Takeaways from The Podcast Show

A whistle from the Whistledown stand.

A pen from AudioUK .

An Amazon Echo Show 10.

A 25% discount voucher from Shure.

And lots of real, paper business cards.

The Podcast Show 2023, which took place in London on 24 - 25th May, was an incredible event that brought together podcasters worldwide. I was told it’s the ‘second biggest podcast show in the world’. My personal experience puts it at No. 1 for vibes. The event showcased the latest developments in podcasting and provided a fantastic platform for creators to network, get inspired and, most importantly, shop. My favourite moment was meeting Mike Russell from Music Radio Creative in person. I’ve spent hours with him… on YouTube.

The Podcast Show 2023, only in its second year, facilitates learning, connection, and growth for British podcasters like no other event in the country. It is full of valuable insights and information and an excellent opportunity for podcasters to meet and network with like-minded people. I was introduced to three of my new favourite podcasts just by bumping into someone who looked eager to see someone else looking eager. I recommend attending this event next year. Start saving now if you have to. Its impressive lineup of keynote speakers, workshops, panel discussions, and networking sessions covers a wide range of topics related to podcasting. It is indeed a candy shop if podcasting is seriously your thing.

I got stuck right in this year, being part of five panels in three days. Thanks to AudioUK, CAA and Amazon Music, I covered everything from IP and Ideation to Thriving as a podcast business and Networking for Black Creators.

Here are my three highlights from the Podcast Show 2023. I’ll dig into my Pentecostal preacher bag and present them as 3 E’s - Energy, Entrepreneurial and Equity.

Energy?

At a time when the leading digital streaming platforms, who have dominated the industry for the last five years, have a commissioning freeze, I was surprised to feel elated at the show. It felt like a trade show and had as much frenzy as the Afro Hair Show hosted in the same venue two days later. Walking the floor and bumping into colleagues from the BBC who have pivoted into other industry sectors was great. Career opportunities in audio have increased. The panels with AudioUK reflected a lot of independent content producers - and a few conversations off the record made it clear that even those in secure jobs are looking over their walls longingly at what their peers in the independent sector are doing. Seeing so many people from outside the UK meeting and making plans with UK brands was also encouraging. You are very welcome.

Entrepreneurial

The business models for the audio industry in the UK are changing. Before I took the stage for my first (of five) speaking panels on the Preview Night, my eye was drawn to the logo of Fresh Air Productions (one of the best places to work, according to the Sunday Times) on one of the sponsor walls that lined the venue. Neil Cowling heads their team. He was a colleague at the BBC, and when he set up Fresh Air in 2003, he was a consistent supplier to the BBC, from making promotional trails to religious broadcasting for the Asian Network. Then Fresh Air reinvented itself as a clear and confident branded podcast company. That logo was a reminder that the measures of success in UK podcasting have changed. Yes, past tense, and most of us have missed it. There is more than one big show in town, and the evidence is all around the hall. We could miss it altogether if we don’t get smart about our businesses. The possibilities are endless and tasty. Yum, yum, yum.

Equity

So… a recurring conversation was about inclusion and representation across the audio industry. The phrase ‘hit and miss’ is the most diplomatic way to put it. Let’s start with the highlights. It was great to see how the organisers had worked hard not to create ‘diversity’ panels which, in truth, only serve to remind attendees that they aren’t seen as ‘the norm’. Instead, the programme was stacked with experts from all backgrounds discussing influencer marketing, intellectual property, or award-winning content. They were authentically led when the session was specifically targeted to an underrepresented group, like Amazon Music ’s +44 Creator panels. They served the needs of their audience by being worthwhile and not simply worthy.?

There was also a sobering moment of serendipity, as the second day of The Podcast Show lined up exactly three years after the murder of George Floyd. That harrowing event gave many of us cause to reflect and reevaluate our relationships with our colleagues, content and commissioning strategy. Following much soul-searching, the audio industry announced initiatives geared towards amplifying, empowering, and honouring (plus many more applauded terms) their underserved communities. In a recent open letter by Content Is Queen head Imriel Morgan, the industry pledged an estimated $300 million to support ‘diverse creators’. It begins…,

Dear Audio Industry Leaders,

As an Indie podcaster, community leader and festival organiser, I am writing to address an issue that has become increasingly apparent and unacceptable: the persistent lack of support for marginalised creators in the audio industry. It is time for the audio industry to confront the glaring disparities and take meaningful action to address the systemic barriers holding back so many talented individuals.

It’s underpinned by a campaign to remind industry heads about the pledges made in 2020 in the Equality Pact. It was signed by many of the leaders then. However, a recent UKAN survey highlighted massive disparities in the fees and opportunities of creators who identified as anything other than ‘white’ and ‘male’. I’m not here to give white men a hard time. Some of my best friends are… never mind. PodPod captured the details as Imriel Morgan and Laura Blake, Head of UKAN, presented at The Podcast Show.

And breathe. Listen. It’s a great time to take the opportunity to do something meaningful in the audio sector, especially as budgets are frozen. There’s a bit more time for productive conversations, right? We have an industry with energy and frenzy of excitement, with new voices and perspectives willing to bring new solutions, audiences and opportunities. We have an entrepreneurial sector redefining itself, its client base and its consumers. But, more importantly, we have THE best opportunity to truly represent the breadth of our creators and audience with a fair shot at being treated like they are also ‘normal’ - not simply a side option when our conscience or budgets afford it.

Let’s honour our words and do the work. Keep our promises, even if they were made by the previous head of whichever department, who is now somewhere else. My plea to the industry is to not look away at a time like this. Some action is better than nothing, and speaking to your creators is the best way to start. You’ve got my number.

What were your takeaways from The Podcast Show? Comment below or drop me a line on LinkedIn.

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