I’m a huge fan of the podcast Never Post - it helps me keep up with what’s going on around the internet as traditional channels degrade and social media continues to fragment. I found out about it because I’ve long been a fan of Mike Rugnetta’s work, and this podcast with his compatriots extends my fandom.
The most recent episode had me a little depressed, however; while most of the roundtable discussion was informative and insightful, I’m kinda bummed at the way the podcast industry is characterized. While I understand that most popular podcasts certainly fall into public-radio-style storytelling OR super famous bros making jokes, those are not and have not been the only two categories. I’m disappointed in the ways that such knowledgable internet folks can miss the historical significance and persistence of independent podcasters plying their trade since “podcast” entered the lexicon. Why do we have to frame podcasting as teams of 3-4 people (at a minimum) making radio-style productions as a sole source of income? What of the individuals who work their way toward increasing production quality as individuals, pairs, or trios, steadily improving and building an audience as a side gig? Since when did participation in an industry require full time financial support?
I don’t mean to bag on the show—I love it, and have listened since episode zero. I want you to listen to the show. But one of the latter points in the recent episode was about criticism as a signal that an art form has produced an industry (as with cinema, music, etc.). The folks at Never Post are skilled audio producers, raconteurs, and researchers, but this episode did little to recognize the independent, DIY origins (and continued community) of podcasting that really made it what it is. Public radio shows may have popularized podcasting, but it is not and has never been the entirety of podcasting.