Pod-Crashing Does Anybody Know What Time It Is

Does anybody really know what time it is? No matter how focused you feel as a writer, voice over talent, radio personality or every day average Joe, is there such a thing as Time within the scattered limits of a podcast? Time is a huge subject. In more ways than one! The time it takes to prep a show, to the time the PR department demands as to when the show will hit the air. What about the time required for post-production? Social networking time and the amazing amount of time you spend telling yourself how much this all sucks because the payoff isn’t coming quick enough. I mean you always have to make time for that! I really don’t want to get into how long an episode should run? I’ve shattered some pretty good friendships over this very subject. Nobody’s ever right. It just feels good to win a peeing contest. During my early podcast years, the personal battles I even picked with myself were based solely on not my time but how much time was a wandering listener willing to give up just to hear something that fell off my truck? I became addicted to shorter shows because I wanted bigger analytic numbers. Like songs played on the radio, if you liked what you just heard you’d stick around for another one. Then another and another. I figured if you did an hour long show you get one bonk. Four fifteen minute shows four bonks. I’ve spent way too much time studying those numbers and does anyone outside of our ego care about downloads and plays? It would be awesome if the makers of documented listening came up with a way that shows how many times we put a podcast on hold then came back to it. For instance, it takes me pretty much all day to get through Conan O’Brians podcast. I don’t have the time to sit and listen to the entire process. I feel guilty about the pausing because no matter how many times I return to the episode he’s still only getting one bonk. Probably one of the most misunderstood sides of time is when the PR departments controlling the flow of your guests want to know what time will the conversation air? To add fuel to the fire in what city will it air? I literally burst out in laughter when they ask both questions. Podcasting isn’t about a daypart. And the mere mention of what city will it be airing means they’ve not bathed in the luxury of on demand listening. It’s a lifestyle. I program the episodes of my shows. It’s my sick old fashioned radio self-trying to super serve the listener. If you liked that interview maybe you’ll like this one and this one. Programming takes time. You’ve got to have flow. A book author can’t go into another book author. Don’t put a major medical breakthrough at the Mayo clinic next to ZZ Top. Buzz kill podcasting. I’m blessed with the opportunity to talk with a lot of people about a lot of things. The secret to a winning conversation? Don’t ever think you’re the expert. Always be the consumer. You’ve got questions and the podcast listeners are vicariously living through your moment of now. I had a PR person tell me, “I don’t care if you don’t drink wine. I’d rather listen to the questions of a novice then someone trying to dominate my author over whether it’s proper to put ice in with the juice.” Hey I’ve talked with CIA agents to Dr. Drew. Kidz Bop to family members trying to keep their famous parents name alive and growing forward. To do all of this takes time. Time I shouldn’t have but somehow the hands on the clock have opened and allowed me to grow on a platform that’s been around since the 80’s but it’s just coming into the forefront of what listeners need. It’s called consuming content. So what’s the moral of the story? It’s pretty simple. No matter how many days or years you’ve been doing interviews always take really good care of the PR people. The more PR connections you have the greater the experience. It just takes time to build up those relationships. If you aren’t putting time into every episode of your podcast you’re not going to be called out. Listeners just won’t tune in. Time management is essential. Be a disciplined entertainer. Again that takes time. It’s not going to happen overnight. iHeart Media is bragging about having over 250,000 podcasts on their platform. Take the time to know what you’re reaching for then create the greater show. There are way too many people in this universe of conversation. Taking the time to fine tune your instrument will help shape a more visible path. Time to get to work!