Welcome to this weekend’s Pod Ponder. I’m Ginni Saraswati, [echo sound effect] expanding your mind and [possible cave/spelunking sound effect? along these lines] exploring your brain.

It’s Saturday once again my friends, which can only mean one thing: it’s time to challenge your perceptions, think outside the box and—well… ask you a really offbeat question!

Picture it: You’ve just awoken on a beautiful spring morning, the sun is shining, and it’s time for you to go off to your office job… where you’ll spend the next 8 hours behind a computer, inside a cubicle.

If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably had this exact experience many times over. In fact, maybe you’re having it right now.

But imagine: instead of experiencing a bland 9-5, you enter the building at 9 only to find yourself immediately back in the parking lot at 5—with seemingly no time having passed at all. [record scratch] Somehow, you’ve skipped the actual work experience. 

For our ponder this week, we’re drawing inspiration from Apple TV’s new dark comedy Severance, which lampoons modern corporate culture.

On the show, workers undergo a voluntary procedure in order to surgically sever their brains into two sections: one for personal life and one for work life, allowing the employee’s outside brain to live a blissfully work free life, while subjecting the inside brain to an endless cycle of drudgery without respite. 

So, what say you, ponderers? If you could, would you undergo this so-called “severance” if you never had to experience work again?

Well, that does it for this week. Remember to tune in next Saturday and join me for another round!

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Greetings friends! It’s Ginni comin’ at ya with the hottest pods of the week! 

Ok, let’s calm it down a bit, folks…today, we’re heading to history class.

But don’t worry…it’s one of those rare and interesting days in class.

I decided to take a peek into what the world was listening to last week in the history category. And, because I know all you true crime junkies just can’t seem to get enough, it’s probably no surprise who’s dominating the top history pod spot? 

Why, it’s none other than East London’s own Jack the Ripper…

Pushkin’s Bad Women is a podcast series told by historian Hallie Rubenhold. Often portrayed as scandalous “ladies of the night”, it brings long-deserved dignity to the victims. The real lives of the women at the center of this century-spanning mystery have been historically dismissed, but this show brings them back to the center where they belong.  

If you feel like you’re in a tug of war between true crime and dinner-table appropriate history-chat (well, I guess it depends on the dinner party…) then Bad Women might be the dish you’re looking for. 

I think I’ll just settle in here now with a spot of tea, a few biscuits, and my….my…wait, where are my earbuds?!?! 

Helllllllllllp!!!!

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Welcome to PodStars, where we showcase a superstar Podcaster.

Now traditionally with Podstars, we’ve stuck to individual podcasters. So this week, we’re going to flip the script a week.

This week’s Podstar is none other than The Freelance Founders Podcast. At Ginni Media it’s no secret that we are Made Offbeat  , so companies that showcase creatives and founders who are truly leaning into a new way of working is super inspiring.

Hosted by Kate Cervini, Freelance Founders showcase conversations with some of the world’s most pioneering creatives, visionaries and founders who built their careers and companies all starting with freelancing.

And they don’t just stop there, Freelance Founders actually talk about things that come up in the day to day for creatives. Whether it be how to do your taxes, taking equity as a payment - they really are your guide to being a freelancer.

Check out this week’s PodStar - The Freelance Founders podcast

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Welcome to PodGuide, a bite-sized dose of pod knowledge from me, Ginni Media’s Ginni-in-Chief. 

We’re back this week with some interesting new statistics from Edison Research that may just indicate a shift in the way we podcast.

The major surprise? Americans ages 12-34 have actually decreased their podcast listening—by a whopping 6% in the last year. That’s the first decrease podcasting has seen in over a decade!

So, just as the Millennials killed diamond rings, paper napkins, and home buying, are they now working with Gen-Z to signal the death of podcasts?!  

Not so fast—let’s hold our horses on that one...

While we did see one demographic decrease, listeners ages 34-54 have actually increased by 4% in the last 12 months. Experts credit this the fact that many have now gone back to the office in light of lifted COVID restrictions. 

Now, we don’t love to see any decrease in listeners, but we think the most likely culprit for the Zoomer-led drop is the media's perennial enemy: dwindling attention spans. 

In this case, we’d like to lay blame squarely at the feet of TikTok, which has seen a whopping 57% usage increase in the last year. 

It’s almost as if someone should marry the two ideas… sort of like a short, sweet, 60 second podcast… like sweet little podcast nuggets… or perhaps even… pod pops?! Someone should definitely get on that idea!

Well, dear listeners, that does it for this week’s episode of PodGuide. Tune in next week for another factoid… from the depths of podcasting!

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When you listen to your favorite podcasts, do you get the feeling that you’re entering a sacred space where hosts can tap into taboo subjects without judgement?

Hey! It’s Ginni here with your weekly dose of news from the Land of Pod.

If you were lucky enough to have cable TV in the 90s, then you probably remember this iconic intro:

The Real World was a groundbreaking lifestyle-documentary series that launched our appetite for reality TV. Over 33 seasons, audiences worldwide witnessed complex conversations around race relations, gender, homosexuality, and AIDS.

Part of what made it so special was the “realness” of the cast and the show’s ability to deep dive into serious issues with real humans, learning as they go.

Podcasting shares a lot with this dedication to “getting real”. A recent Acast survey of 1,000 listeners demonstrated that podcasts are revered as safe spaces for talking and learning about the intricacies of less talked about topics. Pods have become a place for real-talk about mental health, financial debt, medical issues and sexual health,

Among those surveyed, 57% said they turn to podcasts for conversations around sensitive topics, and a whopping 92% said they feel open to hearing such conversations covered on their favorite pods.

So, if you’re looking for a safe space to explore the “real” real world, then what are you waiting for? There are only about 900,000 podcasts for you to choose from! 

Until next week, keep on keepin’ it real!

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Good Morning Poptastic PodPoppers! Rub your eyes, put on your slippers, and brew your coffee because it’s time for another week of PodPops from yours truly, Ginni Popaswati.

Today's tip may come as a sad one for fans of S Club Seven’s 2001 summer hit, because we’re actually advising that you do, in fact, stop moving.

I know, I know… What am I thinking right… Next I'll be telling you Kylie was wrong and you should get me out of your head. Or that the truth of the matter is, it was Shaggy. He did do it… Buuut this is more justified than you might think.

When you begin to record but can’t sit still, you will likely create lots of background noise whilst you're speaking or listening. This can be especially bad if you use earbud headphones with the mic part way down the cable - you know the ones I mean. The wire lays close to your chest and, as you wiggle and jiggle, it rubs against your shirt and collar. The resulting noise will do nothing but distract your listeners and it's difficult to remove in post production - believe us, we’ve tried.

So do your best to stay still with your feet planted, avoid moving your pens and pencils around on your desk, and if you’ve got notes on paper, try moving them as silently as possible. 

That’s all I've got for you today guys, be sure to come back tomorrow for the latest PodNews, and come back next week for more audio guidance from your audio guru. Cheerio!

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In this week’s Pod Review, sooooo many things have been happening in podcasting, news and media that all of it kind of felt a little like a slap in the face.

Listen, the incident I’m referring to has gotten enough attention, so I WILL not refer to it, but let’s just say, that was a moment that most certainly did not Rock. 

To PodNews this week, The Weebys have decided to do their own thing when it comes to podcast awards. That’s right. Last week, and only a week after The Ambies (aka The Podcast Academy), The Weeby’s launched The Signal Awards, set to take place in Jan 2023.

Popular company Rode are now producing their own headphones to add to their audio / audible yet not edible products.

And the latest Edison Research report on the key statistics in podcasting for 2022 were released just over a week ago. And, the key takeaway here is:

For the first time in 9 years, podcasting didn’t grow. 

So what does this mean for us podcasters, pod-crazed and producing folk? There are two demographics that are currently underserved in podcasting. Listeners aged 12-34 and 55 and over. Senior Vice President of Strategy and Marketing at Edison Research, Tom Webster says that the industry will “only keep growing if the entire industry makes a concerted effort to tell the story of podcasting to all Americans.” So podpoppers, we must continue to review our content and see where our shows can serve the needs and interests of these audiences.

I’m Ginni Saraswati and that’s this week’s PodReview. Until tomorrow, Cheerio!

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Welcome to this weekend’s Pod Ponder. I’m Ginni Saraswati, expanding your mind and exploring your brain.

Happy Saturday, dear listeners. It’s that time again for some mental calisthenics!  This week’s ponderous ponder begins on November 24, 1971. 

A well dressed man in a suit and tie boards Northwest Orient Airlines flight 305 in Portland, Oregon enroute to Seattle. 

He takes his seat, orders a bourbon and soda and, shortly after takeoff, hands a flight attendant a note indicating that he has in his possession a bomb and intends to hijack the plane. He demands $200,000 in US currency and four parachutes.

Eventually, his demands are met, no passengers are harmed, and the man—soon to be infamous as D.B. Cooper—disappears from an airborne plane into the night, never to be seen again. 

A very strange story, indeed. And one that remains unsolved to this day!

So, dear listeners, I ask you: if you could solve any one unanswered question from all of history, which would you choose? Maybe the mystery of Jack the Ripper’s identity? The Bermuda Triangle? Perhaps even the death of Edgar Allen Poe?

Well, I don’t know about you, but I think it’s time to turn some lights on around here and focus on something a little less… creepy...

That does it for this week. Remember to tune in next Saturday and join me for another round!

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What’s that sound? Can you hear it??

There’s just something about hearing laughter that puts a smile on your face, am I right? 

It’s Ginni Saraswati here with your Podspot All-stars for the week. 

And if you haven’t already figured it out, this week, we’re looking into what’s making the people of planet Earth laugh.

Across the globe, people are laughing at Smartless, the podcast starring Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Sean Hayes. 

The trio snagged the top pod spot last week in the comedy category for their silly improv antics. 

What makes the show different is how the hosts take turns bringing on a “mystery guest”. So it’s only when they hit “record” that the other 2 hosts learn who they’re talking to. 

The show has featured guests like actress Cate Blanchett, musicians Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead, and Jon Hamm of Madmen fame.

So if you’re looking for a way to add more giggles to your week, tune into Smartless and find out what the funny fuss is all about. 

Until next time….

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Welcome to PodStars, where this week we showcase a superstar Podcaster.

This week’s Podstar serves us a different kind of medicine.

Well…I should I really say, he prescribes a different kind of medicine. What he prescribes is something that will set you free…..if you let it.

This Week’s Podstar is Dr Seku Gathers of The Truth Prescription Podcast. It’s not only his witty and creative podcast title that’s makes him unique - he’s someone who wears many, many hats. And we’re not just talking about the cool snapbacks we often see him sporting about on his podcast interviews. He’s a father, an ER doctor, runs a full time coaching business and a podcaster who’s been recording his show for four years.

If there’s anything you can learn from this week’s podstar, is that to be a successful podcaster, you must first define what success means to you and then expermient.

Having a podcast is like showing up for yourself and your audience when you say you will. It’s more than just about popping out an episode every week. It’s about the art of remaining consistent.

Now there’s a piece of truth right there. And it will set you free……only if you let it. 

Check out The Truth Prescription Podcast for your dose of truth each week. 

And that’s this week’s PodStar!

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