Over 50 Covid-19 podcasts launched in one week; from network to personal

Yesterday we reported on three new measurements of podcast  listening during the shelter-at-home phase of the coronavirus emergency. (See them: Podtrac, Acast, Voxnest.)

Today, we dive into podcast creation in the stay-at-home era. Fifty-four new podcasts have been started in one week, measured from 9:00pm ET yesterday. These are English-language podcasts emanating from anywhere in the world. (Most seem to be U.S. shows.)

Most of the newly launched shows are individual efforts, many of them socially distanced folks at home. At the same time, some established media brands and networks have joined the launch frenzy, including:

  • RNZ, public radio New Zealand (Coronavirus Podcast)
  • WUNC, North Carolina Publica Radio (Tested)
  • Sports Illustrated (Coronavirus + Sports)
  • KXBG FM (Sadie is a Hypochondriac)
  • Bauer Media (Love in the Time of Corona)
  • University of Calgary (COVIDcast)
  • Christianity Today (Prayer Amid Pandemic)

Others include producers identified with first names only (Sudden Onset Homeschool by Jody) and many other individuals identifed by name. All but nine of the new shows have published more than one episode. Four of the new shows are published by AutoPodcasts, an AI voice generator which auto-voices text — it is posting episodes which itemize new coronavirus cases in Canada, Australia, U.S., and Italy.

 

Brad Hill