazing content. I'm not worried about them.

I'm also not worried about the hobbyist or the or the just amateurs out there. Sure. Keep making your content. This doesn't stop you from doing that. So just having a path that shows you what better content looks like, what it takes to make the kind of content that gets recognized by this particular group.

And if you don't want to do that, fine, but a lot of people do. I do. I want to hear that stuff. That's what I'm looking for. What I'm also looking for is for you to go to rate this podcast.com/pod punt and rate the podcast. Yeah, that's very nice. Or do me a solid. A much better thing I think is go to buy me a coffee.com/evo Terra and buy me a coffee.

No ads on the program. So if you want to support it, if you like the ideas I'm bringing forth, go to buy me a coffee.com/evo Terra. And finally, if you are in business and you need help figuring out podcasting for you, and maybe whether or not your company podcast is worthy of being in the podcast Academy, maybe get in touch with me, Evo at podcast, launched.pro or go to simpler media.pro to see a list of services offered to clients all around the globe.

I shall be back tomorrow with yet another podcast. Pontifications cheers.

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