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I want to be very real with you about the “what is a podcast?” question🗣️
Everywhere I turn — on the internet and IRL — I hear “is it really a podcast if there’s video?” IDK and I don’t really care how you consume podcasts. Whether it’s video, audio, a combination depending on the show and your activity space at that time. I do care that creators get to make great things. And that consumers get to find those great things. I tend to think that eventually, audio becomes attractive as a consumption method even to some people who discovered podcasts video-first.
So, I’m interested in where this will go. A taskforce has been formed to determine what a podcast is — to give it a definition once and for all.
From the article:
“What ends up happening is when advertisers are deciding whose budget this is to come out of, there’s oftentimes a tug of war, or it gets orphaned, because nobody knows,” said Oxford Road CEO Dan Granger.
I’ve been saying this for a while. It’s definitely important for advertisers, when they’re considering spending on podcasts, to know what they’re spending on: what medium, what platforms the ads will run on…etc. But, as Caitlin Huston, the author of the article writes, “proposing standardized metrics and a definition also doesn’t mean it will automatically be adopted across the industry or even by every company in the taskforce.”
I know this to be true because a few years ago, I was part of a working group called the Podcast Taxonomy that attempted to define podcast-related terms. As far as I recall, we didn’t take on the word “podcast” directly, mostly because it felt more concrete back in 2020-2021 (weird, huh?). But the definitions we put forth for terms like “producer,” “editor,” “audio engineer,” — while thought out, crowdsourced, and published in this white paper (which was co-signed by tons of creators, platform representatives, software developers, production teams, and many others) still haven’t been adopted on a wide scale.
Why? Because creators come to podcasting from any number of backgrounds. Similar to how podcast consumers come to their favorite shows from any number of different backgrounds. And we can’t control how people speak about the things they make or consume.
I’m not saying that the Podcast Taxonomy was a wasted effort. I do think it’s important to have standardized definitions. In fact, I just wrote this Podcast Marketing Glossary because I think we should at least try to put forth shared language for the sake of accessibility and for learning purposes. But I also think it’s important to acknowledge that even if we get the definitions “right,” there are still going to be people who disagree or who are just not aware of these proclamations. And that’s ok.
All this to say, I’m watching the conversation around “what is a podcast” very closely. My friend-collaborator Lauren Passell and I recently took to the streets of NYC to ask passersby how they define the term. Here are our findings. I won’t spoil it, but let’s just say everyone is right.
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Thank you to Spencer and Marv for joining last week👋
5 Podcasts
Podcasts to Future-Proof Your Career
Each issue of our newsletter is curated by a different person. Learn more.
Making a career for yourself has never been more mysterious. AI has taken over everywhere, from job applications to workflows. And the flexibility of the hybrid environment means "showing up to work" looks a lot different these days.
Workers across all sectors are looking for future-proof ways to stay ahead, hone in on the skills that matter, and adapt. The following episodes are here to help you do just that!
ONE
We Are All Workerbees
Inside the Hiring Black Box with Emily Durham
Wondering what’s actually going on behind the scenes of hiring? This episode features powerhouse career coach, Emily Durham, giving the low down on why finding a job is so hard these days and how to get ahead by leaning into your most valuable asset: your humanity.
TWO
Clock In
How To Sound Senior AF (When You’re Junior AF)
Struggling to get your brilliant strategies off the table and level up your career? You might just be communicating wrong. This episode breaks down the communication tactics that help you sound credible and show your leadership potential.
THREE
Aspire with Emma Grede
The AI Lessons That Will Change How You Operate
We can’t ignore that AI is becoming part of nearly everyone's workflow, and that means there’s a new language workers need to speak. This episode breaks down how to adapt and think with AI tools in your job, and why it’s more than just a search engine.
FOUR
Per My Last Email
Why Emotional Intelligence is More Important Than Ever at Work
In an age where AI applications are dominating the inboxes of hiring managers, there’s one key skill employers are looking for these days: emotional intelligence. In this episode, learn how to navigate your emotional load with your peers and colleagues, and when it’s really okay to cry at work.)
FIVE
Happen to Your Career
What Happens When a Career That Works on Paper Stops Working in Real Life
The prospect of changing careers can be both the most exciting and terrifying moment in your life. How do you even know when your job is working for you anymore? How do you know if your stress levels are “normal”? This episode shares the steps you need for a career change and how to make it happen as smoothly as possible.
SIX
Submit a 6th Episode
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Submitting is free for EarBuds supporters at the Contributor level.
Markets move. Headlines catastrophize. Inside the noise is the story that matters — the opportunity, not the fear. The Daily Upside: global business and finance, reported without the alarm.
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Spotlight Podcast
Curated by CBC Podcasts
The Expert Witness
“Trust me bro, it’s the magic of AI” isn’t supposed to be valid scientific evidence in criminal cases. And yet, it’s happening in courtrooms across the U.S.
A mysterious AI algorithm is placing suspects at crime scenes, and in some cases landing them in prison. People don’t know how, or if, this thing even works. So how is this happening? And where do we go from here? Sam Mullins (Wild Boys, Sea of Lies, etc.) pulls back the curtain on Cybercheck in the new season of Uncover: The Expert Witness.
Classified Notes
Listen to True Weird Stuff: Before modern mortuary science, being buried alive was a real and terrifying possibility. But in mid-century America, one man turned that fear into a career. Meet “Country” Bill White, aka "The Living Corpse."
When we picture the First World War, we often think of trenches, artillery fire, and mud. We don’t really think about soldiers performing in drag, love letters exchanged between those in uniform, and queer individuals navigating institutions that denied their existence. Lavender Ranks explores how queer people found intimacy, community, and survival during one of the deadliest conflicts in modern history.
Attend in person and online events for digital creators that emphasize tactical takeaways and action items. Next up: Podcast Growth Open House - June 4th at 12:00 PM ET.
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Community Notes
🚀 Congrats to the Times Union podcast team on launching Long Buried. Here’s what it’s about: after human remains were found during the construction of a new home in upstate New York in April 2024, it took investigators nearly two months to identify them. When they did, the mystery only deepened.
👏 American Afterlife recently reached #1 on Apple Podcasts' Fiction chart following its launch. The cinematic audio drama stars Scarlett Estevez (Lucifer, Disney's Bunk'd) and is adapted from Pedro Hoffmeister's bestselling novel.
📖 Podcast Club is coming back to the Brooklyn Public Library on June 4th. Get the details and RSVP here.
📣 In Podcast The Newsletter, Lauren Passell writes about the new season of Slow Burn from Slate.
When I saw that the new season of Slow Burn was about Justice Neil Gorsuch, I was a little like…really? Why? Isn’t life hard enough? (Even though I loved the Clarence Thomas series!) I was, however, pulled in within seconds to this new season.
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