As a friend
Nic Newman, senior research associate at the Reuters Institute for Journalism Studies, points out that news podcasts "remain a bright spot for newspaper publishers, attracting a young, highly educated audience." Podcasts are seen by news organizations as a growth area, with a January 2024 Reuters Institute survey showing that newspaper publishers "will prioritize video , podcasts, and newsletters as growth areas."
Podcasts are a bright spot for publishers. (Photo: GT)
The Tuoi Tre newspaper's podcast channel launched in June 2022 – and since then, this audio information channel has been growing rapidly and attracting many listeners. According to journalist Le Xuan Trung, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Tuoi Tre newspaper, podcasts are an important channel in the newspaper's digital ecosystem. Tuoi Tre not only provides timely and up-to-date news content to the public but also introduces, shares, and tells them many thematic stories about careers, family, health, sports , or local specialties through podcasts.
Journalist Le Xuan Trung argues that in today's rapidly changing society, podcasts play the role of a friend, creating a sense of closeness. The sound, voice, and emotional expression through speech help to enhance intimacy. Podcasts are often listened to alone, through headphones or in personal spaces such as cars, creating a private space without the need to stare intently at a screen.
The convenience of radio is one of its strengths, perfectly suited to the characteristics of the modern media audience, who have very little time to follow the news but want to be quickly and fully informed. As society becomes wealthier and more developed, people have more things to worry about and deal with within their daily time. Therefore, the time available for receiving new information is also affected.
"By subscribing to Tuoi Tre Newspaper's Podcast channel, readers can catch up on all the noteworthy news of the day from Vietnam and around the world without having to 'read'," journalist Le Xuan Trung said.
To create an engaging podcast that attracts listeners, the Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Tuoi Tre Newspaper emphasizes the importance of the title. A podcast title should highlight the topic; unlike the title of a short news article, podcast titles can be richer in detail.
"In addition, focusing on trending news needs to be emphasized. We assign young people to work on our podcasts to target young readers and listeners, serving and attracting a younger audience. They will follow trending topics as a way to reach a wider audience," said the Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Tuoi Tre Newspaper.
The new page of Tuoi Tre newspaper at podcast.tuoitre.vn was launched in June 2022 to diversify content and distribution channels to reach the public in the online space.
Tuyen Quang Online Newspaper – a local newspaper leading the way in applying technology to journalism – has been using podcasts as a primary information channel to attract and connect with readers. Journalist Viet Hoa, Head of the Online Department at Tuyen Quang Newspaper, stated that due to changing circumstances, needs, and methods of accessing information in the digital age, media outlets must strive to adapt both their communication methods and processes to best meet the needs of the modern public. The rise of radio broadcasting in this modern context is a prime example.
To keep up with trends and attract readers, the Tuyen Quang Online Newspaper's Podcast channel was created with the goal of bringing official information from the Party, the State, and the province to a wide audience, adding another channel to access the local Party newspaper. In addition, the Tuyen Quang Newspaper also publishes special features on stories about everyday life.
"We don't create podcasts in the usual way of doing news reporting. Instead, we choose thought-provoking, emotional topics about issues that breathe life, the sounds of life around us, simple and close to people," journalist Viet Hoa shared.
Increase podcast views by combining it with video.
Modern podcasts have expanded beyond the traditional audio-only format, becoming a multimedia product known as video podcasts. Video podcasts, also known as "vodcasts," combine both audio and visual content, allowing viewers to not only listen but also watch the produced content.
The Reuters Institute for Journalism Studies' 2024 Digital News Report indicates that many of the most popular podcasts are now filmed and distributed through video platforms like YouTube and TikTok, "further blurring the lines between podcasts and video."
Regarding vodcasts, Mr. Phan Van Tu, Head of the Journalism Department, Faculty of Journalism and Communication, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ho Chi Minh City, said that many local radio and television stations have exploited this format in producing hour-long dialogue programs on digital platforms.
With a podcast, the media audience sees the host, guests, and even the visual effects, charts, or slides used during the presentation, but the main content of the product remains a radio program.
"Vodcasts offer an additional layer of experience for listeners/viewers, allowing them to receive information through both sight and sound. With podcasts, some of the target audiences of traditional radio programs are expanded. Video podcasts allow for the delivery of complex content in a more understandable way, thereby increasing the value of the message being conveyed," said Mr. Phan Van Tu, M.Sc.
Vodcasts have revolutionized how audiences consume content by combining the best of video and audio. (Image: podcastrocket)
To excel in this format, according to Mr. Phan Van Tu, reporters and editors need to hone their television production skills as well as their social media product promotion skills.
Broadcasting today relies more than just a recording device as its primary production tool; it utilizes multimedia equipment. Multimedia capabilities encompass the ability to create, edit, and distribute content across a variety of formats and media channels, from audio and text to images, video, and interactive content. Multimedia content captures attention and encourages listener engagement, thereby strengthening the relationship between the journalist and the audience.
Lecturer Phan Van Tu emphasized the importance of headline writing: "When we produce an elaborate and engaging radio report but the headline is unappealing and the featured image is unattractive, we inadvertently 'drive away' our listeners. They won't click to listen/play the content; they will simply skip over it because they have so many other options online today." He added that good headline writing skills also contribute to optimizing content for SEO. In other words, attractive headlines and high-quality introductions help optimize content for search engines, thereby increasing views and spreading information.
Images or graphics that serve as thumbnails—representative images of a work—not only make the content more visually appealing, helping to convey the message clearly and powerfully, but also play a role in attracting listeners at first glance on digital platforms.
In addition, Mr. Phan Van Tu, M.Sc., suggested that modern reporters and editors also need to hone their viral skills – the ability to spread information online, knowing how to apply digital marketing tactics and techniques to widely disseminate content, including using hashtags, interacting with audiences through comments, and sharing content on social media platforms.
Hoa Giang
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/podcast--cach-tiep-can-than-thien-cua-doc-gia-va-huong-di-tro-thanh-mot-san-pham-da-phuong-tien-post308490.html
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