What podcasts were like in 2024, literally

In 2024, podcasts are getting closer to becoming a video-centric medium. Although video podcasts have been around for a relatively long time, TV shows The New York TimesNPR and many other podcast networks that have been audio-only for years have recently started adding a video component to gain new listeners. In fact, Spotify, a major player in podcasts, is about to start paying podcasters to bring videos to the platform.

And after years of producers trying to make audio shows go viral on social media, podcasts are now dominating TikTok, instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts after video producers realized they can simply film the talent talking. Meanwhile, weekly podcasts are looking to attract younger audiences who grew up on YouTube. As a result, video producers are figuring out how to make podcasts and audio producers are figuring out how to make videos.

I've noticed some trends developing in this video podcasting format. This is not surprising; When a producer discovers a formula that works, others will try it. Let's take a look at current trends in design and technology, and then I'll talk about what I think may develop over the next year.

Many of today's podcast studios look like living rooms and basements. This It is not a new phenomenon with talk shows, but many podcasts started in a living space and larger media companies have adopted that aesthetic. Lamps. Chimneys. Fake plants. Rack. This environment offers a more “relaxed” style of long-form interviews, which is typically the vibe of most chat-style podcasts.

Sofas and comfortable chairs appear a lot in these video programs. The round table has been abandoned and leisure is key: it is a much more comfortable environment to talk for hours at a time. Both hosts and guests are usually together on a sofa or seated separately in comfortable chairs.

Another trend I've noticed are these wooden slats on the wall of podcast studios; our own Vox Media space also opted for this design. These work best for sound absorption while also looking like a living space. This already seems to be an indicator for mid-2020 video podcasts.

With wide camera angles that show the entire room, there is usually something in the middle of the screen, like a TV or a giant show logo, to create a symmetrical studio look. Neon signs and fairy lights are very trendy right now because they add a colorful glow to a more dull study space. Lots of cursive letters.

Branding often takes priority in videos, and most producers think that literally means staring at the logo for two hours. This is also an easy way for a TikTok user to know what show they're watching (although this usually doesn't crop well for vertical videos).

Microphones are often placed on floor stands that extend over couches (these articulating stands have been staples in recording studios for decades). As a result, bleachers often appear outside the camera frame and loom uncomfortably in front of guests' faces. Poles sticking out at various incongruous angles look even messier when there are multiple guests on separate chairs.

Although new types of microphone stands for podcasts have been introduced to the market, many shows are abandoning the long, awkward boom poles in favor of having hosts and guests hold their microphones. This feels a little more authentic and intimate on screen, and many comedians prefer this method. However, it can be a little awkward with inexperienced guests who speak with their hands or who don't know how to hold a microphone with a narrow polar pattern.

It can get even worse. When podcasts are audio-first but with a video component, you often see awkward practices caught on camera, like this case where each guest holds their phone in front of their face to record their audio while looking directly at the viewer. This is common practice for radio interviews, but not good when it comes to video.

He Shure SM7B Microphones They remain very popular in this environment, as well as the economical MV7 model. For branding purposes, cubes with the program name are often awkwardly glued to the bottom of the microphone. This is reminiscent of the microphone flags of news anchors, and are now being adapted to these classic radio studio microphones. This is probably because branding is more effective on vertically cropped videos than a large logo on a studio wall.

Large insulating headphones are common in radio and podcasts and are still used in many video versions. But when guests are remote and looking directly at your webcam, those big headphones stick out very awkwardly, more so than if you're looking at someone's profile view.

This is what many video podcasts will look like through 2024. But what about next year?

I think that in 2025, podcast producers will eventually stop following these tropes and try to differentiate themselves. Some producers who were hired to help make the transition to video will begin to question the point of large headphones and thick microphones covering people's faces and opt for smaller lapel microphones and in-ear monitors.

New audiences may begin to forget the word “podcast” and refer to the chat shows they watch simply as “shows.” Media executives will try to opt for the distribution of programs on linear platforms such as Roku, Pluto or Tubi. The fine line between podcasts and television shows will only get thinner.

More consumer-priced production tools have entered the market, essentially turning a simple desktop setup and a MacBook into a fully equipped control room. The presenters are already moving from the studio to barbershops, tennis courtsand in sidewalks. ai tools like Descript, Hush, and Accentize can turn suboptimal microphone recordings into more complete and robust broadcast-style recordings. Podcasters whose equipment is less capable of handling uncontrolled recording environments will especially benefit from these post-production tools.

And who knows? Perhaps the pendulum will swing again when the budgets for these shows become too expensive to keep a video show running multiple times a week without a large following. Maybe they'll even go back to an audio-only format. And perhaps that is where they will restart a new experiment in the audio medium.