Why I commit 14 hours each week to podcasting
My friend and colleague, Neville Hobson, and I just wrapped up recording of episode #514 of our twice-weekly podcast, For Immediate Release. It’s an auspicious episode, the fifth anniversary of FIR’s launch on January 3, 2005. Neville blogged eloquently about the anniversary in a post on the actual anniversary yesterday.
As I waited for Adobe Audition to process the WAV file to eliminate background noise (always the longest part of post-production), I pondered the question and comment posed most often about FIR, which has to do with the amount of time it takes to produce two episodes each week (not to mention interviews and other FIR content) and how Neville and I are able to maintain the commitment to the show.
There are several answers:
Our listeners—A year or so ago, we were late getting an episode published. Not days late. Hours late. Yet we heard from several listeners wondering where it was. Not having the latest FIR was a disruption to their routines. (I think it was Mitch Joel who told us that he counted on FIR on Mondays and Thursdays to keep his mind occupied while he was on the treadmill.) Neville and I have always viewed FIR as a listener-driven show. Our listeners are the most important dimension of the podcast. I’m humbled that so many people have told me how important FIR has been to their professional and career development. That makes it difficult to adopt a cavalier attitude toward producing the show.
Mutual respect—The fact that the show is co-hosted makes it much harder to shrug off producing an episode. We have a set time for recording the show: 9 a.m. my time (Pacific) and 5 p.m. in the U.K. Each of us knows the other has planned to be ready, so if one of us opts not to do an episode, it leaves the other hanging out to dry. As a result, we have fallen into the habit of being ready. If one of us has to travel or has some other commitment, we make sure the other knows in plenty of time to plan a solo show or arrange for a guest co-host. There have even been a couple instances when neither of us were available, but the show went on with guest co-hosts Dan York and Sallie Goetsch. FIR also allows Neville and me to maintain regular contact despite being separated by a continent and an ocean. It’s a relationship that has been beneficial both personally and professionally.
Staying current—I can’t speak for Neville, but for me, FIR is the catalyst for staying on top of the news and trends that drive the communications profession. For each episode, I review well over 100 RSS feeds that keep me updated on blog posts and news stories that match a wide range of key words. Much has been written lately about the demise of the RSS news reader since people find out what’s going on through real-time resources, notably Twitter. For me, Twitter is simply inadequate since I won’t get the comprehensive overview I need in order to plan the stories I’ll cover on FIR. As a result, I’m generally on top of news and trends, which certainly aids my consulting practice. It would be much harder to be current if I weren’t checking my feeds at least twice a week.
Client work—Speaking of clients, several have asked for my help with podcasting based on my experience with FIR. I don’t for a minute believe business podcasting is dead, particularly as an internal communications medium, and I’m delighted to be able to offer expertise gained doing the show as a service. In fact, developing the expertise was the primary motivation for starting FIR back when I first conceived it in September or so of 2004.
Commitment to podcasting—When it comes to podcasting as a medium, I’m a true believer. No, it never exploded the way microblogging or social networks have, but the number of podcasts, the adoption of podcasting by mainstream media, and the number of listeners continues to grow incrementally, not to mention general public awareness of the medium. I love the idea of niche-oriented shows that appeal to smaller audiences than are required to support radio or television shows. I have become A Podcaster and I just can’t imagine not doing it.
I don’t see any of these factors changing anytime soon, so I’ll continue to put in the the time it takes to knock out two episodes (plus interviews) per week. In case you’re wondering, that’s about seven hours per show, or 14 hours per week. It breaks out something like this:
- 1.5 hours - Research
- 0.5 hours - Outline development (we maintain the outline on Google Wave, by the way)
- 2 hours - Pre-production (e.g., preparing stories, managing audio comments from listeners)
- 1.5 hours - Recording
- 1.5 hours - Post-production
It’s worth every minute.
THANK YOU for this post Shel.
You know how much I believe in podcasting as a medium and I’ve found success from it as well.
You and Neville are two of the original and most thought provoking out there and I’m glad to call you both friends.
5 years! Congrats!
Posted by C.C. Chapman on 01/04 at 12:31 PMCongrats on a great five years! Very impressive achievement.
Posted by Neal Linkon on 01/04 at 12:57 PMPodcasting is a great medium, and I enjoy the show. Truly, it does take more time than people realize—our rather extended hiatus of the Roundtable is a testament to that. (I’m hoping to reinstate the show in the new year—time permitting.)
I’m so glad that you and Neville find value in it, as we listeners are the ones who really benefit. Congrats on five years!
Jen
Posted by Jen Zingsheim on 01/04 at 01:09 PMShel,
You’ve given us a very thoughtful and insightful look into the podcaster’s mindset. Much of your post felt eerily familiar. One other benefit of FIR is the other podcasts it has insired. It’s no secret that while Inside PR is not really an FIR-clone, it was surely inspired by it. I’ve said it before. Neville and you are IPR’s podcast parents. Thanks for five great years and here’s to many more.
Ter
Posted by Terry Fallis on 01/04 at 01:26 PMThanks for this post, Shel, and THANKS to you and Neville for producing FIR. I’m grateful that you spend those 14 hours per week.
Posted by Donna Papacosta on 01/04 at 02:10 PMShel,
I am in awe of your commitment and your perseverance. You and Neville have outlasted most marriages. I too have come to rely on you for inspiration and thoughts to chew on.Best wishes to you and Neville for another 5 - heck no, many more than that - years of podcasting.
Posted by Joseph Thornley on 01/04 at 02:59 PMCongrats on the five-year mark, Shel. Pretty amazing. To be honest, I’m not the most faithful listener, but when I do get a chance I find the content useful and interesting. And, you should know, I hold you personally responsible for piquing my interest in the online space via a Ragan event up here in Minneapolis two-plus years ago. FIR was a big piece of that, too.
So, I guess, congratulations and THANK YOU!
@arikhanson
Posted by Arik Hanson on 01/04 at 03:12 PMHow I love FIR… let me count the ways.
First off, congrats on 5 years and for being such an amazing inspiration for us all - both listeners and Podcasters alike.
I should also mention that those 14 hours are probably minimal in the end when you factor in how much this done for the industry you serve and your own professional career. You are a “known entity” in the PR industry and you can directly align that to your efforts with FIR.
Outstanding, amazing and I am proud to call both of you guys, “friends”.
Posted by Mitch Joel - Twist Image on 01/04 at 04:42 PMCongratulations on 5 years of podcasting - my fifth anniversary comes up later this year.
I really appreciate all that you, Neville and the other members of the FIR community do to bring great content to us twice a week.
I never appreciated it was as much as 14 hours a week that you personally spent creating, editing and posting FIR and for that I am truly grateful.
And to think that some marketing and PR folks wince at the thought of spending just 1 hour a using social media channels
Posted by Krishna De on 01/06 at 11:09 AMShel,
I read your paragraph on the listeners and was thinking: “Me, me, me, also me.” I look forward to every episode of FIR and it is a big part of my professional development. Thanks for all you do!
Posted by Nathan Schock on 01/08 at 11:09 AMIt’s always been clear from your podcasts, but this post shows how professional, dedicated and disciplined you and Neville are. The bottom line word: Character. And that’s something more valuable than notoriety or prestige.
I once read one of Shel’s tweets that he earned the rank of Eagle Scout and was headed to his nephew’s Eagle Scout Court of Honor. When I read that, I immediately recognized where you may have developed your work ethic, and most of all, character.
Posted by Joe Mueller on 01/09 at 12:12 AMDid you know that Dave Jackson over at the School of Podcasting based an entire episode on this blog post? (Well, okay, about 80% of it.) Check it out over at http://schoolofpodcasting.com/is-podcasting-worth-the-work/.
Posted by Sallie Goetsch (rhymes with 'sketch') on 01/12 at 08:03 PMShel (and Neville),
My commute to work is short but your podcast is the first on my list when I need a fix of social media news while I’m driving.
Great team work and example of medium that works for both you and your audience. A win-win.Posted by Paolo Tosolini on 01/18 at 11:54 PMI read this post a while back but lost the link. It stuck with me, though, so today I went searching for it so I could share it with members of the Social Media in Organizations (SMinOrgs) Community - which I have now done via LI, FB, and Twitter. It’s a great reflection on the value of investing time in social media, as well as the importance of being diligent and disciplined in pursuing social media initiatives. Thanks!
Courtney Hunt
Founder, Social Media in Organizations (SMinOrgs)
http://sminorgs.netPS - The word I have to enter to post this comment is “finally.” How appropriate!
Posted by Courtney Hunt on 03/14 at 10:44 AM
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