Podboard's inaugural PodBlog - 12/3/2020
Everything I Know I Learned from Podcasts
For many of us, Podcasts have become the preferred medium with which to consume culture, news, entertainment, storytelling, and pretty much everything. This was true long before 2020 brought existential crisis and essential societal reckonings into our lives. Lea Thau called radio "the most essential medium," and Podcasting is the natural successor to radio. In 2020 and beyond, Podcasts and the creators behind them are essential components to maintaining our sanity, our contentment and most importantly, our ability to stay informed.
Podboard is a Crowdsourced Podcast Database. It is a resource for discovering new Podcasts, chosen by active listeners that vote for the shows they love. It is a celebration of the medium and the creators behind those shows.
Help build a global Podland community
I envisioned Podboard as a monthly snapshot of the Podcasts that people are listening to and loving. Much like predecessors in other entertainment industries, the countdown shows and the music charts, reaching the Podboard could be a measure of success in the industry. But what has happened since conception in early 2019, is that my daughter was born! Also a worldwide pandemic happened! And the truth about systemic racism in America (#BlackLivesMatter) became apparent (for opressed folks, it's always been apparent.. it's everpresent). And on the scale of things that are considerably less significant, Podboard has evolved into a community of PodLovers.
When it comes to the podcast industry, the potential of the Podboard community (called Podland. Not Poland! Although I do love you Poland... please keep voting!?) is massive. Podboard's most essential evolutionary trait, very well could be, it's ability to become a go-to resource for independent podcast producers and for new shows that don't have a built-in listenership. Instead of rating and reviewing on iTunes, fledgling Podcast producers can ask their listeners to vote for the show at Podboard and know they've got a real good shot at being featured on the website. Voting will propel the building of an ever-growing database of new, often independent shows. In Podboard, creators can have a place where new listeners can discover their show and a place where they can be celebrated!
VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE SHOW. DISCOVER OTHER PEOPLE'S FAVORITE SHOWS
I started Podboard because I absolutely love listening to Podcasts and I wanted a way to share and spread that love. My dorkified spreadsheet has over 200 shows on it, all of which I know intimately. And Podboard can be the people's dorkified spreadsheet. The people's database. The people's Podcast playlist, built organically! I hope we can build Podboard into a magical place (PodLand??) where folks celebrate their favorite shows and listen to some super great content along the way!
Thank you for listening to my grand hopes for the Podcast industry and this website. If you think I'm going way overboard and a bit of a Podcast zealot, tweet at me @The Podboard. If you have a favorite show in mind, click the vote tab and vote for it!!
Come back next week for way less of the manifesto vibe and way more recommendations. I think that's what this blog will be going forward.
For now, listen to Dear Young Rocker with Chelsea Ursin, dearyoungrocker.com - I personally love the show and it has been getting major votes. Thank you to Chelsea and all the creators for retweeting!
Why? Because Everything I Know I Learned from Podcasts