Digital Preservation: A New Podcast and National Series of Workshops on Podcast Preservation Launches Next Week

Ed. Note: We first posted about the VERY important “Preserve this Podcast” project on on February 5, 2019 when the organization shared findings from a survey and also released a zine/workbook featuring podcast preservation best practices.

From METRO:

The Metropolitan New York Library Council (METRO)​, a non-profit organization providing research, programming, and organizational tools for libraries, archives, and museums, has launched a new podcast about podcast preservation aptly titled ​Preserve This Podcast​. The launch of the show also coincides with a nationwide ​series of workshops​ covering the same topic.

An estimated ​90 million Americans​, about 28% of the population, are listening to podcasts monthly. Apple Podcasts provides access to over ​400,000 shows in over 100 languages, and it receives over 1000 new​ ​show submissions every week​. The rise in listener growth has been accompanied by major developments in the podcast industry. Spotify recently acquired Gimlet Media for $230 million, and a new company called Luminary is gunning to become the “Netflix of podcasting.”

But as a newer medium, podcasts are at risk of following in the footsteps of other audio and video media that have ​lost large archives of content from their early days​. ​Preserve This Podcast​ addresses the threat of digital decay and spotlights individual producers as they learn and implement a series of best practices designed to help them preserve their podcasts for future generations.

“We’ve seen how changes in the industry – from the monetization of hosting and distribution services to the acquisition or dissolution of content production departments – can affect the availability and continued existence of podcast content,” says ​Preserve This Podcast​ host and producer, Molly Schwartz. “And with the launch of our podcast and workshops we hope to empower podcast producers and address what is an increasingly urgent issue.”

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Featured podcasts include:

Historically Queer​: Community historian Alice Y. Hom presents stories of queer activism by people of color through the years.

An Arm and a Leg:​ ​​Reporter Dan Weissman delivers revealing and entertaining stories about the spiraling cost of healthcare in America.

Spirits​: History geeks Amanda McLoughlin and Julia Schifini take a boozy look at mythology, legends and folklore from around the world, offering fresh takes on classic tales.

The Oldest Profession​: Comedian Kaytlin Bailey details the storied history of the world’s oldest profession and the sex workers who shape society.

The first episode of P​reserve This Podcast ​launches March 21, 2019​. Subsequent episodes will be published on Thursday every other week.

The​ first workshop​ will be held at the ​Metropolitan New York Library Council​ on Friday, March 22.

Direct to Complete Announcement

Resources

Listen Online to a Preview of the Podcast: “Prologue—Podcasts are Disappearing”

Direct to ​Preserve This Podcast​ Website
Includes dates/locations of all workshops. 

See Also: Preserve This Podcast! Releases “Podcast Preservation Survey” Findings (February 5, 2019)

Filed under: Archives and Special Collections, Digital Preservation, Libraries, News, Podcasts, Preservation