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Journalism and Media
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Rethinking Journalism in the Age of Podcasts: Perspectives, Possibilities, Boundaries
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Rethinking Journalism in the Age of Podcasts: Perspectives, Possibilities, Boundaries

A special issue of Journalism and Media (ISSN 2673-5172).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2026) | Viewed by 16410

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Michael Graßl

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute for Journalism, University of Applied Sciences Magdeburg-Stendal, 39114 Magdeburg, Germany
Interests: digital journalism; AI in journalism; podcasting; communication on social media; innovation in journalism
Dr. Vera Katzenberger

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute for Communication and Media Studies, University Leipzig, 04109 Leipzig, Germany
Interests: digital journalism; data journalism; algorithmic journalism; podcasting; audio streaming; journalism education
Prof. Dr. Jonas Schützeneder

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute for Journalism Studies, University of the Federal Armed Forces Munich, 85577 Munich, Germany
Interests: digital journalism; social media; journalism education; AI in journalism; innovations in journalism

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Podcasts have evolved from a niche format into a mainstream medium, reshaping content creation, media consumption, and audience engagement. Their unique storytelling techniques, interactive dynamics, and capacity for fostering intimacy and emotional connection set them apart as an innovative media form (Bonini 2022, Lindgren 2021). The rapid evolution of podcasting is driven by technological advancements, new industry players, shifting audience behaviors, and broader societal transformations (Newman & Cherubini 2025, Dowling 2024).

While existing research on podcasts has extensively examined content, organizational frameworks, and economic dimensions—particularly within the realm of journalism studies—many fundamental questions remain unexplored. As podcasts increasingly shape media markets and redefine journalism’s core functions and identity, there is an urgent need for further exploration.

This special issue seeks to advance the academic discourse on podcasting by welcoming contributions that provide new insights, theoretical advancements, and empirical analyses on the role of podcasts in contemporary media landscapes. We invite submissions from the perspective of journalism, media and communication research or related disciplines that examine, but are not limited to, the following themes:

  • Political Podcasting and Disinformation: The role of podcasting in election campaigns and political communication; the spread of fake news, conspiracy theories, and disinformation through podcasts; their impact on journalistic integrity.
  • Audio Storytelling: The significance of audio storytelling in podcasts; their role in fostering intimacy, emotional engagement, and audience loyalty, as new forms of journalistic narrative.
  • Audience Behavior and Engagement: The podcast consumption and usage motivations; interactions and listener participation; collaborative content creation, with potential implications for journalistic storytelling and audience interaction.
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Algorithms: The role of AI in shaping content discovery and personalization; the influence of platforms on content visibility, audience behavior, and monetization models; AI and other technologies driving the transformation of media houses into digital organizations.
  • Monetization and Economic Dynamics: The impact of advertising, sponsorships, and crowdfunding in the podcasting industry on journalistic independence and content production.
  • Local Journalism and Civic Engagement: The use of podcasts as a tool for hyperlocal journalism and civic engagement, fostering community dialogue, and enhancing local journalistic practices.
  • Genres and Ethical Challenges: The growing popularity and challenges of journalistic podcast genres such as true crime, news, or investigative formats; reporting strategies like transparency and self-reflection inherent in podcasting.
  • New Actors and Media Roles: The emergence and relevance of new actors in podcasting, including influencers, activists, and non professional creators; blurred lines and boundaries between entertainment and journalism; diversity among podcast creators and (new) skills and education for podcasters.
  • Future of Podcasting: The technological innovations in podcasting such as live podcasts, video podcasts, or AI driven audio tools, and their impact on content distribution, audience engagement, and the evolving practices of podcast journalism.

We look forward to your contributions and are happy to answer your questions at any time.

References

Dr. Michael Graßl
Dr. Vera Katzenberger
Prof. Dr. Jonas Schützeneder
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journalism and Media is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • podcast
  • digital journalism
  • media transformation
  • AI and innovation
  • platforms and monetization
  • audio storytelling
  • political communication

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 829 KB  
Article
Audio Journalism Experiences in Spain: Moving to a Hybrid Model of Podcast Production in News Media Publishers
by Lourdes Moreno Cazalla, Luis Miguel Pedrero Esteban, Mario Alcudia Borreguero and Manuel de la Chica Duarte
Journal. Media 2026, 7(2), 91; https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia7020091 - 28 Apr 2026
Viewed by 506
Abstract
This article analyses how Spanish newspapers and news agencies are embracing audio journalism and to what extent podcasts are establishing themselves as a tool for narrative, strategic, and commercial innovation. Based on the original production of 138 titles released by 15 news organizations, [...] Read more.
This article analyses how Spanish newspapers and news agencies are embracing audio journalism and to what extent podcasts are establishing themselves as a tool for narrative, strategic, and commercial innovation. Based on the original production of 138 titles released by 15 news organizations, a mixed design (documentary collection, systematic listening and a 25-variable matrix on production, content, and distribution) is applied to describe formats, genres, themes and launch models, as well as the weight of co-productions and audio–video hybridisation. The results show, on the one hand, a clear expansion of informative podcasts, in the form of dailies, narrative series and conversational spaces, as well as a dominant focus on current affairs content; and, on the other hand, an asymmetrical development between groups, with Vocento’s audio division standing out in contrast to publications that barely exploit the expressive resources of the audio medium. It is concluded that podcasts are establishing themselves as vectors of transformation for the daily press by reinforcing editorial identity, diversifying offerings, and opening avenues for monetisation, but there is uneven experimentation with the potential of podcasts to deeply renew the ways of narrating and relating to audiences. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rethinking Journalism in the Age of Podcasts: Perspectives, Possibilities, Boundaries)
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33 pages, 620 KB  
Article
On the Interdependence Between Podcast Design and Usage Motives in German-Language Podcasts
by Lilian Suter, Hans Knobloch, Pascal Streule, Caroline Feder, Svenja Deda-Bröchin, Nico Lypitkas and Gregor Waller
Journal. Media 2026, 7(2), 86; https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia7020086 - 22 Apr 2026
Viewed by 663
Abstract
Systematic frameworks for describing podcast design remain scarce. Previous research on listening motives often treats podcasts as a monolithic category or focuses on specific genres, leaving open how motives vary across different design types. This dual-perspective investigation examines two questions: Which primary design [...] Read more.
Systematic frameworks for describing podcast design remain scarce. Previous research on listening motives often treats podcasts as a monolithic category or focuses on specific genres, leaving open how motives vary across different design types. This dual-perspective investigation examines two questions: Which primary design types characterize German-language podcasts, and how are listening motives related to these design types? Using a multi-method qualitative approach, 30 podcasts were analyzed through iterative listening and 16 expert interviews to develop a typology of design. Additionally, 29 semi-structured listener interviews were examined via qualitative content analysis to identify usage motives and their associations with design types. The analysis identified three podcast design types—story, talk, and factual (STF)—each characterized by distinct structural and aesthetic features. The analysis further suggested that factual design types were primarily associated with cognitive motives, talk design types with social motives, and story design types with affective motives. The resulting STF model is a relevant framework for both academic research and practical applications in podcast production. The results further suggest that usage motives may be linked to these design types and thus indicates how podcast form and audience needs and gratifications may be interdependent. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rethinking Journalism in the Age of Podcasts: Perspectives, Possibilities, Boundaries)
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29 pages, 1842 KB  
Article
Context Is Everything: Podcasting as an Opportunity for Journalistic In-Depth Analysis
by Annika Geuß and Michael Wild
Journal. Media 2026, 7(1), 32; https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia7010032 - 11 Feb 2026
Viewed by 1109
Abstract
This article examines how political journalism can distinguish itself in a fast-paced information environment by providing in-depth contextualization and thereby contribute to the functioning of democratic societies in a digitalized world. Focusing on the ‘Causa Brosius-Gersdorf’—a highly polarized controversy surrounding judicial appointments to [...] Read more.
This article examines how political journalism can distinguish itself in a fast-paced information environment by providing in-depth contextualization and thereby contribute to the functioning of democratic societies in a digitalized world. Focusing on the ‘Causa Brosius-Gersdorf’—a highly polarized controversy surrounding judicial appointments to Germany’s Federal Constitutional Court in July 2025—we ask the following questions: to what extent can German-language podcasts offer in-depth analysis, and which types of contextualization can be observed across different podcast formats? The study is based on a qualitative content analysis of 39 episodes from 15 popular podcasts drawn from the German Spotify Top 200. Drawing on a theoretically grounded analytical framework comprising the categories ‘topics’, ‘dimensions of context’, and ‘relational levels’, we identify distinct types of contextualization. We analyze the distribution of these types using distant reading and interpret salient patterns through close reading. Our results show that the podcasts analyzed offer an in-depth contextualization of the issue, with a focus on political and societal evaluation. In doing so, they provide their audiences with orientation and therefore enable them to form their own well-founded opinions. Since we conducted our analysis at the level of individual statements rather than at the level of the news items themselves, our study advances research on quality in journalism, highlights the role of podcasts in digital transformation, and addresses the democratic value of contextualizing political communication. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rethinking Journalism in the Age of Podcasts: Perspectives, Possibilities, Boundaries)
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16 pages, 293 KB  
Article
Between Immediacy and Depth: Evolving Journalistic Practices in Spanish Newspapers’ Daily News Podcasts
by José M. Legorburu, Elvira García de Torres, David Parra-Valcarce and Concha Edo
Journal. Media 2026, 7(1), 28; https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia7010028 - 6 Feb 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1766
Abstract
The phenomenon of daily news podcasts, which has emerged due to the success of The Daily, launched by The New York Times in 2017, has spread to major newspapers around the world in just a few years. This research aims to explore [...] Read more.
The phenomenon of daily news podcasts, which has emerged due to the success of The Daily, launched by The New York Times in 2017, has spread to major newspapers around the world in just a few years. This research aims to explore this phenomenon and contribute new knowledge regarding the digital transformation of the written press. To analyze the objectives, characteristics, and production routines of daily news podcasts, several in-depth interviews were conducted, along with a content analysis of a sample of episodes produced by the Spanish newspapers ABC, El Mundo, and El País, which were selected due to their prominence. The results show that these podcasts have emerged in Spain to reinforce brand awareness and increase audience share, and, due to their impressive audience figures, they have become well-established news products. In newsrooms, specialized teams seek the cooperation of executives, correspondents, and special correspondents, who have taken a leading role in production routines. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rethinking Journalism in the Age of Podcasts: Perspectives, Possibilities, Boundaries)
20 pages, 318 KB  
Article
‘What the Hell Can Journalism Even Do?’: Metajournalistic Discourse Through Podcast Performance
by Sarah Elizabeth Witmer
Journal. Media 2026, 7(1), 20; https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia7010020 - 28 Jan 2026
Viewed by 1556
Abstract
This study positions the podcast Question Everything as an innovative case of metanarrative podcast journalism amid the growing crisis of distrust in news media. Through in-depth interviews with host Brian Reed and producer Zach St. Louis, along with textual analysis of all 27 [...] Read more.
This study positions the podcast Question Everything as an innovative case of metanarrative podcast journalism amid the growing crisis of distrust in news media. Through in-depth interviews with host Brian Reed and producer Zach St. Louis, along with textual analysis of all 27 episodes of the first season, this study examines how self-reflexive narrative storytelling both critiques and reimagines journalism. The dual-method approach explores not only what the podcast says about journalism, but also how the performance of podcasting becomes a mode of journalistic epistemology. Grounded in Metajournalistic Discourse Theory, findings demonstrate how Question Everything challenges traditional definitions of journalism, enacting metajournalistic discourse through four mechanisms: (1) inviting and exploring criticism, (2) performing transparency in the editing process, (3) experimenting with epistemology, and (4) embracing uncertainty and ambiguity. This paper argues that podcasts like Question Everything enact a performative mode of journalism that reconfigures how audiences make sense of truth, credibility, and authority. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rethinking Journalism in the Age of Podcasts: Perspectives, Possibilities, Boundaries)
19 pages, 303 KB  
Article
Theorizing Podcast Journalism: Toward a Medium-Specific Framework for Audio Reporting
by David O. Dowling
Journal. Media 2026, 7(1), 2; https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia7010002 - 24 Dec 2025
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2825
Abstract
Since its emergence two decades ago, podcasting has spurred a rapidly evolving body of scholarship examining its social, technological, political, and cultural impact. However, much of podcast theory relies on analytical frameworks derived from other media. Moving beyond the binary debate that positions [...] Read more.
Since its emergence two decades ago, podcasting has spurred a rapidly evolving body of scholarship examining its social, technological, political, and cultural impact. However, much of podcast theory relies on analytical frameworks derived from other media. Moving beyond the binary debate that positions podcasting either as a wholly unique medium or merely an extension of radio, this article proposes a podcast-specific theoretical framework that advances a third approach within podcast studies. Rather than treating these perspectives as mutually exclusive, this approach synthesizes their strengths, recognizing podcasting’s broad esthetic range and time-shifted consumption patterns alongside its narrative lineage in radio drama and longform storytelling. In doing so, it situates podcasting within the genealogy of longform documentary journalism, aligning it with the evolving structures of digital publishing. At the intersection of podcast and journalism studies, this historically informed paradigm foregrounds three defining characteristics of podcast journalism: intimacy (manifested in personal narratives and parasocial relationships), reflexivity (evident in metajournalistic transparency and postmodern approaches to evidence), and democracy (leveraging progressive inclusivity or its oppositional countercurrents). While these features may be adapted or subverted across different productions, they remain core conventions that distinguish podcast journalism as a unique form of narrative digital media. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rethinking Journalism in the Age of Podcasts: Perspectives, Possibilities, Boundaries)
24 pages, 705 KB  
Article
Digital Audio Developments and Public Value Under Debate: The Case of National and Regional Spanish PSM
by Tania Fernández-Lombao, Esther Medina-Ferreiro and Madalena Oliveira
Journal. Media 2025, 6(4), 183; https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia6040183 - 25 Oct 2025
Viewed by 1716
Abstract
Public service media (PSM) are undergoing essential digital transformations to compete in an audiovisual ecosystem dominated by new technological players that have reshaped traditional media consumption habits. This article examines how the digital developments of Spanish public media, within platformization processes, particularly in [...] Read more.
Public service media (PSM) are undergoing essential digital transformations to compete in an audiovisual ecosystem dominated by new technological players that have reshaped traditional media consumption habits. This article examines how the digital developments of Spanish public media, within platformization processes, particularly in the field of digital audio and podcasts, integrate public service values based on a framework which identifies twelve key dimensions: universality, quality, independence, diversity, responsibility, innovation, social commitment, civic participation, media literacy, territorial cohesion, social justice, and cooperation. Using a qualitative multiple-case study methodology, these values are compared with the strategies of Radiotelevisión Española (RTVE), the media organizations grouped in the Federation of Regional Radio and Television Entities (FORTA), and Canal Extremadura. The results indicate that PSM, to varying degrees, incorporate public service values in their platformization processes. However, the findings also reveal significant challenges that, if addressed, could maximize the impact of their digital strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rethinking Journalism in the Age of Podcasts: Perspectives, Possibilities, Boundaries)
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25 pages, 344 KB  
Article
Narrative Techniques in Romanian Podcasts: A Qualitative Case Study Analysis
by Anamaria Filimon-Benea and Ioana Vid
Journal. Media 2025, 6(4), 175; https://doi.org/10.3390/journalmedia6040175 - 14 Oct 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2823
Abstract
Podcasting in Romania has experienced notable growth in recent years, evolving from a niche medium into a widely consumed form of digital communication. This expansion is driven by the flexibility of podcasts, which allow audiences to access content conveniently across various contexts, from [...] Read more.
Podcasting in Romania has experienced notable growth in recent years, evolving from a niche medium into a widely consumed form of digital communication. This expansion is driven by the flexibility of podcasts, which allow audiences to access content conveniently across various contexts, from commuting to leisure time, and by the increasing demand for stories that resonate with listeners personal experiences. This study examines the storytelling techniques employed by Romanian podcasters and their effects on audience engagement. Using a case study methodology, the research analyzes a selection of representative podcasts to explore how creators structure narratives, integrate cultural and social elements, and employ techniques such as thematic consistency, character development, and progressive disclosure of information. Findings indicate that the Romanian podcasters in this study have adapted both traditional and contemporary narrative strategies to build immersive, emotionally engaging content, balancing depth and accessibility. The analysis also highlights how narrative structures contribute to sustained listener attention and foster a sense of connection between hosts and audiences. Overall, this study provides insight into the role of storytelling in shaping podcast consumption in Romania and offers practical implications for content creators aiming to cultivate meaningful engagement and listener loyalty. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rethinking Journalism in the Age of Podcasts: Perspectives, Possibilities, Boundaries)
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