Lockdown boosts podcast listenership

Many who always wanted to get into podcast creation have used the extra time to get cracking

Podcast production and listenership has gone up in the past two months. Many who always wanted to create podcasts have used the lockdown as an opportunity to kick things off.

Take for example the Bangalore International Centre, a public institute based in Domlur. Prior to the lockdown, it was busy hosting events.

On March 26, it launched BIC Talks, a bi-weekly podcast that aims to foster discussion, dialogue and cultural enterprise.

Pavan Srinath, host of The Pragati podcast, The Thale-Harate Kannada podcast and BIC Talks, sees a 10 to 15 per cent monthly growth in podcast listenership normally. Worldwide, podcast listening has gone up by 42 per cent in April (see box).

During the lockdown more people are tuning in from their desktops and laptops. “Usually, people listen to podcast apps on smartphones,” he says.

Amit Doshi, founder, and Kavita Rajwade, co-founder of IVM Podcasts, say people are downloading episodes throughout the day instead of limiting their listening to a particular time window.

With routines being disrupted, listening patterns have changed. Nirmal Bhansali, an avid consumer of podcasts since 2016, listens to one episode each day. Now, he listens to shorter episodes before falling asleep, as opposed to long ones while commuting.

Personal stories

Nikhil Raj, who started listening to podcasts a few months ago, decided to use the quarantine season to create his own. Titled ‘Repercussions of the Split’, his narrative is centered around his life as a child of divorced parents. “It is a self-therapy of sorts. Also, by talking about it, I get to remove the stigma around this, and have more people open up about their experiences,” he says.

Listening to podcasts, he says, is more productive than listening to music. “It helps me learn more. When the lockdown started, it felt like everyone was on a creativity and productivity contest, and I tried my hand at different things. I decided on podcasts because I enjoy it,” he explains.

Covid-19 focus

Episodes that reference ‘corona’ or ‘covid’ in the episode title have been downloaded more than 27.5 million times globally, according to global podcast company, Acast.

Podcasts that complement the news are more popular than podcasts that tell the news. “I conducted an hour-long Pragati Podcast episode on the science and evolution of disease modelling with Dr Srini Venkatramanan. Many listeners found that episode helpful to understand models and predictions,” Pavan explains.

Many are turning to podcasts to take their mind off the pandemic. Arathy Kushalappa, who worked as a creative producer, started listening to podcasts because it helps her stay calm. Culture, comedy, short stories, food, sex, true crime and feminism — she will listen to anything as long as it can keep her hooked. “I tend to listen to lighter ones with a friendly vibe; it is great company for when I go out for a walk,” she says.

Daniel Monteiro, IT professional, has been listening to podcasts on politics, economy and comedy — depending on his mood — for two years. While he has heard such episodes as John Green’s ‘The Anthropocene Reviewed’, he prefers to read the news to stay updated about the virus.

Aditi Karande, assistant manager with Deloitte and a YouTuber, listens to self-help, beauty and society and culture podcasts, and finds that most now talk about the pandemic.

She tunes in to ‘3 Things’ and ‘Coronacast’. “They are short episodes that focus on the most relevant topics related to the pandemic. I actively avoid heavy podcasts,” she says. Nirmal Bhansali, a fourth-year law student, recommends ‘The Memory Palace’ with 20-second vignettes that give an insight into the past through varying topics from Pepsi to whales to listen to while you wash your hands. Those looking for information around the virus, tune into ‘Coronacast’, which features short episodes that focus on topics related to the pandemic.

Pop culture talk

Amanda D’Souza, assistant professor at St Josephs College (Autonomous), likes podcasts on pop culture, music and literature.”

Podcasts, I feel, are more people-oriented. Hearing people talk about something, as opposed to reading about it, makes a difference,” she says. Certain genres have definitely taken a hit. “With sporting events around the world being cancelled or postponed indefinitely, sport-related podcasts have shifted to features in place of the usual reportage,” says Kavita Rajwade, co-founder of IVM Podcasts.

Technical challenges

Podcast recordings, to be of high quality, call for sound-proof studios. Ambient noises, noisy neighbours, bad room acoustics, poor Internet, power cuts, and even the rain can destroy the quality of a recording. “I record in the smallest room of my house, with all doors and windows closed and the ceiling fan turned off. I have hung up curtains and sheets to cover the walls. It isn’t pretty, and it always feels like I finished working out by the time I am done,” says Pavan Srinath, who produces four podcasts a week. While home recordings do result in reduced audio quality, some enhancement is possible on the editing table.

Podcast recordings, to be of high quality, call for sound-proof studios. Ambient noises, noisy neighbours, bad room acoustics, poor Internet, power cuts, and even the rain can destroy the quality of a recording. “I record in the smallest room of my house, with all doors and windows closed and the ceiling fan turned off. I have hung up curtains and sheets to cover the walls. It isn’t pretty, and it always feels like I finished working out by the time I am done,” says Pavan Srinath, who produces four podcasts a week. While home recordings do result in reduced audio quality, some enhancement is possible on the editing table.

In numbers

Podcast giant Acast announced new listening figures from around the world. The weekend of March 21-22 saw a 7 per cent increase in listens globally. By April 22, according to Voxnest, audio technology company, global podcasts listens have increased by 42 per cent. Downloads on podcast platforms including Aawaaz.com, IVM, Audioboom, Hubhopper, and Ep.Log have jumped upto 30 per cent over the last few weeks.

Popular city-based podcasts

In The Field: About developmental and social issues.

Birdy Num Num: Conversations on art, comedy, lifestyle and more.

Injury Time: On football

Pragati Podcast: On public policy, economics and international
relations.

Lockdown launches

Among the more informative and widely followed Covid-19 podcasts is the one presented by Deccan Herald, aiming to provide a panoramic view to the Covid-19 situation in the country. This can be accessed on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and other podcast platforms.

Lockdown launches

BIC Talks: About ideas, cultural enterprise. Airs twice a week

DH Pandemic Podcast: Bird’s eye view of the Covid-19 situation in India