Podcasting was deemed to have ‘come of age’ late in 2014, 10 years after it began, when the ‘This American Life’ spin-off ‘Serial’ broke through into mainstream media consciousness. Much of the academic interest in podcasting thus far has considered its application as an educational tool but the success of ‘Serial’ demonstrates that the medium has much greater potential, particularly when developed with the palette associated with crafted radio productions. Former BBC Radio 3 and 4 producer and podcast developer Francesca Panetta notes that the platform shift from radio to podcasting creates the possibility of ‘treasurable audio’, much like television box sets, film and music. There is much to consider in describing this developing species of audio content and this paper reflects on its evolution and potential futures.
Period
2015
Event title
European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA) Radio Research Conference: Diversity, Innovation & Policies