A passion for podcasting: An interview with Pamela Haasen

BY SHEILA CAMERON

Pamela Haasen is a bright and youthful podcast instructor living in Smithers, BC, where she also enjoys a dream career as a radio news producer. Podcasting, in Haasen’s words, is “storytelling like any other kind, relying on the human voice (and sound) to create place, mood, and atmosphere for the listener. Podcasts can be interviews, multi-person narrative, educational, round table, monologue, fictional, or a sub-genre of any of those.”

Having listened to only a handful of podcasts myself, I had several questions about the medium that could be the wave of the future or simply an ancient art form made new. While I was delighted to meet Haasen briefly on Zoom, most of the interview was conducted the old-fashioned way—by email.

Sheila Cameron: What attracted you to podcasting?

Pamela Haasen: I was in school for something completely different but spent my free time making radio shows. Talking to people, telling stupid stories with friends, and creating content for listeners were the joys of volunteering at a radio station. I didn’t realize I was carving out my career with my volunteer pursuits. I just thought it was fun and I liked getting better at it. Then I started listening to podcasts and figured it was a natural shift. I’ve created thousands of hours of radio and podcasts and even though it sometimes feels like work, it rarely feels like a chore.

SC: Podcasting was recognized as a medium in 2004 and continues to gain popularity. Do you think it’s the way of the future, given that so many people access information online these days?

PH: Not really. People have always wanted to listen to other humans talking about interesting things, or holding conversation, or telling stories. Oral history might be the oldest form of communication, so in some ways, humans have always been podcasting; we just didn’t have the “pod” part figured out.

SC: Is writing for podcasts different than writing for print?

PH: Yes, it’s quite different. When writing for print, you’re pretty confident your audience is only reading, and so you can play with words to set the tone for an engaged reader. A podcast audience could be out for a walk, washing dishes, driving, exercising, or cooking. It’s important to get to the point as quickly as possible and let the story do the talking. According to my podcast metrics, there is a dropoff of listeners when my podcasts are like winding roads that eventually lead to the point, whereas if I produce a silly piece that’s direct and short, people listen to the end. In my experience, being succinct provides the better experience, and twenty to forty minutes in length is preferred by most listeners.

SC: Is podcasting a labour of love or a profitable venture?

PH: Haha, the most common question asked about podcasting is: how do you make money? It’s not impossible—if you can create a resume of impressive stuff, send it out, and wait to be absorbed through a company like Gimlet Media, I Heart Radio, PRX Productions, or CBC. You can also publish a really good show for free and let your listeners know they can give a donation if they liked it. An example of monetizing a podcast successfully that way is Cocaine and Rhinestones, a two-season podcast about country music. If you start a podcast and put a paywall up immediately, you will lose out on listeners. It sounds harsh, but if you’re not a celebrity or expert, why would anyone pay to hear your interviews about ladybug migration or nineteenth-century schoolyard games? Podcasting isn’t typically a way to make regular money, so if you don’t love doing it, find something else!

SC: Does a podcast have to follow a theme?

PH: It helps. If you don’t have a theme, you’re just turning the mic on and assuming listeners are as entertained by your nonsense as you are. They might be! That works for comedians and there are examples of shows that are just people hanging out riffing as they think of things to talk about, such as Call Your Girlfriend, This Is Important, and My Brother, My Brother and Me. But while those shows have a loose theme, they still follow a structure, which I think is what holds the reins on people just wasting time, trying to fill air space with their voice.

SC: What themes trend well or do you anticipate becoming popular?

PH: News stories will always be trending, so shows like The Daily, The Intelligence, and Front Burner are very popular. People are looking for podcasts that align with their political views. True crime podcasts continue to gain listeners, as do sports podcasts. Interview shows hosted by celebrities are also on the rise again with new ones popping up each month. Podcasts are an immediate reflection of what’s happening in the world—they go where the heat is. The beauty of podcasts is that you can make one and publish it in a day, so you can be on top of trends as they happen. The ugly part is that with zero oversight, anyone can publish whatever they want, including false information, ill-researched topics, or interviews that create an echo-chamber disguised as news. SC: What are your predictions for the future of podcasting?

PH: I think we’ve been experiencing a “wild west” version of podcasting that will likely come to an end soon. More podcasts will get scooped up and packaged as part of a larger company’s image, with fewer individuals producing shows without oversight. It’s hard for the smaller show to stand out from the mega shows that are beautifully produced with a handful of staff and a marketing team behind them. That sounds so doomsday-ish, but that is a trend I see. I also see the continuation of beautiful stories and buttery voices telling me about the history of things I didn’t realize I cared about and people I didn’t realize I needed to feel connected to.

SC: Any resources you recommend?

PH: TPX (The Podcast Exchange) is a Canadian company that gathers research, trends and advertisers for podcasters and releases an annual report that is incredibly helpful. See: thepodcastexchange.ca Haasen says, “You will likely never hit the publish button if you want your first podcast to sound and be amazing. You will nit-pick all the fun out of podcasting if you need it to be great from the get-go.” Her top tips for a successful podcast are:

• Define your aim.

• Pick something you want to learn more about.

• Get an image of your ideal listener and make the show for them (and that can be you!).

• Start low-tech. Use your phone to record yourself, edit on free software (if you need to edit at all), and go for quantity over quality.

• Volunteer at a campus or community radio station to gain experience.

Pamela Haasen is a news producer and journalist for CICK News on 93.9FM, Smithers Community Radio. Pamela has hosted her own radio show for over twelve years, currently under the name I Digress. She also helps people create their own podcasts with her business, Haasen Pod. She has produced over ten podcast series along with a slew of silly one-offs, parodies, and skits.

Sheila Cameron is a professional editor, writer, speaker, and multi-passionate human. As the author of Shine Bright: Live A Supernova Life, she is dedicated to her own learning journey and to raising our collective human consciousness.