PODCAST + RADIO = SUCCESS

There is continuing discussion of whether podcasts or radio programs have the upper hand in reaching listeners. 

The answer is that both approaches work but the biggest success comes when both platforms are combined. 

New research by Spark News indicates that the majority of the Podtrac Top 20 podcasts use both for maximum impact.

Spark News examined the top 20 podcasts for October 2018, according to Podtrac, to determine which podcast shows have radio components. We found that 14 of the top 20 podcasts (70%) have broadcast radio in their DNA.

On the left are three charts that discuss podcast radio components.

• Seven of the top 20 (35%) began as radio programs and migrated to podcasts. The podcasts have very few changes, other than the addition of commercials.

• Five of the top 20 (25%) began as podcasts and moved to radio.

• Four of the Top 20 (20%) began as podcasts and have no radio component.

NPR publishes the most shows in the Top 20 – 8 (40%). Five of the Top 20 (25%) are published by other organizations associated with public radio. 

This means 13 of the Top 20 podcasts originate from public radio.

Ironically, the nation’s top radio company, iHeartRadio has no radio component for their one entry on the chart, Stuff You Should Know. 

Both of Wondery’s two podcasts in the Top 20 have no radio component. 

Though Serial – number one on the chart – has no current radio component, the series began when it was heavily promoted on weekly radio broadcasts on This American Life.

FACT: The importance of radio components for podcasts is clearly demonstrated by NPR. 

Note the radio components of NPR podcasts on the charts above. There are plenty of opportunities for cross-promotion. Re-versioning of material means cost-savings. 

Perhaps the biggest advantage for NPR is the repeated mention of “N-P-R.” They are heard on-air and within the podcasts. Each time NPR is mentioned it boosts brand awareness and polishes “the NPR halo.”

[Disclosure: Please let us know if any of the stats in the charts above are dated. Thank you.]

WHICH PODCASTER NEEDS A RADIO COMPONENT? BEN SHAPIRO

Ben Shapiro speaks at CPAC

You have no doubt heard of Ben Shapiro, a/k/a The Leading Voice for Conservative Millennials in America. 

His podcast, The Ben Shapiro Show, is said to be downloaded 15-million times per month. Shapiro claims 1.27-million Twitter followers. His well-publicized clashes with liberal academia have helped him rise to the top of the conservative pundit ranks.

But, Shapiro has had problems getting traction with some established conservative leaders. Older folks don’t listen to podcasts as much as millennials, leaving Shapiro out of sight and out of mind. So “new tech” Shapiro is now embracing old media: conservative talk radio.

In January 2019, 34-year old Shapiro will join the older generation of conservative talk radio standard-bearers such as Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity.

The Ben Shapiro Show features 13 minutes of commercials per hour

Westwood One (WWO), one of the nation’s leading radio program distributors, has announced that in January 2019, The Ben Shapiro Show, will debut on many of the top Talk station in the country. WWO says the Shapiro Show will be fed live Monday through Friday from 4pm to 6pm ET.

In addition to his two-hour daily radio show, Shapiro says he will continue to produce his daily one-hour podcast.

WWO says affiliates are lining up to air the program, in part because they hope it will help lower the station’s aging audience demographics. Stations and markets already cleared include WABC-AM in New York, KABC-AM in LA, WLS-AM in Chicago, WMAL-AM in Washington, DC and WYAY-FM in Atlanta.

Before starting his podcast, Shapiro was an editor for the alt-right Breitbart blog. Campus speech is one of Shapiro’s most popular talking points. He wrote the 2004 book “Brainwashed: How Universities Indoctrinate America’s Youth.”

Not every podcaster can make the transition to broadcast media. 

Earlier in 2018 Barstool Sports had a contract to produce a version of the podcast Pardon My Take (number 15 on the Podtrac Top 20) for ESPN Radio and cable TV channel.

The program, Barstool Van Talk, was cancelled after the first show aired because of its lewd references and political statements.  Barstool programs are heard on SiriusXM,

NPR HOSTS STUDENT PODCAST CHALLENGE

NPR will offer a new podcast competition for students in grades 5 through 12.  The NPR Student Podcast Challenge will begin in January 2019.  

NPR says the competition will encourage teachers and students to produce short (3 to 12 minute) podcasts and submit them to the competition.

Two winners will be chosen, one from grades five through eight and the other from grades nine through eleven, and will be featured on Morning Edition and All Things Considered.

The deadline for entries is March 31, 2019. More information is available here.