
The 7th of January 1991 was a big day for me. It was the day I started working as a radio journalist.
As someone who writes for a living, I'm supposed to avoid clich s, but saying that it was a dream come true is just stating a fact. I've no real idea where that desire came from. The radio was always on at home when I was growing up. I woke to voices on the BBC's morning flagship Today programme, and often went to bed to the strains of pop music on a commercial station. So maybe that was it. Radio sounded fun and interesting and who doesn't want a job that sounds fun and interesting?
Back in 1991 I'd have to carry a Uher reel to reel tape player to record interviews and audio. It was so heavy it made a dent in my shoulder. Reporters had to edit the tape using chinagraph pencils and a razor blade. We shared a newsroom with those we disparagingly called telly tarts' - I'm sorry to say I later became one myself. They lived in the linear world of pictures. We lived in the magical world of sound, and audio was king.
Golden age of podcasting If proof were needed of the versatility of audio, we are now living in a golden age of podcasting. Radio remains hugely popular but podcasting has reinvented the medium, injecting it with added intimacy, flexibility and connection. Not surprisingly, audiences continue to grow.
New technology means as an aspiring podcaster you no longer need to heave around heavy equipment all you need is a smartphone.
The beauty of audio is that you can tell your story from anywhere. To record audio examples for the courses for Thomson Foundation's Guide to Podcasting, I created a homemade studio using pillows to create the best sound, sometimes putting a towel over my head. The difference in quality is remarkable as you'll discover in Course two: Making it.
We just take the oral tradition away from the fireplace and into the mobile phone.
James Smart, podcast editor, Nation Media Group, Kenya
Good stories Podcasting is already well established in some countries such as the USA and UK and elsewhere it's being introduced to new listeners. James Smart, the podcast editor for Nation Media Group in Kenya says, We know people love good stories. We just take the oral tradition away from the fireplace and into the mobile phone.
What's more, podcasts offer storytellers and journalists the time and space to pursue those stories. There are no time restrictions as there would be in a radio news bulletin.
Podcasts offer you this latitude, this freedom to really pursue your passions any way that you want , is how Dr Louisa Lim, who teaches podcasting at the University of Melbourne, sums up what podcasting offers storytellers and journalists.
Podcast ingredients I have listened to many podcasts whilst compiling the Thomson Foundation's Guide to Podcasting, in the bath, out walking and doing the chores. Part of their appeal is being able to chose the time and place to listen. I can say that the best podcasts are those that have learned lessons from the best that radio has to offer: great stories, great voices, great editing. Throw in the right narrative structure, terrific scripting and a sense of jeopardy and you have the ingredients for a successful podcast.
Going back to why I love audio? There is another reason. Not long after I started at that radio station, I met another radio reporter who I'd go on to marry. To misquote Shakespeare, His voice was ever soft, gentle and low. How could I resist? Now that has got me thinking about a podcast idea, How I met my husband'...stay tuned!
Thomson Foundations Guide to Podcasting
Course One: Podcasting: Prepping the Big Idea.
Available Now
Course Two: Podcasting: Making it.
Available Now
Catherine Mackie Editorial Associate
About: Catherine is responsible for designing training programmes for Thomson Foundation and has been a senior journalist for more than 30 years.
Explore our projects across the globe
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
28/04/2026
Triton Digital's Podcast Metrics Demos+ Data Integration Enables Comprehensi...
28/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/04/2026
TAG Video Systems, the leading IP-native Realtime Media Platform, today announced that Lens, its visual service health interface for broadcast operations, recei...
28/04/2026
Open AV-over-IP Standard Recognized in IT Networking/Infrastructure and Security Category
The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS) today announced that the ...
28/04/2026
VFX History: Slit Scan
Graham Quince April 28, 2026
0 Comments
How did 2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Wars, Doctor Who and Star Trek: The Next Generation...
28/04/2026
These DaVinci Resolve Effects Will Make You a More Creative Colorist
Kasia Jarco April 28, 2026
0 Comments
Creativity in color grading is not about ha...
28/04/2026
A Simple Introduction to Cavalry: Indexed Circle
Simon Ubsdell April 28, 2026
0 Comments
In this new introductory tutorial for Cavalry we're going...
28/04/2026
Rise, the award-winning advocacy group for gender diversity in the broadcast and media technology sector, is pleased to announce a new global training programme...
28/04/2026
Clear-Com has appointed Brian Grahn as Market Outreach Manager of the Americas and Ben Turnwell as Business Development Manager for EMEA live, expanding their ...
28/04/2026
LiveU is inviting MPTS visitors to step into the companys new Q Era on Stand D32, at The Grand Hall, Olympia, London (May 13-14). The company will showcase its ...
28/04/2026
IBC today announces the launch of the IBC2026 Innovation Awards, with nominations now open for projects, programmes and initiatives that exemplify breakthrough ...
28/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
28/04/2026
Introducing Nx 3-Strip v2 - A Physics-Based Technicolor Reconstruction for DaVin...
28/04/2026
Editor's note: This post is part of Into the Omniverse, a series focused on how developers, 3D practitioners, and enterprises can transform their workflows ...
28/04/2026
AI agent systems today juggle separate models for vision, speech and language - ...
28/04/2026
RT News is pleased to announce the appointment of Sean Whelan as its new London Correspondent.
Sean has held the role of Washington Correspondent for the last...
28/04/2026
Joseph O'Connor, Eileen Walsh, Louise Duffy, Mick Lynch, Gormfhlaith N Thuairisg and Dermot Bannon take a personal look at life 100yrs ago in new TV docume...
27/04/2026
CES Power, a provider of infrastructure for live events, has announced the acquisition of three Ireland-based businesses: GH Energy Rental Ltd, Event Power, and...
27/04/2026
FuboTV Inc. has announced it is developing its Multiview feature for the Fubo streaming service on select LG TVs, including 2024, 2025, and newer 4K and 8K mode...
27/04/2026
Shade, a file management platform for creative teams, has announced a $14 million funding round led by Khosla Ventures, Construct Capital, and Bling Capital, br...
27/04/2026
The Audio Engineering Society (AES) will present the Immersive Audio Academy 12th Edition - Immersive Audio in All Flavors - on April 30, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. ...
27/04/2026
DAZN has announced DAZN48, a creator program for the FIFA World Cup 2026 that will recruit 48 creators - one representing each of the 48 qualified nations - to ...
27/04/2026
FloSports has announced exclusive streaming rights to four CrossFit competitions: Legends Del Mar: CrossFit Semi-Finals, Magic City Games, NorCal Classic, and t...
27/04/2026
Telestream has announced that Pulse, its software-defined test and measurement p...
27/04/2026
Shade has announced it is a Cloud Computing and Storage winner in the 2026 NAB Show Product of the Year Awards. Winners were selected by a panel of industry exp...
27/04/2026
Leading the NBA's video-ads platform, this Penn State grad is at the forefro...
27/04/2026
DAZN has expanded its international broadcast rights for the T100 Triathlon World Tour to include Africa. All races from the T100 calendar will be available for...
27/04/2026
NAB Show has announced the recipients of its 2026 Project of the Year and Product of the Year Awards at a ceremony at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Each wi...
27/04/2026
DIRECTV has launched on Meta Quest headsets, becoming the first MVPD to offer live TV through the platform. The timing coincides with the stretch run of the MLB...
27/04/2026
TBL Team Boxing League has announced a broadcast agreement with MSG Networks to air all remaining Season 4 fights live across MSG's television and digital p...
27/04/2026
IP integration, interoperability, growth of intercommunications were key concerns for vendors and visitors alike
Attendees at the recently concluded 2026 NAB S...
27/04/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
27/04/2026
A pro-audio emphasis, spectrum changes, and on-field audio mark the new products and enhancements to existing offerings
Microphones remain the primary point of...
27/04/2026
The Sports Video Group team was all over the NAB Show floor out in Las Vegas las...
27/04/2026
N r Spotify grundades f r 20 r sedan dominerades musikmarknaden av illegal nedladdning. Sedan dess har streaming bidragit till att teruppr tta betalningsvilja...
27/04/2026
Time on Spotify should feel meaningful and intentional, not something that slips...
27/04/2026
New modular multi-effects plug-in revealed
The latest plug-in from Brainworx delivers a modular set of effects designed to offer a convenient alternative to...
27/04/2026
Kit includes supercardioid & shotgun capsules
High-end mic manufacturer Schoeps have recently introduced another member of their Desert Island Set family. O...