Reflecting Back on 2021

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Well folks, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas March of 2020. 

So we’ve brought in extra help to get us through this newsletter: the animal friends of Vocal Fry producers. 

Here’s how my friend Daisy is feeling about the booster shot rollout in Ontario right now:

And here’s what Ren’s kitten Fig thinks about the rapid test distribution strategy:

As I mentioned last week, this is our last newsletter of 2021. A week ago, I thought I would write this end-of-year newsletter waxing poetic about how miserable we all were at the beginning of this year, unvaccinated and stuck in our homes while the snow fell outside, trapping us in an IRL snowglobe. Oh, how this year would be different.

Was I ever so young!

But it is a good time to reflect and take stock. 

Kattie’s dog Joe is exhausted thinking about how many shows we put out this year over here at Vocal Fry Studios.

We produced a 24-episode season of Well Said, a 6-episode season of the Growth Effect, a 5-episode season of No Little Plans, a 10-episode season of Building Good, a 3-episode season of Playing with Marbles, a 6-episode season of Stories from the Field, 21 transmissions of Artists in Presidents, a 5-episode special series of Barrier Breakers for Black History Month, the first 4 episodes of Wider Lens… not to mention the shows simmering away on the stove for release in 2022. 

But this isn’t all about us. We still have podcast industry news to distract you from the more depressing rest of the news. 

First up: iHeartMedia podcast workers are the latest to launch a unionization drive. Around 125 workers have signed up with Writers Guild America, East. You can read more about their efforts and follow them on Twitter!

And then: SiriusXM is facing a lawsuit from the National Association of the Deaf and the Disability Rights Advocates for failing to provide transcripts for ‘the vast majority’ of its podcasts. Transcripts are an easy way to make podcasts more accessible, and you can take it beyond the basic text—Vox has been experimenting with immersive transcripts and the outcome is pretty gorgeous.

Also: soon, you’ll be able to rate shows on Spotify. 

Do podcast charts mean anything? It’s questionable. These dudes tried to game the system and it… worked? Kind of?

The fine folks over at Pacific Content wrote up their predictions for what’s coming to the land of podcasts in 2022, from paid subscriptions to amped up audience engagement.

And the Nieman Lab has predictions too, but I don’t like this one as much.

Check out this year’s Third Coast International Audio Festival finalists and winners!

I also loved this article by Skye Pillsbury about Richard Parks III, the producer behind Seth Rogen’s new podcast, Storytime with Seth Rogen. I know, I know, it was just over a month ago that I was decrying the rise in celebrity podcasts. But my issue with celebrity podcasts is mostly that it involves spending money to produce trash, and Rogen’s podcast is… good! And I’m not just saying that because he’s been my celebrity crush since Take This Waltz!* 

Part of the reason that it’s good, as Parks tells Pillsbury, is that “Seth didn’t just want to chat with his buddies for an hour; he wanted to make something with craft [...] He wanted to roll up his sleeves and spit on his hands and make a show. And he was very open to ideas.” It’s a show with dynamic sound and interesting stories, which makes it really fun to listen to. Seth is a good host! I approve.

Max’s cat Cynthia wants to thank you for reading our little newsletter this year. He also hopes you get some time off during the holidays and that you stay healthy and don’t get COVID. 

Ok, I’m done for the year now. Happy New Year, see you all in 2022!

*I understand that this is borderline embarrassing and Seth Rogen is supposed to be the uncool husband in that movie but it’s almost Christmas and at Christmas you tell the truth oh my god that was even more embarrassing somebody stop me people actually read this newsletter good thing we are going on hiatus until January!

JAR Audio is still looking for that new executive producer! 

Storyhunter, a UK-based company, is hiring a remote producer for an unscripted podcast project. 

CBC News Network is hiring a temporary, full-time lineup producer to work out of the Toronto newsroom. Apply by EOD December 22.

And if you want to be a permanent full-time lineup producer, CBC News Toronto at 6 is also hiring. But that’s television. 

Calling all enterprise reporters/producers! CBC Toronto is hiring a senior producer, enterprise unit. Apply by EOD December 21.

The Globe and Mail is hiring a few editorial positions, including a Montreal-based reporter and a Queen’s Park reporter.

Freelancers, NOW Magazine is hiring a part-time social media staff writer. Apply by December 23. 

I’ve plugged their events before, but if you’re a freelancer — writer, audio producer, social media producer, any kind of freelancer really — you’ve GOTTA listen to The Writers’ Co-op. There were two things that helped me get on my feet when I was out of work in August 2020: CERB, and listening to The Writers’ Co-op every day. Hosts Wudan Yan and Jenni Gritters break down everything you need to know about building your career as a freelancer. Spending that hour a day with them before I started getting my first freelance clients gave me the confidence to do things like negotiate contracts — not just for better rates, but to make sure that I wouldn’t be caught by clauses that could cause trouble for me later on. The episodes in season one are especially motivating and inspiring. Freelancing is often talked about as a gruelling last resort, and sometimes, it is — but it can also be empowering and liberating. The resources they’ve developed to go along with the podcast are also super helpful. Basically: they rule! If you’re thinking about making the jump to freelancing in 2022, this is a must-listen.

To quote myself quoting Miley Cyrus — everybody makes mistakes, everybody has those days. On the blog, digital producer Emily Latimer wrote about 11 common mistakes people make when producing podcasts. 

In this month’s edition of Wider Lens, we dive into the nitty gritty of virtual production. That’s how they make the Mandalorian! 

We want to hear from you! What are you looking for in your podcast news? Let us know on Twitter, Instagram, or by email at info@vocalfrystudios.com.

We’ll see you again in 2022. Until then, here’s an update from Jay’s sister’s poodle, Naby, whose face I am obsessed with: 

Yours in friends and fries,

Michal

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