In my humble opinion I believe every podcaster is an artist. Each podcaster has her own voice, her own story, her own passion and her own drive to express that which she is impassioned about. As I read the Salon interview with Marc Maron, he very clearly and simply highlights the still growing power of podcasting in a way that inspires main stream performers to step into podcasting as well as invigorates those of us that have already drank the podcasting kool-aid.
Sparked by the article Marc Maron explains his podcasting infamy, here are some key points as to why podcasting continues to be one of the most dynamic and effectual media publishing platforms to cultivate your success. Mr. Maron does a phenomal job in highlighting the best reasons to podcast.
Truth = Story = Gold
“I know that what I’m doing on the podcast is as true to myself as I can be, and that people are digging it.”– Marc Maron
There is something absolutely captivating about listening to someone speak from their own truth. When I say that, I’m not referring to simply being honest or telling truths, but truly being yourself, without censoring yourself.
Places where podcasters tend to record their work are those that are very personal to them: garages, closets, living rooms, kitchens. More likely than not they won’t leave their house and won’t have to get all gussied up, plus can surround themselves with people and things that make them feel comfortable. This environment facilitates going with it, simply allowing YOU to flow.
No one is like YOU, so why pretend anything else?
KEY: Excel and work on effectively becoming more of who you are. Even if you “fail”, you will still be much more compelling than pretending to be somebody or something else.
Unique Publicity
“And the podcasting format works in Marc’s favor, bringing him the publicity and fans that almost 20 years on the comedy circuit never could.” –Salon Article
There are a ton of people that are currently looking outside of TV, mainstream movies and cable for information and entertainment. We have become a mobile and on-demand culture. In addition to that, due to world economic crisis and joblessness, a huge amount of people’s lifestyle has required them to downgrade their lives, looking to save money. Cutting out the cable and even movie outings seem to be the first to go. Given those two points the public has become more aware of internet content, whether it be audio, video, ebooks or mainstream movies and tv shows.
Marc Maron stepped into the hunger and desire of a massive amount of folks that were both yearning to be entertained and a medium that was growing and ever more accessible.
KEY: Marc Maron’s audience is subscribing to his podcast, purchasing his iOS app and subscribing to his premium content because THEY CHOOSE TO. That’s power.
Engaging Content & Fierce Engagement
“When you’re engaged in a conversation, you can completely lose track of time…because your brain puts itself in the conversation” – Marc Maron
Podcasting is personal. You are choosing to allow the podcaster’s voice to go directly into your ears. You choose to step into their world, listen and be engaged and perhaps transported away. Through listening you engage, respond, perhaps laugh out loud, cry, get really angry, maybe even talk back to the podcast. Podcasts can instigate you to take action, become re-impassioned about something, or simply become aware of something that you didn’t know. All of this happens because of the personal nature of the medium.
Mr. Maron isn’t podcasting FOR you. Mr. Maron is not talking directly to you, but there’s something about the magical engagement of podcasting that gives you the feeling of intimacy and greater accessibility.
KEY: There is greater accessibility with the show producer. Main stream media has a lot more walls between producer/artist and their fans. As a producer, direct engagement with the audience does create a stronger relationship with their fans.
Freedom Without Context
“people would ask me, “What is this show? I don’t get it.” And I’d say, “It’s my show.” Those are the perimeters. I don’t have to make people laugh. I don’t have to do anything except talk into a mic. I can sit there and just emote for 10 minutes, I could cry for 10 minutes. It’s just really freedom.” – Marc Maron
In the Salon article, the interviewer Drew Grant questions Mr. Maron’s assertion that with podcasting he can do anything he wants, alluding to the fact that having written and starred in his own off-Broadway show as well as doing stand up for years, he was already doing anything he wanted.
No matter what form of mainstream media you choose to be a part of, whether it be writing and performing in an original play, creating your own sitcom and starring in it, touring in your own comedy tour, there are parameters to how much of it is truly YOURS and how much you are ‘bound’ to expectations of the medium and others involved with its execution, something Rosanne Barr candidly drives home in her NY Mag article. In podcasting, these parameters are not there. As Mr. Maron says in the quote above “I can sit there and just emote for 10 minutes, I could cry for 10 minutes.” It really is HIS show.
This freedom not only allows Mr. Maron to experiment, improvise, and follow his instincts fully but because he is, he reflects back to other performers, producers, and every day folks that they can do it too. There are no boundaries. You can do what you want, in the way that you want to do it, AND you can change your mind.
KEY: The clearer the podcaster is at fully being herself, expressing herself, failing and succeeding the more it allows her audience/fans/fellow artists to engage, create and grow in *this new media*.
Media Innovation
Since one is able to freely create content without context, it follows that podcasting would naturally grow, evolve and change. Although podcasting hasn’t really been around for too long, it’s already grown in vast amount of ways. As much as podcasting brings about the incredible talent of the every-man, whether it be independent businesses, original episodic series, education, entertainment, or insightful criticism, it’s also being employed by bigger media sources more and more consistently.
The growth of portable consumption devices, whether it be iOS devices, smartphones, tablets, etc, are simply going to allow podcasters to find new and innovative ways to publish their content and align with their optimal audience.
Podcasters, have you found this to be true?
Why have you chosen to podcast?
Do you feel podcasting is as great as Marc Maron believes it to be?
Let us know in the comments!
PS
BTW, Marc Maron just shot a presentation pilot with the amazing Ed Asner playing his father 🙂 Guess the inspiration just keeps growing and growing! UPDATE Marc now how his own TV Show called “Maron” which airs on IFC Fridays at 10/9c.
If you’d like to be part of the growing community of mighty podcasters like Marc Maron, do what he did, start podcasting with libsyn 🙂 and if you wanna take it to the next level rock out your podcast with a smartphone app. You can sign-up HERE!
Podcast Hall of Famer, co-founder of She Podcasts, podcasting advocate, pundit + mentor. Co-host + producer of The Feed and Libsyn’s Community Expert.
