Are Podcasts Helpful for Journalists?

No one should wonder are podcasts helpful for journalists. The answer is a very emphatic yes. Both listening to and producing podcasts can be incredibly helpful for journalists at any stage of their career. Here are just a few of the benefits involved in this medium has to offer.

They Teach Research Ability

Podcasts teach research skills in a couple of key ways. The first is for journalists who simply listen to podcasts. Good journalists will be curious about any facts and information presented on a podcast and look it up to corroborate it and learn more. Simply doing that is fact-checking, which is a necessary skill for any journalist. Producing a podcast gives even more hands-on research experience. Journalists or aspiring journalists working in podcasting need to research everything they say to ensure it is correct. Integrity and accuracy are crucial to this profession and whether a journalist is using a podcast to gain exposure, doing it just for fun, or as a part of their paying work the ability to research well to present accurate information is everything.

They Demonstrate Good Delivery

The appeal of a podcast is based almost entirely on the delivery and personality of the host. Journalists who listen to podcasts can pay special attention to how each host delivers his or her content. It can be useful to take notes and see what works and what doesn’t. Because this is an audio medium, journalists do not have to worry about their appearance or their facial expressions if they have chosen to create a podcast themselves. They are solely concentrating on their verbal delivery. This is beneficial because it is usually a good exercise to break down a performance into its parts to improve each one for a better whole.

They Teach So Much On Any Topic

There are podcasts out there on every topic imaginable. Journalists who simply listen to podcasts learn a lot about many different subjects, which can open up their curiosity, help them in their work, expose them to cool new ideas, and more. For example, having knowledge of comic conventions and the fans that attend them could be very helpful to a journalist assigned to cover a local comic convention. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists pitching story and topic ideas to editors as part of a reporter’s job. Something covered on a podcast might inspire a journalist to look deeper into that topic, which could lead to a fascinating story for publication. A journalist never knows what he or she might learn listening to podcasts, so it is often advantageous to try out a variety in different subjects.

They Teach Interview Skills

When answering the question of are podcasts helpful for journalists, it would be remiss to not discuss good interviewing practices. While many podcasts are solely hosted by a single person or a pair of regular hosts, guest appearances and interviews are common as well. Because interviewing is a core skill in journalism, journalists can learn a lot about what makes a good interview as well as new tips and tricks by listening to the techniques of others. Journalists who choose to host a podcast will naturally improve their interview skills when interviewing any guests or experts for their podcast.

The podcast medium lends itself very well to journalism. Journalists can learn about nearly every major skill required for their profession by paying close attention to podcasts or creating one themselves. Anyone wanting to know are podcasts helpful for journalists should now know the answer.

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