Podcasts, while a natural extension of radio stations, nevertheless have elements that differentiate them from radio in some important ways.
Although they are closely related and quite similar, radio and podcasts also differ greatly.
Like television, where more and more people are watching videos on different platforms, many now listen to their favorite audio shows whenever they want.
Apparently, television has seen how part of its audience is going to YouTube, Netflix and other options in which each user can choose the programs they want to watch at the time they want and on the device they prefer. And Radio is experiencing something similar. And I’m not talking about music playlists but talk shows.
I’m talking specifically about podcasts. With them, people can decide what they want to listen to, where and when, no matter what platform they use (Radio, smartphone, computer, tablet).
But podcasts, although they are a natural extension of radio stations, nevertheless have elements that differentiate them from radio in some important respects.
Here are some essential differences between the two audio content options:
1. Podcasts are searched. The radio is found.
Radio is excellent at delivering content: it can broadcast sports, stream music, and generate newscasts with correspondents around the world. Push a button and the radio does it all.
Podcasts, on the other hand, have to be looked for. Users must find something they like and then choose which program they want to download. The intention is very different.
2. On the radio, the program is always “on the air.” Instead, podcasts always start from the beginning.
It is not normal for people to listen to a radio program from beginning to end. The content just flows in real-time and is always “on the air.” A user is likely to miss much of the content at the beginning or end of a program.
In podcasting, users will listen to all programs from the beginning. Which, of course, is no guarantee that the content will keep you connected. Nor is it a guarantee that you will hear them in full.
3. On the radio there are time commitments. Podcasts, on the other hand, are free of time restrictions.
On the radio, time management is critical, whether it means going to a commercial break, going out on time to a news program, moving on to another program or sticking to the established programming schedule.
Podcasts do not have a specific duration. There may be 3-minute or 2-hour programs. For this reason, with no time restrictions, an interview could be conducted at a slower pace.
4. The radio must appeal to a wide audience. Podcasts can focus on niches.
The radio, although it does audience segmentation, is ‘ broadcasting ‘, that is, a massive means of communication. The podcast is ‘ narrowcasting ‘, that is, it speaks to small groups of people, to specific niches.
Radio is largely driven by audience measurements. For this reason, stations and programs focused on closed niches are not successful.
Rather, podcasts can focus on more specific topics, be it health, food, local soccer, extreme sports, or cooking recipes. Fewer listeners but more hooked.
5. The radio only requires one button. The podcasting has to look for it.
Listening to the radio is easy: just press a button and if you don’t like what you hear, you can easily switch stations.
The podcasting requires more work. The user must search, select and, in most cases, download a program. There are more obstacles. But this makes the listener engagement bigger.
6. Radio content is perishable. The content of a podcast is always available.
Most of the time, the radio is done live. The user can listen to the content if it coincides with an appropriate time. If it doesn’t match, that show got lost on the air.
The audio of a podcast is always available to be listened to. On the day and time you want.
7. The radio broadcasts in real-time. In the podcast it is possible to advance, delay and even increase the playback speed.
Radio consumption is linear: there is no way to skip content, including commercials.
The podcast can be forward, backward. You can pause to continue listening later. You can even listen to the show again as many times as you like. You can change the speed to hear it in less time. When entering commercials, these can be ‘skipped’.
8. In radio, listeners should be aware of the broadcast schedule. On podcasts, the listener decides at what time to listen.
Listening to a radio program requires you to tune in while it is broadcasting. The radio station (Internet, AM, or FM) sets the schedule for its programs. If it is not listened to at that time, the content disappears forever (unless the station records it and uploads it to the internet).
Podcast listeners have the freedom to choose when to listen to them. It can be online or downloaded. It can even be live, recorded, and made available to the public to be listened to later, although some would call this a ” webcast .”
9. Public performance rights versus reproduction and distribution rights
In radio, you can pass the music you want, as long as you pay the respective royalties to the collection associations. In Colombia, they are SAYCO and ACINPRO.
In a podcast, you have to manage the performance rights directly with the publishers or owners of those rights, which is expensive and very expensive.
For this reason, those who decide to put music on their podcasts use songs offered by some legal free music sites. However, it is an independent music and there are not the commercial hits that most people recognize.
10. Local vs. International
The radio is usually local. Its contents are focused on what happens in the community it wants to reach.
Because the podcast is available on the internet, it remains open to be listened to anywhere in the world, so the contents must be more universal.
Obviously, if a radio station puts its sound streaming online it may be heard around the world, but its contents remain quite possibly local interest
11. Freedom of expression
The mass media take great care of their content and their language, especially because they transmit through frequencies that have been given in concession by the State, which by law could recover them.
The podcast allows total freedom of expression, which does not mean that whoever produces it is not responsible for their comments and is not exposed to legal claims.
Conclusion
Audio content creators should be aware that traditional radio and podcasting are much more than different delivery technologies. While they have the same DNA, in many ways, they are two different media, each with its own idiosyncrasies.
Recommended reading: Best Microphones for Podcasting