The intimate nature and wide variety of topics offered by podcasts are appealing to Singaporeans.
By Fitrah Amin
“Podcasts have matured in the West and [are] coming to Asia in a huge way,” said Sujimy Mohamad, a media professional and host of his own Malay podcast, Diari Ayah (Dad’s Diary).
According to a study by Reuters Institute, Singapore currently ranks 4th in Asia in podcast consumption and continues to show promising growth.
“I think we are just beginning to see the curve going up in terms of listenership and I believe [podcasts] will stay for a very long time until the next fragmented platform arrives,” said Sujimy.
He explained how mainstream media has fragmented its audience through its creation of separate channels for different niches. "There's Animal Planet, Discovery Channel, History Channel, there’s [even] pure entertainment channels and news channels."
The audience has been broken up into their respective interests and the generalised content discussed on radio no longer works as well it once did. Conversely, podcasts offer targeted discussions on topics that appeal to their own niche audiences.
Especially in recent years, the local podcast landscape has seen both youths and media professionals alike taking the leap into starting their own podcasts.
One such example is Bradley Reuben Jacob, a student and host of his own self-produced podcast, The Juice, which he began in May of last year.
“I started [The Juice] as I wanted to share my personal stories and make people smile,” said the 21-year-old Ngee Ann Polytechnic student.
With an average of over 300 monthly listeners, The Juice is targeted towards youths aged 16 to 24 years old and discusses a wide variety of youth-centric topics, including relationships, fashion and more.
Bradley believes that youths find podcasts more relatable than YouTube videos due to the personal and intimate style of presenting that it offers.
“Since most people weren’t doing podcasts [in 2020], I thought of trying something different,” said Bradley.
He likens the podcast experience to listening in on a conversation and even admits to seeking inspiration from his daily banter with friends.
Joshua Simon shares similar sentiments. “I have done YouTube before but I like how intimate the podcast medium is,” said the Kiss 92 DJ, “you get some insight in people’s lives or you get to delve into a topic you’re interested in.”
Joshua is among the many radio DJs who are hopping on the podcast trend. He started The SG Boys podcast in November last year, which he hosts alongside Kennede Sng and Sam Jo. The podcast, which discusses topics surrounding the LGBTQ+ community, is an outlet for Joshua to discuss subjects that are not allowed on free-to-air radio due to Singapore’s strict broadcasting rules.
The freedom to start a podcast without much cost and to discuss topics that are off-limits via broadcast are reasons Joshua loves this medium.
“If everyone had a microphone, [imagine] the kind of incredible conversations that we would have, the kind of stories that would finally come to life,” said Joshua.
He is glad that podcasts are a growing medium in Singapore, which is often perceived to be made up of a “very introverted, closed-up population”.
However, while he does encourage others to begin podcasts of their own, Joshua believes that “with a microphone comes responsibility”, especially when it comes to discussing topics that are considered taboo such as those revolving around sexuality. “You have to be a lot more sensitive with how you deliver it and understand that your one experience does not sum up everyone else's. It’s not as simple as just having loose lips and saying whatever you want.”
Joshua does not recommend using shock tactics when touching on taboo and controversial topics as he believes that doing so can cause the audience to become even more averse to the topic.
The freedom to discuss taboo topics is one of the main charms of podcasts; both for the producers and consumers of this trend.
“Compared to radio, topics discussed on podcasts are a lot more unfiltered and relatable,” said 19-year-old Alissa Syafiq, one of the many avid podcast listeners in Singapore.
Alissa finds the freedom to discuss topics that are normally considered taboo by mainstream media “refreshing and gives podcasts an added advantage over radio”. She cites topics surrounding the LGBTQ+ community and mental health as important and necessary conversations to have.
The on-demand nature of podcasts means that podcast fans like Alissa can listen to whatever they want, whenever they want. Whether they discuss something light like pop culture, or heavier like mental health, podcasts offer something for everyone.
“Podcasts provide us the platform to spark important conversations. Perhaps the role of podcasts goes beyond just entertainment,” said Alissa.
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