Podcast dos and don’ts

Lucy Kenningham | Issue 6 | Magazine

From the Archive

LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 16: Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock holds a microphone during a Sky interview outside the BBC before appearing on the Andrew Marr show on May 16, 2021 in London, England. Today's show takes place a day before the UK further eases its Covid-19 lockdown measures, permitting more indoor activities and mixing of different households. (Photo by Hollie Adams/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 16: Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock holds a microphone during a Sky interview outside the BBC before appearing on the Andrew Marr show on May 16, 2021 in London, England. Today's show takes place a day before the UK further eases its Covid-19 lockdown measures, permitting more indoor activities and mixing of different households. (Photo by Hollie Adams/Getty Images)

Politicians are grabbing the microphone by the bucket load in order to "pod". But it's not always a wise move

Since the term was coined in 2004 as a combination of “iPod” and “broadcast”, podcasts have exploded in popularity. In the UK, 41 per cent of the population now listen to podcasts monthly. In 2021, there were over 19.1 million podcast listeners in the UK, expected to rise to over 28 million by 2026. From history to science, reality television to literature, and cookery to football, there’s a podcast for almost anything. The Mace has enjoyed such oddities as Our Struggle, a podcast dedicated to the literary phenomenon of Norwegian author Karl Ove Knausgaard’s memoir series; The Troubles which produces episodes such as Pat Finucane: A Murder With Collusion At Its Heart; and Skylines, the City Metric Podcast addressing the intensification and complexities of contemporary urban life. And then, there is politics. Every leading newspaper and magazine has at least one weekly podcast and they’re fast becoming daily, allowing news consumers to wallow within their chosen echo chamber. Especially...

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