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PODCAST · education

The BBC Academy Podcast

by BBC Radio

Essential listening for the broadcast production, journalism and technology communities. Your guide to everything from editorial and craft skills to taking your next step in the industry. Practical advice on all aspects of TV, radio, journalism.

Publisher-supplied feed metadata · PodParley refreshed Apr 14, 2026 · Source feed

Episodes

  1. Minipods – Smartphone journalism episode five: Audio

    Everything from mics and cables to acoustics and technique, BBC Academy Trainer, Marc Settle, shares advice on how to get that perfect recording every time. Dur: 18’40” Presented by Marc Settle. Produced by Sam Upton.

  2. Minipods – Smartphone journalism episode four: Video part 2

    Lighting, stability and zooming are the focus for BBC Academy trainer, Marc Settle. There’s more to filming great video than just pointing and shooting. Dur: 14’19” Presented by Marc Settle. Produced by Sam Upton.

  3. Minipods – Smartphone journalism episode three: Video part 1

    From frame rate, file size and aspect ratio to audio and accessories, before you start the camera rolling, make sure you’re properly prepared. BBC Academy trainer, Marc Settle, considers the set-up you need. Dur: 19’33” Presented by Marc Settle. Produced by Sam Upton.

  4. Minipods – Smartphone journalism episode two: Photos

    Covering focus, exposure, composition and much more, BBC Academy expert Marc Settle shares his tips and tricks for the perfect picture. Dur: 22’12” Presented by Marc Settle. Produced by Sam Upton.

  5. Minipods – Smartphone journalism episode one: Settings

    From battery, storage and connectivity to accessories and apps, be sure to get the most out of your smartphone by setting it up properly. BBC Academy trainer, Marc Settle shows you how. Dur 17’37” Presented by Marc Settle. Produced by Sam Upton.

  6. Podcastology episode fifteen: Is video the new audio?

    As large percentages of younger audiences come to podcasts via YouTube, we ask, is video the new audio? The line between video and podcasts has become blurry in recent years. It's getting harder to say that a podcast is an ‘audio only’ thing. People have been uploading video recordings of their...

  7. Podcastology episode sixteen: New formats, new voices

    In this episode of Podcastology, we’ll discover some of the ground-breaking new formats pushing the boundaries of what podcasts can do. Often, these innovations come from voices and communities who don’t always get heard. We find out who they are, and how they are taking podcasts in exciting new...

  8. Podcastology episode fourteen: How to win an award

    What are the magic ingredients judges are looking for - and do they even exist?? Well, yes, according to awards judges. But how do you quantify them? And what do you need to think about if you are setting out to make an outstanding podcast? We’re joined by people who know the answers to some of...

  9. Podcastology episode thirteen: Going local

    This sounds like a contradiction - after all, you can listen to podcasts anywhere, and the most successful podcasts have a universal appeal. But, all stories come from somewhere, and as we discover, being rooted in a local patch can bring a real richness to your podcast. There is also a growing...

  10. Podcastology episode twelve: Future directions

    We’ll look at where the medium is now, and where we think it's headed. We consider the future of podcasting, and what's coming next. What does the growing Gen Z audience want? Can technology make listening a more personal, tailored experience? Will your next podcast be presented by a bot? With…

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  11. Vicarious trauma in journalism and the media

    This podcast tackles sensitive and distressing subject matter, including discussion about extremist groups, suicide bombings, chemical attacks and trauma. You don't have to directly visit a traumatic scene to be affected by it. Vicarious trauma affects those viewing or hearing disturbing material...

  12. Peer support: Opening up about mental health

    When our mental health is fragile at work it can often be difficult to know who to talk to, where to get help or just find someone to listen without judgement. It can be helpful to talk to someone who understands the pressures of the work environment but isn't necessarily a close friend or team...

  13. The menopause: How you can support colleagues

    How comfortable are you talking about the menopause at work? Given that 70% of those going through menopausal changes are employed and one in ten of those under 45 have symptoms, chances are a colleague or a member of your team may be experiencing it right now. In this episode, part of the…

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  14. Minipods – Interviewing episode six: Audience

    Never forget your audience is there. On occasion you can use them to your advantage to challenge the position of an interviewee. In this minipod, BBC TV and Radio Presenter and Academy Interviewing coach, Julian Worricker explains how the audience can be your invisible fan club. This is the sixth...

  15. Minipods – Interviewing episode five: Layers

    Forensic listening allows you to respond to your interviewees’ questions and delve deeper into the story, peeling back the layers of an argument as you do so. In this Minipod, BBC TV and Radio Presenter and Academy Interviewing coach, Julian Worricker, gives the low-down on digging into the…

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  16. Minipods – Interviewing episode four: Answers

    If you’ve done your research the chances are that you’ll already have a rough idea of what your interviewee is going to say. In this minipod, BBC TV and Radio Presenter and Academy Interviewing coach, Julian Worricker shares his tips on how to prepare for what your interviewee might say. This is...

  17. Minipods – Interviewing episode three: Questions

    A confident interviewer needn’t ask long questions. Be curious and wear your knowledge lightly. In this minipod BBC TV and Radio Presenter and Academy Interviewing coach, Julian Worricker, talks about how to frame your questions and to know when to hold back. This is the third in a series of...

  18. Minipods – Interviewing episode two: Listening

    Pay attention! Listening really carefully to your interviewee can give you the clues you need to unlock whole new areas for discussion. BBC TV and Radio Presenter and Academy Interviewing coach, Julian Worricker shows how really paying attention can pay off. This is the second in a series of...

  19. Minipods – Interviewing episode one: Focus

    Want to be a more confident interviewer and get the best from your interviewees? BBC TV and Radio Presenter and Academy Interviewing coach, Julian Worricker shows how focusing on what you want from an interview can make all the difference. This is the first in a series of minipods on Interviewing...

  20. Minipods - Audio storytelling episode five: Writing

    Good writing connects you to your listeners, grabs their attention and makes them remember your story. BBC Academy trainer, Sam Upton, shares some tips to take your writing to the next level. This is the fourth in a series of minipods on audio storytelling, where Sam shares some insider tricks…

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  21. Minipods - Audio storytelling episode four: The stand up

    Let your listener experience what’s happening, as it happens, and give extra magic to your storytelling with a stand-up. Academy trainer, Sam Upton, explains how the stand-up can lend your piece an extra dimension. This is the fourth in a series of minipods on audio storytelling, where Sam shares...

  22. Minipods - Audio storytelling episode three: Sense of place

    When you’re tell a story on location, do all you can to take your listener with you. In this minipod, BBC Academy trainer, Sam Upton, shares tips for using writing, sound and stand-ups to give that vital sense of place to your podcast or radio package. This is the third in a series of minipods...

  23. Minipods - Audio storytelling episode two: Using sound

    If you don’t use sound to help tell your audio story you make it easier for your listener to “tune out”. Sound can give detail, create atmosphere, act as punctuation, vary texture and more. But how much sound is enough? Listen to find out as BBC Academy audio trainer, Sam Upton, explores the many...

  24. Minipods - Audio storytelling episode one: Planning

    Want to bring stardust to your audio storytelling? In this minipod BBC Academy trainer Sam Upton shares some insider tricks and tips that'll help enhance your radio package, montage or podcast. In this first episode Sam explains how planning your piece can give extra depth to your story. With...

  25. Podcastology episode eleven: Thinking strategy

    How audience insights can guide your podcast planning

  26. Podcastology episode ten: From mic to ear

    The backstage technical wizardry that brings your podcast to your ear

  27. Podcastology episode nine: Political pods

    How to talk about politics – and entertain as well

  28. Podcastology episode six: Future directions

    Eli Sessions talks to Louise Kattenhorn, commissioning executive for the BBC pop hub network, Lloyd Shepherd, Head of Product at BBC Sounds, and Emmanuella Kwenorty, who develops podcasts for BBC Sounds. Where do they think the world of podcasts is heading, and how is technology changing the way…

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  29. Podcastology episode seven: Unfiltered conversations

    In this episode Eli Sessions finds out how to keep conversations natural, with Hannah Hufford, producer of No Country for Young Women, and Sally Heaven, who produces Evil Genius.

  30. Podcastology episode eight: Box sets

    In this episode Eli Sessions looks at those beautifully crafted podcasts that tell dramatic stories in depth. He speaks to Rami Tzaber, the editor behind 13 Minutes to the Moon – which told the story of the moon landing in intimate detail – and the commissioner who made it happen, Jon Manel, the...

  31. Podcastology episode one: What makes a podcast a hit?

    In the first of a five-part series on podcasting, Miranda explains: - what makes podcasts distinct from radio programmes - how the role of the presenter is different from that on radio - the typical situation of the listener – on a commute, listening through headphones - how to create a different...

  32. Podcastology episode two: What the BBC is looking for in a podcast

    In part two of our podcasting series, hear from Jason Phipps, commissioning editor for podcasts at the BBC, and Louise Kattenhorn, commissioning editor for BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra.

  33. Podcastology episode three: How to produce a podcast

    Georgia Catt is a producer in BBC radio documentaries, who has made an award-winning podcast, Missing, for the Untold series. She also produced Fortunately with Fi Glover and Jane Garvey. Emma Conneely is a producer in the BBC’s podcast team, responsible for getting podcasts published and…

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  34. Podcastology episode four: Finding an audience for your podcast

    Promoting a podcast can mean anything from creating an audiogram – a clip from the podcast to promote on social media - to making other digital assets such as quizzes or articles to place online and draw attention to the podcast. According to Rhian, promotion at the start of other podcasts…

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  35. Podcastology episode five: Behind the scenes on two top BBC podcasts

    This episode of the Podcastology series includes a discussion about You, Me and the Big C. We recorded it before the death of Rachael Bland. Although the first podcast featured in this episode is about sports – but ranges much wider than that – and the second is about cancer, for Mike, what…

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  36. Essential kit for the field producer

    What production kit should you take when producing radio content in the field? Join BBC Academy trainer Sam Upton and newsgathering field producer Tom Quinn as they talk about what sort of equipment you need for radio production in the field. In this podcast you’ll find everything from: - what…

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  37. Man Like Mobeen

    BBC Three's new comedy Man Like Mobeen has made a big impact through social media. BBC Birmingham director Joe Godwin spoke to executive producer Ben Cavey, as well as star and co-writer Guz Khan, to find out about the making of the programme. Man Like Mobeen is set in Small Heath, Birmingham.…

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  38. From memoir to movie: the story behind the Boy with the Topknot

    The BBC Two drama The Boy with the Topknot was based on a true story. That made the jobs of its writer, producer and director all the more complicated as they worked with actors, commissioners and those who are represented on screen. The 90 minute film the Boy with the Topknot, shown on BBC Two,...

  39. How do they make the Archers?

    It's been running continuously since 1951, comes in 12 and a half minute episodes and was originally billed as "an everyday story of country folk". It's sandwiched between bursts of the unforgettable Barwick Green theme (dum de dum de dum de dum; dum de dum de dum dum). The Archers is a national...

  40. Inside daytime television: Ideas, reveals and hard work

    Daytime television was once thought of as the nursery slopes of a TV career. Today its complex formats and production requirements are seen by many as more challenging than peak-time programming. “You will learn more making a daytime show than any other.”– Rachel Innes-Lumsden Smaller teams,...

  41. Data Journalism: More important than ever?

    In an era where fake news is fashionable, data can help distinguish the facts from the fiction. But how do you interrogate a spreadsheet and hold the data to account? And how can journalists use data to find stories? The BBC has placed the "interrogation of data" at the heart of its annual plan…

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  42. Cyber-security: How to protect yourself online

    With more and more cyber-attacks in the headlines, including this year's NHS attack, BBC Information security specialist Andrea Walker and BBC News technology broadcast journalist Chris Foxx cut through the jargon to show you how to defend yourself against online threats. "We have to keep our...

  43. How to get a job: Women in technology

    The BBC wants more women to apply for engineering jobs but the advice given at a recent BBC Design & Engineering event could be useful to everyone. In this podcast you’ll hear: - what it’s like to work at the BBC - tips on how to approach a job application - thoughts about changing career…

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  44. VR and 360 video: The path to popularity

    Virtual reality (VR) and 360 video are the new cool kids on the media block but how will this impact media organisations? Over the past couple of years, projects have been produced on a wide range of subjects, such as Notes on blindness, The Arctic and even one filmed from the International Space...

  45. Making Radio 1's breakfast show with Nick Grimshaw

    The Radio 1 breakfast show with Nick Grimshaw achieves more than five million listeners a week, thriving on a diet of the latest music releases, news and guests. The BBC Academy's Roxy Ebrahim-Khan spoke to producer Will Foster, assistant producer Fiona Hanlon and Nick Grimshaw himself to find…

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  46. Following your audience on 'dark social'

    Billions of people are using chat apps. Can brand owners and broadcasters make themselves part of these private conversations? And should they? The BBC World Service, the Weather Company USA and youth-led creative network Livity have been exploring ways to engage with these hard-to-reach…

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  47. How to edit a documentary

    Editing an hour-long factual film can take a couple of months. The editor and director work closely to make the most of what’s been shot and to tell the story as clearly and engagingly as possible. This week’s podcast goes into the cutting room to examine this intense and creative process with…

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  48. How has BBC Three adapted to online?

    BBC Three won this year's Royal Television Society Channel of the Year award despite no longer being on television. But how have its commissioning and production processes changed? The BBC Academy's Jas Rao spoke to controller Damian Kavanagh and assistant producers Poppy Begum and Catriona…

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  49. Working with sound

    You can use sound to tell stories in different ways - whether that's a soundtrack, a character's voice or sound effects for a radio drama. A recent Producers’ Forum session at the BBC studio used by The Archers and Home Front saw a lively debate about the range of skills required in sound...

  50. Coding: The next step for journalists?

    In this era of data journalism and interactive online content, what else can people trained in writing and broadcasting do to tell their stories and reach wider audiences? Coding is one answer. BBC data journalist Daniel Wainwright spoke to BBC News Labs engagement producer Allison Shultes,...

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

Essential listening for the broadcast production, journalism and technology communities. Your guide to everything from editorial and craft skills to taking your next step in the industry. Practical advice on all aspects of TV, radio, journalism.

HOSTED BY

BBC Radio

Produced by BBC

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does The BBC Academy Podcast have?

The BBC Academy Podcast currently has 328 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is The BBC Academy Podcast about?

Essential listening for the broadcast production, journalism and technology communities. Your guide to everything from editorial and craft skills to taking your next step in the industry. Practical advice on all aspects of TV, radio, journalism.

How often does The BBC Academy Podcast release new episodes?

The BBC Academy Podcast publishes regularly with 328 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.

Where can I listen to The BBC Academy Podcast?

You can listen to The BBC Academy Podcast on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts The BBC Academy Podcast?

The BBC Academy Podcast is created and hosted by BBC Radio.
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