Athens Mic'd

Students discuss the process of scripting, recording and publishing their own podcast.

BY ABREANN BLOSE | PHOTOS BY PEARL SPURLOCK | DESIGN BY RACHEL RECTOR

From breaking news with a cup of coffee to a self-help lesson during a study break, a true crime tale on the beach to a comedy show after a long day, college students everywhere are tuning into the world of podcasting.

According to a Pew Research study in 2021, 41 percent of Americans 12 years and older have listened to a podcast. As more people listen to podcasts, students show a growing interest in pursuing a career in audio news and entertainment.

In 2020, Ohio University’s Scripps College of Communication introduced a new undergraduate podcasting certificate. The certificate provides students with “media and journalism training for one of the fastest growing and most popular areas of audio storytelling in the modern media marketplace,” according to the OU website.

Caleb McCleskey, a sophomore studying journalism, found his passion for podcasting in December of 2021. Now, he is involved in the production of three different podcasts: “Sports Beat,” “The Outlet” and “The Joker’s Shadow.”

McCleskey says “Sports Beat” is a WOUB production . McCleskey and a group of friends meet once a week to discuss OU sports, local sports in Southeast Ohio and professional sports. “We discuss, debate and analyze different stuff that goes on in the sports world,” McCleskey says.

After recording the show, McCleskey is tasked with editing the podcast to ensure quality audio and filter out filler words.

McCleskey also serves as the assistant producer for “The Outlet,” a weekly news style podcast targeting Athens residents and OU students.

“The Joker’s Shadow” is his personal show. Every week, he uses his own equipment to produce, edit and host a lifestyle podcast. He welcomes guests to discuss a vast array of topics from visiting new places to the importance of alone time and life-altering decisions.

“I try to explain different perspectives of life,” McCleskey says. He details that the process of editing, producing and hosting a podcast is not as intimidating as it may seem. His first goal is to write a brief script. He then records the podcast, edits it and finally publishes it to Spotify.

“It doesn't take as long as people think,” McCleskey says. “You’re able to do it at your own pace. I wouldn’t say it’s super easy to do, but if you have the right resources, then pretty much anyone can do it.”

Although McCleskey uses the WOUB studio and personal equipment, Schoonover Center is home to an important resource for students interested in podcasting –– “The Pod.” This podcast studio is available for students enrolled in Scripps to reserve. The studio is fully equipped and serves as a way for students to explore the medium of audio storytelling.

Three students who take advantage of The Pod are Adam Ward, a sophomore studying journalism, Osahon Ogbebor, a sophomore studying biology on the pre-med track and Andrew Owusu, a sophomore studying exercise physiology.

The three meet once or twice a week to record their podcast, “Pushing Podcast.” The Pod has become a space for the group to debate and discuss various sports on the college and professional level.

“We were arguing about sports every day,” Ward says. “We knew [The Pod] was here and that we could end up using it.”

Before recording their show, the three create a script of things they would like to discuss throughout their episode. Then, after recording, they merge audio clips with sports footage to post and promote their podcast on multiple platforms such as TikTok, YouTube and Instagram.

While “Pushing Podcast” has become routine for Ward, Ogbebor and Owusu, the three credit most of their success to the accessibility of The Pod.

“It’s convenient,” Ogbebor says. “We don’t have to go too far, and we don’t have to buy expensive equipment ourselves.”

“Pushing Podcast” has gained a lot of traction on social media, with one TikTok video receiving over 60,000 likes. While the three are happy with the attention their hard work has received, they explain that they are in it to gain experience and have fun.

“For right now, we just have fun with it,” Ward says. “We’re glad we’re getting a good amount of traction, but we’ll take it however far we can take it.”

The “Pushing Podcast” crew encourages those considering starting a podcast to run with their idea.

“Don’t really overthink what you have to say,” Ward says. “We’ve had many trial and error things that we’d come back the next week and try something new. So, just try whatever comes to your mind. See what sticks.”

As the podcasting field grows, Scripps provides students the opportunity to take a seat in front of the microphone. The Pod has become a space for voices to be amplified and stories to be told.

“Just do whatever you want to do,” Ogbebor says. “And make sure you’re authentic.”b

To reserve time in The Pod, the welcome desk in Schoonover’s lobby has reservation forms to fill out.