Extra: Emma Turner, from the Independent Podcast Awards

Emma shares exciting news about the upcoming Independent Podcast Forum on June 16th at 21 Soho in London—a full-day event designed specifically to combat what she calls "the lonely sport" of podcasting. For solo creators who can't always find understanding from non-podcasting friends and family, this gathering promises expert insights and invaluable peer connections. The forum emerged directly from attendee feedback at previous awards ceremonies, where creators consistently valued being surrounded by others who truly understand their unique challenges.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
The Pod News Weekly Review with Buzzsprout.
Start podcasting, keeppodcasting.

Speaker 2 (00:09):
I'm joined today by Emma Turner.
Emma is part of the ImpendentPodcast Awards.
Emma hello, how are you?

Speaker 1 (00:16):
Hi, Sam, I'm very well thanks.
How are you doing?

Speaker 2 (00:19):
Very well Now.
We were passing ships at theUniPodFfest this weekend, but we
didn't really connect.
How was the Uni Podfest for you?

Speaker 1 (00:28):
Oh, I really loved it .
Nina's done such a great job ofstarting that event something
to aspire to and so I think thesessions were great, really
engaging speakers.
I was a big fan of thegirlfriend session with Anna, so
, yeah, a great day.

Speaker 2 (00:41):
Yeah, I enjoyed it as well and, as you say,
congratulations to Nina Robinsonfor the third year running.
Now let's get back to yourawards.
You've got the IndependentPodcast Awards.
What are they and why do youneed an Independent Podcast
Awards?

Speaker 1 (00:55):
Well, they are, as the name says, awards for
independent podcasters.
They're in their third year now, and we launched them back in
2023.
Independent podcasters they'rein their third year now and we
launched them back in 2023.
It was kind of off the back ofa conversation that Em from
Verbal Diorama had with SimonBrew from Film Stories about how
there's quite a lot of podcastawards out there, but often the
smaller shows get overlooked,and so one thing led to another,

(01:19):
and then we launched the awardsto try and do something about
that.
So here we are, three yearslater.

Speaker 2 (01:25):
Yeah, James and I went to the last awards.
They were really well done.
Congratulations to everyoneinvolved.

Speaker 1 (01:31):
Thank you.

Speaker 2 (01:31):
There's some amazing winners out of that.
Now you've also just announcedthe Independent Podcast Forum.
What's that?

Speaker 1 (01:43):
It's going to be a small one-day event for indie
creators to come together andlearn from experts from the
industry, but also to learn fromeach other as well.
This sort of came off the backof feedback from attendees from
the awards and how much theyloved just being in a room with
people like them.
As many solo podcasters know,it can be a really lonely sport
at times.
So being with people that gothrough the same things because

(02:04):
you know it's one thing talkingto your partner, but if they're
not a podcaster themselves, theystill don't really understand
what it's like know that feelingwell.
Know that feeling well so thisis a chance for people to come
together, talk about what theydo, find out how they could
potentially do things better and, yeah, hear from some excellent
speakers too so what is thedate for this independent forum?

(02:27):
It's taking place on Monday,the 16th of June, at 21 Soho in
central London, and it's runningfrom about 9 30 till 5, and
there'll be some drinksafterwards as well, so even more
time to chat.

Speaker 2 (02:42):
And if I wanted to register or I wanted to come
along, what would I do?

Speaker 1 (02:46):
You would go to our website
independentpodcastawardscom, andthere's information about both
the forum and entering theawards, so everything's all in
one place, making it nice andeasy and, as you said, entering
the awards, what's the entrydate and what's the actual date
of the awards then?
The deadline for entries is the2nd of june, which is a monday,

(03:06):
so it gives you that lastweekend to get everything
together, and the awardsthemselves are going to take
place on the 15th of October,back at King's Place in London.

Speaker 2 (03:15):
Nice Judges.
Who's judging it this year?
How do judges get involved?
What do they need to do?

Speaker 1 (03:21):
Well, it's an open call for judges.
If people would like to getinvolved, then please do get in
touch with me.
My email address is all overthe website.
And, yeah, we've had a mix ofpeople that have been podcasting
for years, people that juststarted doing it.
A nice array of judges, but wewant lots of people from
different backgrounds, differentvoices, looking for different

(03:42):
things as well, so please do getin touch and get involved now?

Speaker 2 (03:46):
is it as expensive as entering the british podcast
awards?
Do I have to pay a gazillionquid, find, find sponsors and
give you a gold bar of bullion?
What do I need to do?

Speaker 1 (03:57):
No, we try to keep our costs as minimal as possible
.
Obviously, life is expensiveright now and lots of these
people are doing it themselves.
They don't have a company topay for them.
So the cost to enter is £35 forthe first entry and then, if
you want to enter a couple ofother categories, they're £5
each after that, and we've got afew free to enter categories as
well, which are best podcastartwork, best jingle and a new

(04:21):
one for this year best use ofvideo, because lots of people
are starting to dip their toe inthe water in terms of video
podcasting, so we just want tosee what people are up to and
reward those that are doing itwell.

Speaker 2 (04:33):
I was going to ask you about video and new
categories, but you beat me toit, do you, or will you?
Now here's a controversial oneWill you use a category for AI?
Some people say having an AIvoice is not very creative, or
maybe having AI artwork is notvery creative, and other people
sit on the other side of thefence, so that's very creative.

(04:55):
So where do you sit?

Speaker 1 (04:57):
That's a really tricky question.
I think that if you candemonstrate why you're using it
and how you're using it anddoing it, but still being
creative, then I think it's okay.
But it's so open to openinterpretation, isn't it?
Lots of people have veryMarmite views on it, so I think
it's demonstrating to the judgeshow you're using it and why,

(05:20):
and then it's kind of down tothem to decide, and it takes it
out of my hands.

Speaker 2 (05:27):
Yes, I was watching that shoulder slope nicely.
Someone else's decision, notmine.

Speaker 1 (05:35):
But, having said that , we're actually going to be
using AI ourselves because witheach entry the entrants get
feedback from the judges, butthat will be using an AI tool to
pull together reports on eachentry to send out.
So I'm definitely not anti-AI.

Speaker 2 (05:52):
Excellent, emma.
Thank you so much.
Look again.
Quick reminder what's thewebsite?
Where do I go?

Spe (05:58):
Independentpodcastawardscom and everything about the forum
and the awards will be there foryou.

Speaker 2 (06:03):
Lovely Speak to you soon.

Speaker 1 (06:05):
Brilliant.
Thank you.
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