UNITED STATES—I do not know how to say this, but it seems like everyone and their mother nowadays has a podcast. Before the pandemic, there were some, but during the pandemic it just seemed to explode because nobody had anything to do. Today, you literally ask someone what they do and the first thing that is going to come out of their mouth is the fact that they have a podcast.
I am going to say something that might be controversial, but I don’t care. Just because you can run your mouth nonstop doesn’t mean everyone wants to listen to you. I’m still trying to see how so many people get approval for podcasts, because so many of them seem to be a direct result of reality TV personalities thinking the world wants to hear what they have to say.
We like you on reality TV, we don’t necessarily care what you have to say about everything else in the world that is taking place. There are those who are podcasters who have a knack for it and they shine when they talk. They are good at what they do and it shows with their podcast. Today, you shove a microphone in front of someone’s face and they think, “Oh, I can absolutely be a podcaster and people will want to hear what I have to say.”
Says who exactly? That is the problem today a vast majority of the podcasts are all about pop culture or society. People want to chat about the hot button issues and talk about them on a public forum, we already have something for that, it was a show that debuted nearly 20 years ago thanks to Barbara Walters called “The View.” That led to a spinoff of other talk shows and celebrities doing the same thing, with a new name to make it stand out a bit more.
It is worrisome because it makes you wonder what we’re saying to Gen Z, millennials and the current generation of kids. If the goal is not to be an influencer (which it seems everyone is doing more than they should), they are focusing energies on starting their own podcast. It raises the question, why? Do you have such a unique perspective that it stands out from everyone else? Are you thinking you’re that influential that you’re about to amass such a large audience that your voice won’t be denied. I would argue in the past it was much easier to do the podcast thing, but not everyone had one. The fact that literally everyone has one makes it less possible.
I wonder how all these celebrities and reality TV personnel and everyday Americans are making money on podcasts. Like who is paying you? I know you can have advertisers pay to have their products promoted on the podcast, but it’s not the same and TV advertising or visual ads. When I hear an ad, it does not and has never pushed me to say I want to purchase or inquire about a product. It just doesn’t move me, and I guess there are others in the world where it catches their attention a lot easier people.
What happened to the days that people wanted to have a career? To be a teacher, to be a police officer, to be a lawyer, to be an accountant, a realtor, a business, hell even an actor, but nope. The top jobs are either podcasting or social media influencer today and its slightly a shame to a degree because not everyone can be successful at it. An influencer is simply paid to push a product that not many of them even use. When it comes to podcasting, if you can talk everyone thinks they can do it, but the reality is, not everyone has the gift of gab like think. The harsh reality is they’ll learn a lot sooner than later.
Written By Jason Jones
