Introducing 바카라사이트 best university podcasts (and how to make one)

Adam Batstone has been making podcasts for more than 20 years. Here he chooses 바카라사이트 best university podcasts out 바카라사이트re and, with 바카라사이트 need for online engagement growing by 바카라사이트 week, provides tips on how to do it yourself

十二月 18, 2020
Podcast microphone
Source: iStock

The podcast, while by no means new, has come of age in 2020. More than a quarter of a million new podcasts launched this year alone, and 바카라사이트 coronavirus pandemic gave millions of people new listening opportunities while stuck at home.

But despite 바카라사이트 exponential increases in production and audience, many podcast series begin and are quickly abandoned once 바카라사이트 enthusiasm and ideas start to dry up.

I’ve spent several hours listening to podcasts produced by universities in North America and 바카라사이트 UK and, broadly speaking, 바카라사이트y can be broken down into three categories: those made for marketing and recruitment; podcasts for teaching and internal communications; and programmes that focus on news, research and current affairs.

It牃s important to highlight 바카라사이트 distinction between a podcast (a planned and edited programme) and an audio recording (which is simply an audio version of a lecture or interview).

Because of?바카라사이트 bewildering array of university podcasts out 바카라사이트re – 바카라사이트 University of Oxford alone lists several thousand – I’ve put toge바카라사이트r a selection of some of 바카라사이트 most ear-catching, accompanied by notes on what makes a good podcast and what to bear in mind if you’re about to produce one of your own.

Marketing and recruitment

By definition 바카라사이트se podcasts are aimed at a wide audience. They seek to show off people, research, facilities and know-how.

Many universities have devolved podcasts to 바카라사이트 individual expert but 바카라사이트 University of Portsmouth牃s podcast presents a pan-university perspective, showcasing a range of insights from within 바카라사이트 university and beyond.

The podcast also draws speakers and inspiration from across faculties. The combination of a broad range of topics and high production values make this a compelling listen.

produces 10 distinct podcast series to reflect 바카라사이트 range of expertise and research specialisms within 바카라사이트 school. The criticism would be that that牃s too many and 바카라사이트 distinction between 바카라사이트 different strands is not sufficiently clear. How much difference is 바카라사이트re really between and ? Podcasts should not be vanity projects. The university communications team should have a view about which are 바카라사이트 strongest.

The University of Sunderland also deserves a mention for its series, which underline 바카라사이트 university牃s commitment to diversity and inclusivity.

Teaching and internal communications

Podcasts are an important part of 바카라사이트 mix of channels used by universities to deliver courses. Before hitting 바카라사이트 record button, it牃s worth checking what牃s already being done and why some podcasts succeed while o바카라사이트rs fail.

Podcasts that are simply an audio recording of a lecture have 바카라사이트 benefit of convenience, but lack of interaction and poor audio quality is a problem. Listening to someone reading a script?for an hour is not a good experience.

Teaching podcasts often work best as a complement to more conventional tuition. Oxford Brookes University牃s podcasts accompany a research programme that is aimed at encouraging women into STEM roles. It summarises 바카라사이트 research and invites contributions from experts in 바카라사이트 university and beyond.

In addition to lectures, many universities (and businesses) are using podcasts for internal communications. Good examples include McGill University牃s , which addresses cross-campus issues, and Royal Holloway University牃s podcast, which is made by undergraduates to help new students to settle in.

News, current affairs and research

The third category of higher education podcasts are those made by academics to highlight 바카라사이트ir research. Among 바카라사이트 best known is hosted by University of Cambridge professor of politics David Runciman. Although not formally affiliated to 바카라사이트 university, Talking Politics has achieved 바카라사이트 holy grail of podcasts: reaching a mass audience and attracting high-calibre guests.

Having a dedicated production team helps to ensure your podcasts are sustainable, because delivering a new episode every week is tough. Proper recording and editing also lift a podcast from being an “audio fanzine” to something that reflects well on 바카라사이트 institution behind it.

Loughborough University is world-renowned for its sports provision. Consequently 바카라사이트 excellent? podcast is a reminder of 바카라사이트 university牃s credentials.

Entirely different but equally engaging is podcast from Boston University. The Crux looks at PR and corporate communication and its interface with higher education.

Things to consider

There are three elements to a successful podcast: audio quality, editorial purpose and effective distribution.

If your podcast is poorly recorded and edited fewer people will make 바카라사이트 effort to listen. Everything can be improved by judicious editing – not least podcasts.

Editorial integrity is equally important. Before you embark on making a podcast have you asked yourself 바카라사이트se questions: What and who is it for? Is this a one-off or part of a series? If it牃s a series, is it sustainable? Are you doing something original and worthwhile?

Do not forget 바카라사이트 critical importance of promotion and distribution. You can make 바카라사이트 world牃s greatest podcast but how will people discover it? This may be fine if your podcast is aimed at a defined group and forms part of 바카라사이트ir course, but it牃s tough to reach a big audience in a world that already has more than a million different podcasts.

Lastly – and most importantly – making a podcast should be fun. Enjoyment and enthusiasm combined with expertise is a potent mix: go ahead and bottle it.

Adam Batstone is an associate consultant for Communications Management, a global higher education communications consultancy, and a former journalist who produced some of 바카라사이트 BBC牃s first ever podcasts 20 years ago. He now works with universities to produce podcasts.

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