Podcasting: Shaping the Message

Podcasting, it is everywhere. On your phone, in your car, at the gym or even while you are cooking dinner. Everyone seems to be listening to podcasts nowadays. There are podcasts about everything: true crime, football, news, politics, self-help, and even sleep stories. But if we take a moment to think about it, what makes podcasting so popular? And more importantly, how does this medium shape the message that we receive?

Podcasting has become very popular nowadays, but that was not always the case. It started around the early 2000’s. Podcast, the word comes from combining “iPod” and “broadcast.” Podcasts were a simple way to listen to somebody and it became popular when portable mp3-players became popular. People could now listen to everything on the go. When it became more popular, more companies started to invest in podcasting. Apple and Spotify started supporting podcasts and soon a lot of major media companies had their own shows. Now, podcasting has become a billion-dollar industry, with millions of podcasts available all over the world.

The difference

What makes podcasting so different from other media, like television or newspapers, is the personal connection. When you listen to a podcast, you hear a person’s real voice, sometimes laughing, sometimes emotional. It can feel as if someone is talking directly to you. Because of this, the spoken word becomes powerful. The same sentence that might seem harsh in writing can sound warm or funny when you hear it. That is one of the biggest reasons podcasts shape the message: tone, emotion, and pauses all affect how we understand what someone means.

In the Western world, podcasts are often used for entertainment. Many people listen to comedians, sports talk shows, or interviews with celebrities. But in other parts of the world, podcasts have a very different role. In several African countries, for example, podcasts are used for education. They are an accessible and low-cost way to share information with people who may not have access to formal schooling. Some podcasts teach English or computer skills, others share advice about farming, health, or entrepreneurship. Because podcasts only need a mobile phone and an internet connection, they are an easy way to reach large audiences. In that sense, podcasting is not just a tool for entertainment, but also a tool for empowerment and learning.

The format of podcasts also shapes the type of message that is shared. Most podcasts are long, most of the time an hour or even longer. This gives people the time to really dive deep into a subject, have meaningful conversations, and explore complex ideas. This is way different compared to other platforms. Take Instagram of TikTok. Everything is becoming shorter and snappier over there. That slower pace makes the message feel more honest and real. It gives both the speaker and the listener the chance to understand more than just the surface of a topic.

However, podcasting also has its downsides. Since it is based on sound, people who are deaf or hard of hearing can be excluded unless there are transcripts available. In addition, because podcasts are so personal, people often choose to listen to hosts they already agree with. This can create echo chambers, spaces where we only hear voices that confirm what we already think. In this way, there can be a danger in listening to a podcast, because it can make it harder to be critical and open-minded.

All in all, podcasting is a fascinating medium. It shows us how much the form of communication can shape what we understand and how we feel. The voice makes the message more emotional, more direct, and more human. In a world where most of our communication happens through screens and short texts, podcasts remind us of something simple but powerful: that listening can be just as important as speaking.