What podcasts seemed like in 2024 — actually

In 2024, podcasts have gotten nearer to changing into a video-first medium. Although video podcasts have been round a comparatively very long time, exhibits from The New York Occasions, NPR, and lots of different podcast networks which were audio-only for years have just lately began including a video element so as to acquire new listenership. Actually, Spotify, a significant participant in podcasts, is about to start paying podcasters to deliver movies to the platform. 

And after years of producers making an attempt to get audio exhibits to go viral on social media, podcasts at the moment are dominating TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts after video producers realized they’ll simply movie the expertise speaking. In the meantime, weekly podcasts need to appeal to youthful audiences who grew up on YouTube. Because of this, video producers are determining tips on how to make podcasts, and audio producers are determining tips on how to make movies.

I’ve observed a number of creating tendencies on this video-first podcasting format. This isn’t stunning; when one producer discovers a components that works, others are going to strive it. Let’s check out present design and tech tendencies — after which I’ll speak about what I feel could develop over the following yr or so.

Lots of immediately’s podcast studios appear to be residing rooms and basements. This isn’t a brand new phenomenon with speak exhibits, however lots of podcasts began out in a residing house, and bigger media firms have adopted that aesthetic. Lamps. Fireplaces. Pretend vegetation. Bookshelves. This surroundings offers a extra “laid again” model of long-form interviewing, which is often the vibe of most chat-style podcasts.

Couches and comfortable chairs present up rather a lot on these video exhibits. The spherical desk has been ditched, and leisure is vital — it’s much more comfy of an surroundings for speaking hours at a time. Each hosts and company are sometimes on a sofa collectively or sitting in comfortable chairs individually. 

One other pattern I’ve observed are these wood slats on the wall in podcast studios — our personal Vox Media house has gone with this design as nicely. These work higher for sound absorption whereas nonetheless wanting like a residing house. That is already trying to be a signifier of mid-2020 video podcasts. 

With wide-shot digital camera angles showcasing the complete room, there’s normally one thing in the course of the display screen, like a TV or a large emblem of the present, to create a symmetrical studio look. Neon indicators and coloured lights are very fashionable proper now as a result of they add a colourful glow to a extra muted studio house. Numerous cursive lettering.

Branding is usually prioritized in video, and most producers suppose meaning actually wanting on the emblem for 2 hours. That is additionally a simple strategy to let a TikTok scroller know what present they’re watching (although this usually doesn’t crop nicely for vertical video).

Microphones are sometimes positioned on ground stands that reach over the couches (these articulating increase stands have been staples in recording studios for many years). Because of this, the stands typically seem from out of the digital camera body and stick up broadly in entrance of company’ faces awkwardly. Poles protruding at varied incongruent angles look even messier when you may have a number of company on separate chairs. 

Although new sorts of mic stands for podcasts have been launched to the market, many exhibits are ditching the lengthy, awkward increase poles in favor of getting hosts and company maintain their microphones as a substitute. This feels a bit extra genuine and intimate onscreen, and lots of stand-up comedians want this methodology. Nonetheless, it might probably get a bit awkward with inexperienced company who speak with their fingers or who don’t know tips on how to maintain a microphone with a slim polar sample. 

It could possibly get even worse. When podcasts are audio first however with a video element, you typically see awkward practices caught on digital camera, like this occasion the place every visitor is holding their cellphone as much as their face to document their audio whereas wanting instantly on the viewer. It is a widespread follow for radio interviews however isn’t nice when video is concerned.

The Shure SM7B microphones are nonetheless actually common on this medium in addition to the funds MV7 mannequin. For the needs of branding, cubes with the title of the present are sometimes caught awkwardly on the underside of the microphone. That is harking back to microphone flags on newscaster stick mics, and they’re now being retrofitted for these basic radio studio microphones. That is seemingly as a result of it’s simpler branding on vertically cropped movies than a giant emblem on the wall in a studio.

Massive isolating headphones are widespread in radio and podcasts and are nonetheless utilized in lots of video variations. However when company are distant and are wanting instantly at their webcam, these giant ear cups stick out very awkwardly — extra so than in the event you’re taking a look at somebody’s profile view. 

In order that’s what lots of video podcasts have seemed like via 2024. However how about subsequent yr?

I consider that, in 2025, podcast producers will finally cease following these tropes and attempt to differentiate themselves. Some producers that have been employed to assist make the transition to video will begin questioning the explanation for the massive headphones and thick microphones protecting individuals’s faces and go for smaller lavalier mics and in-ear screens. 

New audiences could begin to overlook concerning the phrase “podcast” and confer with the chat exhibits they watch as simply “exhibits.” Media executives will attempt to go for syndication of the packages on linear platforms like Roku, Pluto, or Tubi. The skinny line between podcasts and TV exhibits will get thinner. 

Extra consumer-priced instruments for manufacturing have entered the market, principally turning a easy desk setup and a MacBook into a totally stocked management room. Hosts are already transferring out of the studio and into barber retailers, tennis courts, and on sidewalks. AI instruments like Descript, Hush, and Accentize can flip less-than-optimal microphone recordings into fuller, beefier broadcast-style recordings. Podcasters whose tools is much less able to dealing with uncontrolled recording environments will particularly profit from these postproduction instruments. 

And who is aware of? Maybe the pendulum will swing again once more when budgets for these exhibits grow to be too pricey to maintain a video present working a number of instances every week with out a robust following. Possibly they’ll even cut back right down to an audio-only format. And maybe that’s the place they’ll restart a brand new experiment within the audio medium.