Thinking about launching a Catholic podcast

Gnarwhal · Oct 16, 2020

Back in January a couple buddies and I were talking about launching a sports podcast where the three of us would basically sit down together and record an X-mins long session discussing teams, players, news, etc having to do with our favorite sports teams.

That fell apart pretty quick because COVID set in about 4-6 weeks later, baseball shutdown about halfway through spring training, the NBA went on hiatus and football... well they weren't affected much but it was the offseason so there wasn't much to say then anyway.

Here we are in October and I got on the subject of podcasts again with my sister. I thought maybe I'd take a different tack, and am considering doing a podcast that evaluates media from a Catholic perspective. I don't necessarily want to be just purely critical, but maybe also discuss what's working and what isn't, discuss what's new, maybe talk about some of the major players on the scene at any given time, etc. Maybe sometimes I just take a backseat and facilitate a discussion between other individuals.

As far as formatting I think I'd just approach it the way Taylor Marshall and Tim Gordon produce theirs, I think they just record Skype sessions with their guests and then upload them to YouTube. It's cheap and accessible.

What do you guys think? Does that kind of content sound appealing or do you think it'd get old pretty quick?

Also, are there any Catholics here on OBOB who might want to join me as a guest? Folks on here have a lot to offer, it might be cool to get into some meatier discussion beyond the exchange of the forum (just a thought).

It'd be just a trial run at first but if it seems like it can hold it's own then maybe I'll keep it going!

ReesePiece23 · Oct 16, 2020

I 100% back this. I love a podcast - especially one that approaches from a chilled and easy going stance. And as someone who wants to learn (but can't stand bellicose preachers or those who gaslight their audience) *I* would be your demographic. I need consistency and sound teachings, not a telling off. And I think a LOT of people out there are like me.

People tune in to podcasts just for something to listen to. So there's honestly no telling how many people you could reach with it. Some might not even be Christian, let alone Catholic.

I say go for it and don't look back.

Gnarwhal · Oct 16, 2020

ReesePiece23 said:
I 100% back this. I love a podcast - especially one that approaches from a chilled and easy going stance. And as someone who wants to learn (but can't stand bellicose preachers or those who gaslight their audience) *I* would be your demographic. I need consistency and sound teachings, not a telling off. And I think a LOT of people out there are like me.

People tune in to podcasts just for something to listen to. So there's honestly no telling how many people you could reach with it. Some might not even be Christian, let alone Catholic.

I say go for it and don't look back.

Thanks bro, you make some good points! I need to figure out where to start (in terms of subject matter) and hopefully book appropriate guests...

bèlla · Oct 16, 2020

What's your end goal? Work from that position to the beginning. If you want to make money, that usually means sponsorship. Most host the files with a service which provides transcription. There are well-known companies that do this. Sometimes Appsumo has a deal on a similar product.

In your shoes, I'd double dip. I would do video interviews instead. It would pull in that audience and allow you to strip the audio and dump it into a podcast. Now you're grabbing both. If you have a website you can embed the video/podcast. Run ads on the site and YouTube.

Get a good microphone. Most start with a Yeti. If you opt for video you could use Zoom. Double check the requirements and comparable services. Good luck!

Yours in His Service,

~Bella

eastcoast_bsc · Oct 16, 2020

Sounds like a decent idea. You can always expand or like you said add meatier content. I grew up on talk radio and miss it. A podcast is very similar . Talk radio when I was younger was conversational and not screaming matches like we hear today.

As for sports I loved the old sports huddle in Boston where they would sit around and shoot the bleep about sports.

I also loved David Brudnoy . He would have different type guests and would also takes calls.

chevyontheriver · Oct 16, 2020

Fenwick said:
What do you guys think? Does that kind of content sound appealing or do you think it'd get old pretty quick?

Also, are there any Catholics here on OBOB who might want to join me as a guest? Folks on here have a lot to offer, it might be cool to get into some meatier discussion beyond the exchange of the forum (just a thought).

It'd be just a trial run at first but if it seems like it can hold it's own then maybe I'll keep it going!

Format matters, as does topic, and yet the quality of guest is probably the most important. I'd be a bumbling fool and even the best editing couldn't fix that.

Gnarwhal · Oct 16, 2020

Bèlla said:
What's your end goal? Work from that position to the beginning. If you want to make money, that usually means sponsorship. Most host the files with a service which provides transcription. There are well-known companies that do this. Sometimes Appsumo has a deal on a similar product.

In your shoes, I'd double dip. I would do video interviews instead. It would pull in that audience and allow you to strip the audio and dump it into a podcast. Now you're grabbing both. If you have a website you can embed the video/podcast. Run ads on the site and YouTube.

Get a good microphone. Most start with a Yeti. If you opt for video you could use Zoom. Double check the requirements and comparable services. Good luck!

Yours in His Service,

~Bella

I haven't decided whether I want to monetize yet, I'd like to see whether the concept is viable first. My enthusiasm for it at this point is more at the hobby level. My career is in media and media production so I have the tools both to analyze media, and produce the podcast itself—I own my own video production equipment so that shouldn't be much a problem. Although I'm thinking of keeping it simple and just using my earbuds and webcam at first and if it gets traction then maybe I'll invest in a condenser microphone at least, but again, I don't want to invest in equipment unless I think it's actually something that could be sustained for a while.

As far as your double-dip suggestion, that's basically what I was thinking. Record a Skype session, and then I can both upload the video to whatever platforms I want and also export the audio to upload onto any number of podcast platforms.

eastcoast_bsc said:
Sounds like a decent idea. You can always expand or like you said add meatier content. I grew up on talk radio and miss it. A podcast is very similar . Talk radio when I was younger was conversational and not screaming matches like we hear today.

As for sports I loved the old sports huddle in Boston where they would sit around and shoot the bleep about sports.

I also loved David Brudnoy . He would have different type guests and would also takes calls.

Yeah I thought it has the potential to be kind of fun. I've always been really into podcasts and sports talk radio. I'd mainly listen to podcasts for theology stuff and then obviously get my Giants/49ers fix from listening to KNBR out of the Bay Area (I'm about 150 miles northeast on the outer reaches of their signal).

The cool thing about podcasting is it's pretty accessible, so if you have a concept that holds up, you can have yourself a decent show.

chevyontheriver said:
Format matters, as does topic, and yet the quality of guest is probably the most important. I'd be a bumbling fool and even the best editing couldn't fix that.

Agreed. Don't sell yourself short, if you have something to say I bet you'd be great. I think if it's an unassuming format (i.e. the aforementioned Skype chat) then maybe that would help relax everyone. I mean, believe me, I've always been a behind-the-camera person. I've never been comfortable on-camera. But if the discussion is engaging and free flowing, then maybe it won't matter?

eastcoast_bsc · Oct 16, 2020

Fenwick said:
I haven't decided whether I want to monetize yet, I'd like to see whether the concept is viable first. My enthusiasm for it at this point is more at the hobby level. My career is in media and media production so I have the tools both to analyze media, and produce the podcast itself—I own my own video production equipment so that shouldn't be much a problem. Although I'm thinking of keeping it simple and just using my earbuds and webcam at first and if it gets traction then maybe I'll invest in a condenser microphone at least, but again, I don't want to invest in equipment unless I think it's actually something that could be sustained for a while.

As far as your double-dip suggestion, that's basically what I was thinking. Record a Skype session, and then I can both upload the video to whatever platforms I want and also export the audio to upload onto any number of podcast platforms.

Yeah I thought it has the potential to be kind of fun. I've always been really into podcasts and sports talk radio. I'd mainly listen to podcasts for theology stuff and then obviously get my Giants/49ers fix from listening to KNBR out of the Bay Area (I'm about 150 miles northeast on the outer reaches of their signal).

The cool thing about podcasting is it's pretty accessible, so if you have a concept that holds up, you can have yourself a decent show.

Agreed. Don't sell yourself short, if you have something to say I bet you'd be great. I think if it's an unassuming format (i.e. the aforementioned Skype chat) then maybe that would help relax everyone. I mean, believe me, I've always been a behind-the-camera person. I've never been comfortable on-camera. But if the discussion is engaging and free flowing, then maybe it won't matter?

Another thing is that a guest needs to be interesting and pique the interest of the listener . Even as a kid I would lay in bed at night and listen to talk radio on my transistor radio.

Go for it!

Sketcher · Oct 16, 2020

What podcasts do you currently enjoy? Do you know what they do well, and how they do it?

Daniel9v9 · Oct 16, 2020

Sounds like a nice idea to me. Though, if you're not familiar with it already, it could be a good idea to take a look at Terry Mattingly's work, who is a very senior news reporter and Eastern Orthodox. He does articles and podcasts, and has a lot of good insight into the world of media from a Christian point of view. He has his own opinions and style, but he's very objective and fair in his work, which is why he has a regular segment on an Orthodox Lutheran podcast I listen to.

Practical tips: Don't bother with camera and lights, but get a decent mic. If you want to edit and upload videos easily and efficiently, you can use Adobe Rush for free as an app, or for a small monthly fee, you can use it across PC and phone. Or if you're OK with something a bit more technical, you can use HitFilm Express on PC, which is probably the best free alternative to Adobe products. Or if you don't mind investing in a higher monthly fee, After Effects is probably one of the better tools out there.

Happy producing and blessings! +

Romans 13:3 · Oct 17, 2020

I spend a lot of time driving, so podcasts have become my friend. I really Cy Kellet's style on Catholic Answers Podcast. His questioning style is obviously well thought out but generally comes off as very conversational. I think while not quite as smooth and unassuming as CA, I think Mysterious World with Jimmy Aiken does a good job of moving a lot of information in a very consumabl format.

Gnarwhal · Oct 17, 2020

eastcoast_bsc said:
Another thing is that a guest needs to be interesting and pique the interest of the listener . Even as a kid I would lay in bed at night and listen to talk radio on my transistor radio.

Go for it!

Yeah that's the tricky part. Right now I have zero profile so it's hard to land a solid guest aside from pure luck. What's more I'm unproven, and I don't know if I have the energy to carry a conversation for an hour. Lots to think about here...

Sketcher said:
What podcasts do you currently enjoy? Do you know what they do well, and how they do it?

Currently Rules for Retrogrades with Tim Gordon and the Taylor Marshall Show. Along with some Meaning of Catholic, Padre Peregrino and Patrick Coffin Show peppered in there.

LizaMarie · Oct 17, 2020

I'd listen! I say go for it! And as you mentioned you have the background in media already.

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