If you want to get on live radio, podcasting might be the way to do it. Of course I’m not talking about turning your podcasts into a customized radio station on your mobile device or something like that. Whether your podcast covers pop culture, or cooking, or any other topic out there, there are a variety of ways you can expand your show’s reach and grow an audience around it.
There may also be another reason you want to give podcasting a chance: terrestrial radio.
The list of amateur and professional podcasters who developed such large followings that radio show producers came knocking is steadily growing, showing that when done right, a podcast may lead to an actual radio show.
Whether it’s celebrities who already had a decent built-in following when they started their podcast, or just hobbyists who had something to say and developed an audience, it’s becoming more and more common for podcasts to wind up on traditional radio.
Podcast Vs. Radio
Photo credit: wtfpod.comThe latest celebrity comedian that I’ve come across for whom this has proven true, is Marc Maron. The Public Radio Exchange has announced that they’ll be airing his uncensored “WTF with Marc Maron” series on public radio stations across the United States.
Executive director of PRX Jake Shapiro said
“WTF with Marc Maron” has become one of the most successful shows on iTunes with almost a quarter of a million listeners per week, so it was only a matter of time before it was going to be nationally syndicated. We’re just glad it’s on public radio.”
Making the Transition To Radio
So, if you make a podcast that is a runaway hit and you could be approached about the possibility doing radio.
Should you decide to make the jump, then you need to realize there are pros and cons, whether that’s terrestrial radio or internet radio. Immediate differences to be ready for are covered very well in a recent Lockergnome article by Ryan Matthew Pierson How to Turn Your Podcast into a Radio Show.
The difference between Terrestrial and Internet radio, and podcasting is that they usually have a clock schedule you have to abide by. Pierson points out,
While you can split your podcast up into timed segments, many of these stations have live broadcasts for the purpose of making commercials only slightly more fluid. It’s best that you find a clock that works for you and stick with it. Some stations operate off a set clock that does not change throughout their entire broadcast day, but the vast majority of them shift their commercial breaks to match the needs of a network and/or program with which they’re affiliated.
Never mind that if you want to do something that involves receiving calls or record it live or broadcasting it in real time, there’s some habits you’ll have to change, such as not doing anything you need to edit out of your show which you can with podcasting.
Using Podcasting as Training For Radio
If you’d like to be on radio someday, then use the podcasting format to get yourself accustomed to hearing yourself share your thoughts, whether with a co-host or monologuing. The advantage you have with podcasting is you can hear your finished work before anybody else does. With radio, especially if it’s live, you might not be afforded the opportunity. You can get better and better at honing your interview skills and command of language before taking on live radio.
Did Radio Kill The Podcasting Star?
Turn Your Podcasts Into a Customized Radio Station http://t.co/gfMeZN6k #mobilephones #lifehacker #playlists
— Podcast Mojo (@PodcastMojo) September 27, 2012
