New creative industry called podcast: Platform that allows people to share about anything

By: Denilson Triadiapta

(Image Source © Liputan6.com)

Podcasts are taking on a new life in media information. The practice of podcasting is not an iteration of radio, but more like a simple version of radio.

Radio is the art of broadcasting programs for the public to listen to through radio waves, but podcasts on the other hand, are digital audio episodic series.

According to Rumble Studio, the podcast was firstly created by media personality Adam Curry and software developer Dave Winer in 2004.

It grew slowly due to a lack of markets and had big competitors at the time, then it was unofficially stated as a new media in 2006.

Podcasts, in a way, allow its creators (Podcasters) to upload a series of episodes on their respective timings, so the platform is very convenient.

Podcasts also do not have any limitations in terms of words and style, and allows podcasters to have the free role to express themselves.

These factors made podcasts into a new creative industry, where people can talk and share about anything.

Ricky Gervais became the first person to have a successful podcast in its early years, then followed by Joe Rogan and other names.

These two names became the pioneers in the industry of podcasting.

When the pandemic started, people were looking for new activities that they could do, and people started to notice podcasts.

First they will listen, then they may become influenced to make their own podcast, as many podcast platforms are out there.

To start a podcast, one doesn't have to spend money to buy equipment, they can just download a podcast app on their phone.

To have a successful podcast, you also need a sustainable concept and flexible topics, to determine the markets and the target listeners.

In Indonesia, podcasts are definitely a new favourite media because people started listening to podcasts mostly during the pandemic.

Today many individuals in Indonesia might have their own podcast, which comes from various backgrounds and talks about many different topics.

Ahmad Reza is one of Indonesia's podcasters who started his career as an assistant producer in a radio station, followed by working in a podcast channel, before finally starting his own.

“I was working in radio for four years, where I learned about the radio industry,” he said.

“Then some of my radio friends, talking about podcasting and one of my radio’s announcers asked me to work on his podcast.”

Reza works as a creative producer, he suggests and does brainstorming with the podcasters before choosing a topic.

He works for a comedy podcast that discusses daily life issues and current issues with humor.

After just a few months working in a podcast network, he started to record his own podcast.

“I made a podcast because I was influenced by other podcasters, at the podcast network that I work for,” he adds.

“They encouraged me to start my own, because they believe that my podcast topics may be the same concerns to others, so I'm getting interested.”

By that motivation, he now has a podcast which is under the same management as the podcast network who employed him, called ‘Menjadi Dewasa’ (Become An Adult).

When asked about the choice of name for his podcast, he said that becoming an adult is everyone’s issue because there is nobody who is perfect as an adult.

“For example, in parenting there are so many young parents that reflect on their childhood and compare it to their role as a parent, which they admit is very difficult,” he explains.

When asked about his perspective on podcasting, he admitted that podcasts are the new way of sharing, and he believes it would develop progressively.

“Today, we have seen everybody have podcasts as their medium to share and channel their creativity, these people came from different backgrounds.”

“Now podcasts have a system that works like YouTube, there is an adsense feature, so people can receive rewards from becoming a podcaster,” he said.

He concluded his statement by sharing his opinion that podcasts may not only stand equal with YouTube as a new creative industry, but may even pass YouTube one day.