Playing with perspective: Narrative voice and trust in Australian independent podcasts

Abstract

Narrative voice is a frequent site of experimentation in narrative journalism, and in podcasting this voice tends to be more prominent as the listener hears the narrator’s embodied voice. It can build a strong bond with the listener, which is important for independent producers as trust is not automatically afforded to them by association with a trusted media organization. This is particularly true for emerging producers, who also lack a professional reputation. This study examines the techniques used in five Australian independent podcasts to understand how they experiment with narrative voice as a podcast technique to build trust with the listener. It finds trust is built through narrative voice in four specific ways (1) first-person narration, (2) authenticity, (3) empathy and (4) emotional truth. This may allow for a greater variety of voices to be not only heard but trusted within podcasting, but also raises questions about misplaced trust.

The daily news podcast ecosystem from the strategy and business model perspectives

“…First-person narration and authenticity are used in news podcasts to convey empathy and emotional truth (Jorgensen, 2021). An analysis of how audiences interact with and react to the narrative voice in Serial reveals that its success and reach lie in the ability to use old and new narratives and aesthetic forms (Hardey;James, 2022).…”

“…The producers interviewed understand the power of voice, the host's narrative role, and the need for authenticity to connect with audiences (Jorgensen, 2021). The use of dialog between journalists elevates transparency and journalistic authority (Perdomo; Rodrigues-Rouleau, 2021; Dowling; Miller, 2019; Lundell, 2010).…”

Podcasting about yourself and challenging norms: An investigation of independent women podcasters in Denmark

“…Yet, these previous studies (Copeland, 2018;Greer, 2017;Jorgensen, 2021;Wang, 2021;Zehelein, 2019) all present textual and auditory analyses. Research on independent podcasting's possibilities for women requires further quantitative documentation and qualitative investigations from the podcasters' points of view, and I intend to address the research gap with this article by combining a preliminary quantitative analysis with semistructured interviews with podcasters.…”

“…As recording technologies have become more affordable and accessible in recent years, women see opportunities to podcast while doing household work (Wang, 2021). The freedom and intimacy of the medium provide women with narrative power (Greer, 2017) and allow podcasters to challenge norms of gender and sexuality (Adler Berg, 2021b;Copeland, 2018) and discrimination, social stigma, and prejudices against women (Jorgensen, 2021;Zehelein, 2019). Because of its ability to challenge norms -suppressive and uncomfortable as they are for those who cannot inhabit them (Ahmed, 2014) -independent podcasting constitutes a relevant feminist research object.…”

“…Men tend to podcast about sports, comedy, film, television, and business; women tend to podcast about mental health, personal journals, and parenting. Quantitatively, independent women podcasters engage in what has traditionally been considered female domains (henceforth, traditional female domains), even though they, at a qualitative level, counter institutional media representations and challenge gendered norms (Adler Berg, 2021b;Copeland, 2018;Fox, 2008;Greer, 2017;Jorgensen, 2021;Wang, 2021;Zehelein, 2019).…”