Burkhardt 1

Aubrey Burkhardt

ENG 1201.5T1

Katie Sandy-Smith

11 December 2020

The Socially Active Ear and the World of Podcasting Intimacy

Humans, are a socially active community, being that many of us strive for

communication. There is a tendency for the need to be interactive with those around us; a call for

intimacy. So now there are 7 billion people in the world, and individuals are reaching out for a

community more than ever. The introduction of social media completely engulfed the world as a

new media outlet in the early 2000s’. As technology continued to develop, so did communication

styles between humans. In a culturally diverse world, media outlets provide ways we can interact

with different cultures internationally, quickly learning their lifestyles ranging from the food

individuals eat, to the way they talk to each other. The small computer in everyone’s pocket

provides more information than an encyclopedia. The quick and easy access to news and

information has provided a sense of security within the individual human world. It is almost

natural to be able to get an answer to a question with just a few clicks. Our world moves at an

extremely fast pace, as we see how quickly news can now spread internationally within hours.

The development within media concepts such as new papers, television, radio shows etc., goes to

show how far the human range of intelligence has come. As the world of media continues to

expand, new mediums come into play. In a predominately social world, the art of podcasting

creates an intimate relationship between hosts and audiences that other large medias, such as
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national news and radio broadcasters, cannot provide through the medium of an earbud and a

soft-spoken story.

Podcasting was introduced into the world of media in 2004, developed by Adam Curry

and Dave Winer, through a coded program known as iPodder that enabled them to download

internet radio broadcasts (Restivo, 2019). Winer developed the concept of “enclosure” and

created a feed with enclosures married to a software script he wrote again, called iPodder

(Sullivan, 2019). The term “podcasting” was created by Ben Hammersly, a journalist for The

Guardian. It wasn’t until the next year in 2005, did “podcasting” become the word of the year.

Soon after, large leading companies began development of software to support podcasts. Apple,

for example, was the first to come up with iTunes 4.9, an update with native support for

podcasts; interestingly enough, with this new media becoming available, George W. Bush

became the first President to have is weekly address delivered as a podcast (Restivo, 2019).

Similar to the interactive style of companies like YouTube, podcasts provide a platform

for individuals to acquire new information about the things they love, learn new ideas, share their

own personal stories and so on. Authors for The International Journal of Media and Culture,

Matt Sienkiewicz and Deborah L. Jaramillo describe the medium to be comprised primarily of

lightly adorned spoken words (2019, p.268). Podcasting provides a space for many different

content creators to collaborate and broaden their own personal research. Content creators provide

banter and discourse between hosts and guests, providing audiences with access into the specific

community. Podcasting is all about discovering and reaching out too many other people who

share interests or even introduce new ideas that some may have not known about. One intimate

aspect within the diverse world of podcasting consists of podcast collectives, groups of

independent podcasters that pool resources and promote each other’s work (Sienkiewicz &
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Jaramillo, 2019, p. 271). Other examples of intimacy being present among creators and their

products includes a term known as secondary realm of intimacy, described as …media entangle

issues of public concern with personalized, sentimental perspectives… while making the listener

feel personally invested (Sienkiewicz & Jaramillo, 2019, p. 269). The media provides individuals

with options of customization to ensure a consistent listening habit, meaning it will ensure the

listeners attention throughout the listening history.

YouTube, being a social media platform based off video broadcasting, shares similar

qualities in comparison to podcasting. Podcasting provides individuals with niche genres of

content executed through radio shows either in an episodic form or seasonal form. This may also

include individual recordings that may not have any correspondence; the content is sporadic and

diverse. YouTube provides individuals with niche genres of video content by creating visual

content. YouTube creators practice visual editing as well as audio editing, whereas the visual

aspect within the podcasting medium is provided through visual descriptions and execute the

practice of audio editing when producing content. Though YouTube has an extremely large

range of content, it is not considered to be a part of the news and journalism outlets, just as

podcasting would not be considered social media. YouTube has a platform that acts as a

centralized repository of data, whereas podcasting data files are scattered across the internet and

connected together through RSS links or ‘Really Simple Syndication’ (Sullivan, 2019).

Podcasting originally focused primarily on news, current events, social issues, nonfiction-based

storytelling; whereas YouTube consists of all kinds of storytelling, news sharing, and content

made from specific request.

Uniquely, podcasting’s appeal to public intimacy is considered to be that of the privatized

individual who [step] out of the intimacy of their living rooms and into the ‘public sphere’
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(Sienkiewicz & Jaramillo, 2019, p. 269). There is relatability in the content. Serial, one of the

most known podcasts in the industry, and most influential at that, proves that there is connection

between public issues and the listener. Sienkiewicz and Jaramillo put it in terms, stating

topics…are thus relegated to the background of a story that more centrally focuses on the fates

and frustrations of individual characters and story tellers (2019). The audience are presumably

being asked to experience the journalist or reporters’ journey. It creates a sense of knowing and

interest between the audience and the host through open explanation provided by detailed

storytelling. Even large broadcasting shows such as NPR take on the idea of storytelling, without

the individualism. In podcasting, there is little to no umbrella networking, meaning networks

such as NPR for example, is a large corporation that broadcasts and produces many shows;

podcasting, on the other hand, includes individual contractors, many of the content creators use

their own incentive to create their show, without mass corporation to record them. Of course, that

is not to say that those who gain a large following do not move on to make a profit or work with

companies in the end. This often times proves to be beneficial, as John L. Sullivan, a

researcher/storyteller, explains networking can prove to have multiple benefits within different

aspects when producing content. The network … associated with platformization have

differential benefits for listeners, content producers, and advertisers (Sullivan, 2019). Creating

space for your podcast within a network is positive for the audience, as it is easy to obtain,

avoiding crowded searching. However, Sullivan state the more negative effects of networking for

the content creators. Once large market players like Apple, Google, Amazon, and Spotify begin

leveraging the power of network externalities (effects of a product/service; benefits) to expand

podcast audience by offering paid subscription-based podcast content …professional-quality

podcasting or ‘procasting’ will become inextricably linked to platform services (this

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professional-quality podcasting will only come from Amazon, Google, Spotify, etc.) (2019). It is

up to those who record on their own and produce individually to determine what they consider

successful. It is clear there is a unique dynamic present in all forms of commercial media, but

even more so particularly in the world of contemporary podcasting (Sienkiewicz & Jaramillo,

2019, p. 270).

Serial, as described to be likely the most influential of all podcasts (Sienkiewicz &

Jaramillo, 2019, p. 269), is based upon social, public issues, using techniques emphasizing

audience identification in both the subjects and research as well as the reporter themselves.

Richard Berry, a senior lecturer in radio at the University of Sunderland, describes Serial as a

significant moment in podcasting history. After nearly 10 years of podcast production among the

media world, Serial, a spin off from a radio station show entitled This American Life and

WBEZ, the Chicago public radio station, became a breakthrough hit, being downloaded 500,000

times a day (2015, p. 170-171). The content of Serial is provided with inspiration from

audiobooks on long car journeys says producer Sarah Koenig (Berry, 2015, p. 171). Serial

predominantly studies that of Hae Min Lee, a Baltimore murder case in 1999. Berry explains

how Serial became a hotly debated topic among social settings, creating podcasts about the

podcast (2015, p. 171). Coincidently, Serial became a symbolic point in podcasting history,

taking it from “niche activity” to a mainstream media platform. The success of Serial argues that,

in fact, the biggest factor that draws the attention of listeners is that of control. Berry make a

claim that Serial could represent a reminder of the medium for lapsed listeners or an incentive to

explore for newcomers (2015, p. 175), meaning that Serial will be a reminder of the original

beginnings of podcasting, and staking claim as a good start for those beginning their podcast

journey as the media expands. Serial shares intimacy within the community through nostalgia for
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those who have seen the come-up of podcasting firsthand. Intimacy is also presented through the

connection Serial introduced amongst the social setting. There is importance in the connection

evolved as listeners come together in a physical setting to enjoy a similar…experience of

collective listening. (Berry, 2019, p. 175). Berry writes “podcasting is a medium that—through

Serial—has enjoyed renewed attention” (p. 176).

On the business/profit end, Steve Smith a digital media editor/new media consultant and

critic, writes an excerpt within an article entitled Podcasting Gets Down to Business. Smith

mentions and addresses the business side of podcasting, explaining that a podcasts real revenue

is immaterial, that formats bring their (creators/producers) personalities out in an interactive

medium that is about intimacy (Smith, 2006, p. 8). An example provided by Smith is The

Hollywood Report’s host started the current weeks show introducing relatable content about the

struggles of waking up early to track the news and then free-rifted for a minute over news he

heard on the radio coming into work (p. 8). This banter between audience and host create a quick

intimate moment; a relatable connection. When given the opportunity to hear a sort of bar-chat

between host and co-host that would not fit for websites or articles, the audience is introduced to

the insight between the creators of the content and reach an intimate level with the producers.

Smith states that the formatting of producing a podcast and the way it is executed is looser (p. 8).

It is appealing to the audience that there is a sense of open-end discussion, engaged, opinionated,

and compelling format of sports talk radio—even while discussing media company stock prices

(Smith, 2006, p. 8).

Contrary to what Steven Smith might say about the success in revenue, both physical and

emotional, Jennifer Miller, an author for The New York Times would presume to say that

podcasts are burning out. It goes without saying that anyone who wants to can purchase the next
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best podcast starter kit and record their stories for the next media outlet, but there is a method to

the madness. Steve Pratt, a former CBC producer and now podcast host, states “… just because

Joe Rogan can do it well. Doesn’t mean the average Joe can” (Miller, 2019, p. 2). There is,

arguably, a degree of cultural exhaustion currently being produced within the medium (p. 1).

There is a demand in podcasting, to be engaging with your audience. Without this concept as a

key factor, chances are the audience gain will not move at a pace creators are hoping for. Morgan

Mandriota and Lester Lee, freelance writers, were looking to grow their personal brands and

decided to start a podcast, calling it “The Advice Podcast” (p. 1). The two authors gathered in a

library and recorded on an iPhone 5 every week. It didn’t take but six episodes for the duo to

quit; explaining that the same D.I.Y. spirit that made having a podcast “alluring” is… what

doomed the project (Miller, 2019, p. 1). Yes, podcasting provides an open-ended invitation to the

masses of a welcoming community, but just as Mandriota and Lee discovered, engaging with

your audience to create a sense of intimacy doesn’t come as easy as expected. Karen North, a

clinical professor of communication at Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at

USC mentions “The thing about podcasts… is that it’s very, very hard to determine popularity.

It’s easy for the host to appear to be an influencer. And whether anybody finds that podcast or

listen to it and the bounce rate—who knows?” (Miller, 2019, p. 1). The content creators and/or

producers have to be the ‘all knowing’ of their specific topic, using elements to drag in an

audience through a way that is engaging. The argument being pursued understands the idea that

there is, even with intimacy applied, no correct way to measure the success rate like a radio-show

or television network. Mr. Jordan Harbinger, host of “The Jordan Harbinger Show” podcast

explains what we are all thinking, “I love podcasting, and the more shows in the mix the better,
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as long as they’re done by someone who actually cares and isn’t just trying to get a piece of pie”

(Miller, 2019, p. 2).

Moving beyond the modern American take on the new media’s uprising, globally, there

have been similar and new discoveries of the elements that gravitate individuals towards

podcasts. In Australia specifically, there was a particularly large boost in ratings just in the last

year of 2019. The latest Share of Audio report, published by research firm Gfk, found

Australians spend an average 15 minutes a day listening to podcasts… the first time in the

project’s four-year history that podcasts have leapfrogged digitally purchased music and CDs

(Carmody, 2019, p. 1). Researchers apart of the team also discovered the population of the

audience most appealed to consisting of millennials, younger managers, and those with teens

above the age of 17 years. To the average Australian, podcasting has become mainstream media,

and there is nothing wrong with that, as it has become part of their natural world. There is a high

engagement rate with listeners, taking in up to six episodes a week (p. 1). The next content to be

executed in question is scripted content. Kellie Riordan, ABC’s head of podcasting, states

“…aesthetic and style of these audio podcasts is very different to a radio play. The podcast

versions feel more like a film” (Carmody, 2019, p.1). It is the unique element of visual aid and

in-depth description that podcasting gives off for the audience to be emerged by. The audience is

taken into the personal narrative of the reporter, again, to circle back to the element of intimacy

between the storyteller and the audio receiver. It is the storytellers’ job to be able to give the

audience clarity yet keep them guessing and yearning for more.

The uprising popularity in Australia has caused an urgency within the broadcasting

industry. The ABC will be adding more support to the fiction space (in 2020), though the public

broadcasters are not the only organizations to put money into creating original podcasts
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(Carmody, 2019, p. 1). For audio shareholders and streaming services, there is a rush to quickly

adapt to the podcasting element. Audible, generated through major company, Amazon, sees a

rise consisting of double-digit customer growth, with year-after year consistency (p.1). Leanne

Cartwright-Bradford with Audible Australia explains “People are busy, but they want to make

the most out of their time” (Carmody, 2019, p. 1). Bradford is describing the lifestyle of audience

members. In our world today, many of us are on a constant move, experiencing events we may

have little to no control over. Perhaps the most common event in our everyday life, where many

of us experience the audio entertainment, takes place in the car. This includes anytime a

commute is made and being that for many individuals the commute is rather long, it is important

to us what is being played. This displays the control appeal within radio broadcasting, even in

displays of silence. The individual in this case uses radio as a form of entertainment as a focusing

tool while they get through traffic, or a long car trip. Those who take many business trips are

often seen listening to some form of audio entertainment. It is surrounding individuals in

movement. For example, there is a consistent theme at the airport. Many businesswomen and

men use the art as a comfort tool. Erin Kyan, one of Australia’s first queer drama podcasts

known as Love and Luck, explains it is “…very intimate…because podcasting is a lot cheaper

than making a TV show, we can represent people who traditionally aren’t seen in more

mainstream arts industries” (Carmody, 2019, p. 1). Audio entertainment as a whole, whether it

being a student or educator revisiting a lecture, those in the field of law hearing court cases,

researchers gathering multi-media sources, provides an endless platform to hold human

communication that will last for millennium.

While some will argue that the art of podcasting will have a faster burnout than 80s leg

warmers, it is clear in todays media that podcasting is only just begging to make a rise in the
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audio entertainment industry. Podcasting provides audiences with authentic communication

between host, guests, and listeners. Afterall, it’s the audience members who are the most

important. Podcasting reaches a point of intimacy that cannot be perceived through a television

broadcast or written media. The art form allows space for the most authentic experience, as the

host gets to be their complete self without the influence of audience members in person, or the

strict regulations in producing a written piece. This unique connection brings podcasting to a

popular community amongst influencers and researchers. Podcasting has proved to be a reliable

source just as well as a newspaper or radio journalism in the news world. In a world full of high

demand to be in the know, individuals often strive for communication. In the current age of

technology, humans rely on the natural commodity that is the digital world at our fingertips. It is

amazing to see the growth of media and audio entertainment reach new advances first-hand, even

more so, watching the rise of such an intimate form of media that can reach new highs.
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Works Cited

Berry, Richard. “A Golden Age of Podcasting? Evaluating Serial in the Context of Podcast

Histories.”

Journal of Radio & Audio Media, vol. 22, no. 2, Nov. 2015, pp. 170–178. EBSCOhost,

doi:10.1080/19376529.2015.1083363.

Bishop, James. “A Brief History Of Podcasting.” OneFinePlay, OneFinePlay, 2 Aug. 2019,

www.onefineplay.com/latest/2019/8/2/a-brief-history-of-podcasting.

Djerf-Pierre, Monika, et al. “The Role of Journalism on YouTube: Audience Engagement with

‘Superbug’ Reporting.” Media and Communication, vol. 7, no. 1, 2019, pp. 235 247.,

doi:10.17645/mac.v7i1.1758.

MILLER, JENNIFER. “You Can Hear the Podcast Fatigue.” New York Times, vol. 168, no.

58392, 18 July 2019, pp. D1–D3. EBSCOhost,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=137575725&site=ehost-live.

"Podcasts more popular than music collections." Sydney Morning Herald [Sydney, Australia], 24

Oct. 2019, p. 13. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints,

https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A603506128/OVIC?u=dayt30401&sid=OVIC&xid=12e3

6854. Accessed 4 Dec. 2020.

Sienkiewicz, Matt, and Deborah L. Jaramillo. “Podcasting, the Intimate Self, and the Public

Sphere.” Popular Communication, vol. 17, no. 4, 2019, pp. 268–272.,

doi:10.1080/15405702.2019.1667997.
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Smith, Steve. “Podcasting Gets Down to Business.” Min’s B2B, vol. 9, no. 34, Aug. 2006, p. 8.

EBSCOhost,

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=22167241&site=eds-live.

Sullivan, John. “The Platforms of Podcasting: Past and Present.” 2019,

doi:10.33767/osf.io/4fcgu.