Month: April 2018

Omny Studio Released Loudness Normalization Tool

~ jen

Omny Studio has released a loudness normalization tool. Omny Studio customers can now apply loudness normalization settings to their published audio for each individual show or to their organizations as a whole.

The normalizations settings are configured by three values: integrated loudness in LUFS, maximum true peak in dbTP, and loudness range in LU. We also provide a range of presets based on various international standards and also service defaults. These include settings which adhere to Google and Amazon’s specifications for the Google Home and Amazon Alexa smart speaker devices.

Omny studios points out that Podnews conducted a loudness analysis of the top 100 podcasts. The analysis highlighted the lack of uniformity in regards to loudness across the podcasting space.

Omny Studio’s loudness normalization tool is intended to help address this lack of uniformity as well as adhere to the specifications that are required for smart speakers as they rise in popularity. You can listen to some clips on the Omny Studio medium post about this topic. Those clips give examples of the difference in loudness in audio.

On Omny Studio’s Medium post, you can listen to audio with Google’s loudness specifications, Amazon’s loudness specifications, and the EU’s loudness specifications. Compare those to the original un-processed audio, and a clip with the auto-leveling feature applies (and no loudness normalization).

The New York Times Launched the Caliphate Podcast

~ jen

The New York Times has launched a podcast called Caliphate. It is a new audio series that follows Rukmini Callimachi, who covers terrorism for The New York Times. Caliphate focuses on the Islamic State.

Caliphate is not the first podcast released by The New York Times, and it probably won’t be the last. However, there are a unique thing happening in regards to how listeners can access this podcast. Each episode will be available to New York Times subscribers a week early. This is being done to thank subscribers for their support for this kind of reporting.

The team behind The Daily (another podcast from The New York Times) presents Caliphate. Rukmini Callimachi is a foreign correspondent for The New York Times, and has often appeared on The Daily. In Caliphate, she reports on the Islamic State and the fall of the Iraqi city of Mosul.

Rukmini Callimachi, with producer Andy Mills, journeys to the heart of the conflict to grapple with the most pressing questions about ISIS and to comprehend the power and global pull of the militant group. The New York Times makes it very clear that “this series includes language and scenes of graphic violence.”

While the subject matter of Caliphate may not be for everyone, it is worth being aware of. In this podcast, The New York Times is taking the standard way that journalism is reported – on websites and in newspapers – and adapting it to include the medium of podcasting. We have seen this before in podcasts like Serial. It is significant that a long established newspaper is now using podcasting as a medium for in-depth journalism.

Simplecast Launched Recast Beta

~ jen

Simplecast has launched Recast beta. It is a listener-driven podcast discovery tool. It allows you and your listeners to share clips from your episodes on social media.

Simplecast offers one-click publishing to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever your audience listens. For $12 a month, Simplecast offers unlimited listener plays, no upload caps, listener analytics, a customizable website, and embeddable audio players with Recast. Simplecast is currently offering a free trial.

Discoverability of podcasts – podcast’s reach – is miles away from perfect, and while we have big plans here too, we began simple: What if podcasts and retweets had a baby? They did! We named it Recast.

The idea for Recast spawned from WNYC’s Audiogram Generator – an open-source social meant to provide podcasters, radio professionals, producers, and audio makers a super easy way to share their work across social platforms including Facebook and Twitter.

Simplecast has an embed player that plays beautifully when embedded in a tweet. However, Simplecast thinks it is unlikely that someone would choose to listen to an entire episode of a podcast via social media. The audiogram is a short video that is designed with a striking visual component. It is intended to attract attention on social media.

Simplecast mapped out the flavor of the audiogram for the purpose of making Recast a personal, intimate experience for the listener. With Recast, listeners can be in control of what’s contained in an audiogram. Recast is the industry’s first, fully listener-accessible audiogram sharing tool.

Radiodays Europe Podcast Day is June 12

~ jen

Radiodays Europe Podcast Day is a satellite event from the team that brings you Radiodays Europe each year. Podcast Day was created in response to the need to bring together the Podcast world in Europe. Radiodays Europe Podcast Day will take place on June 12, 2018, in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The 2018 Radiodays Europe Podcast Day Speakers are:

  • Mélissa Bounoua – Co-founder, Louise Media
  • Joe Copeman – Director of Sales, Acast
  • Leslie Merklinger – Senior Director of Audio Innovation, CBC Radio and Audio
  • George Mullen – Research Manager, Podcasts & Radio 4, BBC
  • Kaitlin Priest – Podcaster, The Heart on Radiotopia
  • Charlotte Pudlowski – Co-Founder, Louise Media
  • Kellie Riordan – Manager, ABC Audio Studios
  • Peter Zezulka – Head of Audience Planning for Radio & Education, BBC

A partial schedule has been released for 2018 Radiodays Europe Podcast Day. It starts with an informal “ice breaker” event on the evening before Podcast Day. It is not an obligatory event. The full schedule for Radiodays Europe 2018 (including events on Sunday and workshops) will be confirmed over the coming months. Here is a basic outline:

Pre-Podcast Day June 11 2018 – afternoon to evening

  • Afternoon Workshop
  • Podcast Speed dating session – Networking ‘A Marriage Made in Podcasting Heaven’
  • Evening ice breaker – time & venue TBC

Podcast Day June 12 2018

  • Registration & Networking opens at 8:15
  • Start of conference – morning session 9:00
  • Lunch
  • Start of conference – afternoon session 13:00
  • End of conference 18:00

Win a Trip to Podcast Movement 2019

~ jen

Podcast Movement 2018 will take place on July 23-26, 2018. Tickets are available through the Podcast Movement 2018 website. They are already planning ahead for Podcast Movement 2019 – by kicking off their 28 Day Challenge.

The Podcast Movement 28 Day Challenge offers people an opportunity to launch a brand new podcast. Those who participate will have the chance to win an all expenses paid trip to Podcast Movement 2019. The 28 Day Challenge is a wonderful opportunity for people who want to start their first podcast.

Why join the 28 Day Challenge?

  • Take your podcast from zero to launch in just 28 days
  • Learn the basic steps to getting your podcast started
  • Join hundreds of other soon-to-be podcasters in the private Facebook group
  • The chance to win an all expenses paid trip to Podcast Movement 2019.

There are four steps to follow. The first one is to let Podcast Movement know that you are participating in the 28 Day Challenge. You can do that by clicking a button on their website that is called “Take the Challenge”.

The second step is to follow the Daily Steps. When you sign up to participate in the 28 Day Challenge, you are asked to give Podcast Movement your email. This enables them to send you a daily Step or Tip email, each of which is designed to help walk you through the steps of taking your podcast from zero to launch.

The third step is to let Podcast Movement know how you think you’re doing. They want participants to be active in their private online community. Everyone can work together.

The fourth, and final, step is to show Podcast Movement what you made. Send them information about your new (live) podcast. They will share that information with the Podcast Movement community. Doing so could result in giving everyone in the group new listeners.

Podcast Movement will select 1 winner out of the podcasters who complete the 28 Day Challenge. That winner will receive an all expenses paid trip to Podcaster Movement 2019. Two Grand Prize winners will win a PM 19 Pro Pass. Two Second Place Winners will receive a standard PM 19 Pass. Everyone who completes the 29 Day Challenge will get some amazing PM 19 gifts.

PopCon Podcast Awards Ceremony

~ jen ~ 1 Comment

PopCon was founded by a group of geeks from Indianapolis, In. They celebrate the culture of the creators and fans who love them. The 2018 PopCon Podcast Awards will be held in June.

The second annual PopCon Podcast Awards will be held Friday June 8th at 8pm at the Indiana Convention Center. The ceremony is open to anyone that is an attendee of Indy PopCon (Friday or Three Day Badges).

You can purchase tickets to PopCon through the PopCon website. The page about the PopCon Podcast Awards says that attendance is not required to win. The awards are to recognize the hard work and dedication of creators of podcasts. Podcasts from more than two dozen categories will be honored.

Podcasters are asked to read the PopCon Podcast Awards Criteria and Submission Process. Submission criteria includes:

  • Must have published a minimum of ten episodes.
  • Content is to be submitted from the last 12 months
  • The submission audio must be between 5 minutes and 15 minutes
  • Audio submission recording should include: names of producers/hosts, name of the podcast, where you are located, brief synopses of your podcast (elevator pitch), and description of what they are about to hear. You can submit either a segment of a single episode or a compilation of highlights from one or more episodes.
  • The intro and outro of the podcast (only if you wish to apply for that artistic award)

There are several categories for entry. Pick the one that you feel best fits your podcast. A full list of the categories, as well as additional details about submitting your podcast, can be found on the PopCon website.

Awards to win:

  • Smithie Award: Best-of chosen by fellow podcasters
  • Audience Award: Best-of chosen by general audience
  • Category Award: Chosen by independent PopCon Podcast Awards judges. Each category will have 3 to 5 finalists.
  • Technical and Artistic Awards: Intro and Outro, Editing and Mixing, Sound/Special Effects

Submissions to the PopCon Podcast Awards must be completed by April 30th at midnight EST.

Con Before the Storm Prepares for its 6th Year

~ jen

Con Before the Storm is a pre-Blizzcon event that is organized by fans, for fans. It is currently on Kickstarter and (at the time I am writing this) has $11,882 pledged of a $13,500 goal.

Wondering what Con Before the Storm is all about? It’s a pre-Blizzcon event organized by fans, for fans. 2018 will make this our 6th year hosting the event and it’s all thanks to the support of the amazing community! Last year we had over 140 backers who helped fund a party that hosted over an estimated 6,000 people!

Con Before the Storm is for fans of Blizzard Entertainment’s games. The event takes place the night before BlizzCon. It is a free event that includes World of Podcasts – which typically includes panels of people who are involved in podcasts about Blizzard’s games.

I have attended two Con Before the Storm parties, and had a great time at both. One of the best parts of the event is that it is an excellent place to meet podcasters who focus on Blizzard’s games, streamers who play those games on Twitch, eSports personalities, and the people you’ve been playing video games with. It’s also a wonderful opportunity to view fan art from talented artists.

The Con Before the Storm Kickstarter has a $24,500 tier. If that tier is reached, Con Before the Storm will be able to make this year’s World of Podcasts a reality. Their vision for World of Podcasts 2018 is to showcase the talent in two rooms, with panels running concurrently from start to finish. It appears that part of their goal is to be able to have every panel equally equipped for recording and presentation this year.

BBC Released 16,000 Sound Effects

~ jen

The BBC has released 16,016 Sound Effects from its archives. These sound effects are made available by the BBC in WAV format to download an use under the terms of the RemArc License.

The sound effects in the collection are BBC copyright, but they may be used for “personal, educational or research purposes” as detailed in the RemArc License. Podcasters should read the terms in the RemArc License before they use any of the BBC’s sound effects in their podcast.

Part of the RemArc License says that, provided you follow the rules in the RemArc License, the BBC grants you permission to use the BBC content but only…

For non-commercial, personal, or research purposes (for example, including the content on a non-commercial, advertisement-free reminiscence website aimed at helping trigger memories in people with dementia).

For formal education purposes while you are a student or a member of staff of a school, college or university (for example, if you are enrolled in a university or college course or if you are a school pupil, or you are a teacher and you wish to display the content on an electronic whiteboard, including images in a printed class worksheet).

If your podcast doesn’t fit those descriptions, then you need to get permission from the BBC before you use their sound effects. More information about how to go about doing that can be found in the RemArc License.

A few of the interesting sound effects in the collection include:

  • “South American parrot talking and screeching”
  • “’Hip hip hooray’, 50 people, 20-30 years old. (Interior).”
  • “’Snow’ surface grinder operating at steel works 1969”
  • “1 lorry passing slowly.”
  • “1 metal crash (84B)”
  • “10 bells ringing, Parish of St. George, Greenock”
  • “11 month old baby boy playing with toys”

Anchor Introduces Cohosts

~ jen

Anchor has introduced a new feature called Cohosts. This brand new feature seamlessly matches you up with other podcasters who like talking about the same things you do.

The Cohosts feature is completely free, like all of Anchor’s features. It is available now on Anchor’s iOS and Android apps. It is designed to make it easy for you to find a cohost for your podcast.

Earlier this year we launched Anchor 3.0, giving people everything they need to make a great podcast – including easy creation tools, one-touch distribution, and new ways to interact with listeners – all in one place. But what if you need someone to record your podcast with? That’s a question we hear from people a lot, and it’s exactly where Cohosts comes in.

Here is how Cohosts works:

  • Pick a topic from the home screen, or add your own custom topic! It could be something broad, like politics, or something hyper-specific to your podcast, like Stephen King novels.
  • Anchor will find you a cohost who is interested in talking about the same topic, and Anchor will connect you.
  • Anchor will give you 30 seconds to introduce yourselves and decide how you want to kick off your conversation, and then recording will automatically start.
  • Record with your cohost for up to 15 minutes.
  • You’ll both get a copy of the recording, and can publish your conversation to your podcast right away or add it to an episode later.

If you love recording with a particular cohost, you can always record with them again later with Anchor’s Record With Friends feature. The Record With Friends feature doesn’t have a time limit and lets you record with anyone, anywhere in the world, any time you want.

METRO Seeks a Podcast Community Relations Strategist

~ jen

The Metropolitan New York Library Council (METRO) is a non-profit organization where New York’s libraries and archives come together to learn, share ideas, and collaborate. They are seeking a Preserve This Podcast Community Relations Strategist. This is a contract position.

The “Preserve this Podcast!” Communications and Public Relations Strategist is a temporary contract starting from the date of hire until through the completion of the duties of the contract (schedule can be flexible). This position is open to those with demonstrated experience working on communications, outreach and/or public relations projects, either in a podcast or broadcast media setting, and/or a library/archives setting.

The primary responsibility will be to devise and implement a strong communications plan to reach independent podcast producers and develop deeper awareness around this project, and born-digital audio preservation.

Responsibilities Include:

  • Develop, coordinate and execute an outreach strategy and sustainable workflow
  • Create communications lists and corresponding schedules
  • Interact with their audiences via social media networks
  • Set up a workflow for sending out newsletter and other copy
  • Cultivate relationships with the target audience (podcast producers)
  • Develop messaging/create copy to promote Preserve this Podcast ! Podcast
  • Identify and pursue possible promotional opportunities, especially podcast interviews.

This is a temporary $5,500 contract that will be paid out monthly at an hourly rate. The hourly rate is negotiable depending on the applicants demonstrated experience in podcast communications. This is a contract/temporary position.  For full details, visit the METRO website where the ad is posted.