Podcasting During Wartime
How should podcasters deal with the War with Iran? Consider these Five E's.
Greetings from America’s wartime capital.
Washington, D.C. now stands for the District of Craziness.
Since starting my new job at a major news outlet here, I’ve covered the U.S. Supreme Court striking down President Trump’s tariffs, the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunging more than 1,300 points in a matter of minutes, the price of oil racing toward $100 a barrel, and a shocking report that saw the U.S. economy lose 92,000 jobs.
Oh. And there’s the War with Iran.
How should podcasters handle the conflict? Should you mention it? Should you ignore it?
Naturally, if you have a podcast on knitting in the Leisure category, please ignore the war. No one looking for advice on the purl stitch wants to hear about the conflict.
Still, if you publish in the News, Society & Culture, Business, History or Government category, there’s definitely an opportunity to build a bond with your listeners and viewers.
You should consider which one of these Five E’s applies to your podcast:
Embrace - If you have a News or Government podcast, this is your time to shine. Acknowledge the military conflict. Cover the major players involved. Offer regular updates on key moments. Provide analysis of timely events. Become a destination for your listeners yearning for more information.
Educate - Book guests who will raise the IQ of your listeners and viewers. This is a golden opportunity for History or Society & Culture podcasts especially. Find that superstar author or clear-spoken professor who can provide perspective on America’s checkered relationship with Iran.
Enlighten - Offer your fans something different. Offer a sparkling nugget they cannot find elsewhere. Maybe develop a special segment. If you have a Business podcast, this is your chance to offer vital financial insights. Gas prices are starting to soar already as oil flirts with $100 a barrel. With modest economic growth and rising prices, America could enter a period of stagflation. What will happen to the U.S. economy? Will businesses stop hiring? How will this play out in your hometown?
Emote - If this war drags on, emotions will start to rise. More dead soldiers will come home. We will see stories about grieving families. And we will hear from pissed off protestors. Give your listeners and viewers a chance to sound off. Set up a special voicemail for your fans to call so they can vent. Ask them to submit short vertical videos. Let military families share their grief and concerns.
Escape - If you have a Sports or Comedy podcast, this is an opportunity to offer shelter from the storm, as Bob Dylan signs. How can you build a treehouse that rises above the chaotic news cycle? Give your listeners a safe place to go during these stressful times.
Editor’s Note: Are you heading to the NAB Show in Las Vegas next month? I’m moderating an all-star panel on Hot Digital Trends: Video, Podcasts and AI on Tuesday, April 21. So let’s find time to catch up. More information coming soon!
In podcasting since 2006, John Wordock served as Executive Editor & SVP for Podcasting at Westwood One from 2019 to 2024. He also worked as Executive Producer for Podcasts at The Wall Street Journal until 2019. He now works at WTOP in Washington, D.C. as a business reporter and multimedia journalist. You can contact him here.