Smart speakers, platforms & other podcasting trends
New world audio
How do you listen? And what are you listening to?
Apparently 14% of Australians own a smart speaker and they're listening to music, getting weather updates and streaming news, among a host of other things. It's an emerging technology that journalists are, understandably, watching and experimenting with.
Smart speakers seem to have matured at an exciting time for podcasting - both for listeners and creators. The ABC's latest OzPod survey found awareness of podcasts among the public at nearly 90% - but the percentage of people actually listening (31%) suggests there's room for huge growth.
This month, Hacks/Hackers Brisbane will hear from a panel of experts about the latest trends in digital audio.
Andrew Davies is the digital and engagement editor for ABC Audio Studios, James Cridland is a radio futurologist and editor of Podnews, and Nance Haxton is an investigative journalist, podcaster and lecturer.
6pm: Arrive, grab a drink, socialise
6.30pm: Panel discussion
7pm: Food, another drink (but no pressure), more chats
8pm: Close
ICYMI
Want an update on where podcasting's at in Australia? Here are five takeaways from the ABC's fourth annual Ozpod conference
I thought this was an effective visualisation from CNN on the Irish border and the complexity of Brexit (shame about the ads, which interrupt the flow...)
Lots to learn from and think about in this Data Stories episode about the Financial Times series Data Crunch, which are video explainers that "investigate the numbers behind the news"
Saudi Arabia is using social media influencers to repair its damaged image, the Guardian reports
About last month...
Big thanks again to Dr Stefan Baack (@tweetbaack) who spoke about the normalisation of leaking and how it has shaped the identity and practise of journalism. Here are some of the key takeaways:
Normalisation of leaking does not mean the leaks themselves have "normalised", it means journalists have adopted practices to deal with them
What's changed?
This normalisation of leaking has also contributed to the rise of data journalism and cross-border collaborations
For example, the Migrant Files didn't involve any leaks — it was a cross-border, data-sharing project
In conclusion, Stefan urged researchers to question the use of nations as the primary unit of analysis in journalism or media studies; and he urged journalists to think about the opportunities of these blurry boundaries, not just the potential threats to media
(Thanks Tae for the tweet!)