Werk It: The Podcast

In the ever-expanding podcast universe, there are SO many tools that you can use to find and grow your audience. NPR’s Mathilde Piard shares insights won from helping grow their podcasts and tactics for finding new ears that can work for indies and network shows alike. Hosted by Dessa, Werk It: The Podcast is the ICYMI version of the live event. Both the festival and the podcast are produced by WNYC Studios and are made possible by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting with additional support from the Annenberg Foundation. Event sponsors for Werk It 2019 include Luminary, Spotify, Spreaker, Acast, Himalaya, and the Women’s Foundation of California.You can find more information at werkitfestival.com.

If we can agree that it’s imperative to identify a target audience before making a new podcast, why do things still get so fuzzy when we talk about reaching “diverse” audiences? Cristina Kim, producer of Truth Be Told; Tonya Mosley, host of Truth Be Told and co-host of Here & Now; Kameel Stanley, Senior Producer of The City; and Berry Syk, the creator of Podcasts in Color have experiences that span decades, coasts, cultures and mediums. Their candid conversation is filled with lessons learned and strategies to intentionally make podcasts for and by people of color. Hosted by Dessa, Werk It: The Podcast is the ICYMI version of the live event. Both the festival and the podcast are produced by WNYC Studios and are made possible by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting with additional support from the Annenberg Foundation. Event sponsors for Werk It 2019 include Luminary, Spotify, Spreaker, Acast, Himalaya, and the Women’s Foundation of California. You can find more information at werkitfestival.com.

Diosa Femme and Mala Muñoz have used their podcast Locatora Radio to create community in East LA. They explain how to take a podcast out of the studio and into real life and why it’s well worth doing with your listeners. Diosa and Mala’s podcast is about creating a safe space for survivors of sexual assault, so they’ll mention that in this episode. Hosted by Dessa, Werk It: The Podcast is the ICYMI version of the live event. Both the festival and the podcast are produced by WNYC Studios and are made possible by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting with additional support from the Annenberg Foundation. Event sponsors for Werk It 2019 include Luminary, Spotify, Spreaker, Acast, Himalaya, and the Women’s Foundation of California. You can find more information at werkitfestival.com.

There are a lot of reasons why Man in the Window wasn’t an easy show to make. It is about a serial rapist and murderer in California. There were tons of characters and thousands of documents to sift through. And the main character was “Society” with a capital S. LA Times Investigative Reporter Paige St. John and senior producer and editor Karen Lowe explain how this unwieldy print journalism project became a compelling hit podcast that pushes the boundaries of the true crime genre. Hosted by Dessa, Werk It: The Podcast is the ICYMI version of the live event. Both the festival and the podcast are produced by WNYC Studios and are made possible by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting with additional support from the Annenberg Foundation. Event sponsors for Werk It 2019 include Luminary, Spotify, Spreaker, Acast, Himalaya, and the Women’s Foundation of California. You can find more information at werkitfestival.com. 

Avery Trufelman, producer of 99% Invisible and host of Articles of Interest and Nice Try! endeavors to answer the age old question: Where do you get your ideas from? What comes next after you have an idea and feel that buzzy spark? Avery breaks down how one of her favorite episodes of 99% Invisible, “The Pool and the Stream”, came to be plus all the twists and turns along the way. Hosted by Dessa, Werk It: The Podcast is the ICYMI version of the live event. Both the festival and the podcast are produced by WNYC Studios and are made possible by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting with additional support from the Annenberg Foundation. Event sponsors for Werk It 2019 include Luminary, Spotify, Spreaker, Acast, Himalaya, and the Women’s Foundation of California. You can find more information at werkitfestival.com. 

Death, Sex & Money is a podcast that delves into the things that people think about a lot, and need to talk about more. Host and managing editor Anna Sale and producers Anabel Bacon and Katie Bishop explain how they get not just their guests but their listeners to open up to them about tricky topics -- and how those listener-driven episodes create community. Hosted by Dessa, Werk It: The Podcast is the ICYMI version of the live event. Both the festival and the podcast are produced by WNYC Studios and are made possible by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting with additional support from the Annenberg Foundation. Event sponsors for Werk It 2019 include Luminary, Spotify, Spreaker, Acast, Himalaya, and the Women’s Foundation of California. You can find more information at werkitfestival.com.

Getting your foot in the door can be hard. For a person of color, it can be even harder. Producers Keisha “TK” Dutes and Gabrielle Horton explain how they’ve helped each other throughout their careers - from putting each other up for jobs to a well-timed pep talk or a reality check - in a trickle-up conversation about how we build supportive community and create new blueprints for leveling up. Hosted by Dessa, Werk It: The Podcast is the ICYMI version of the live event. Both the festival and the podcast are produced by WNYC Studios and are made possible by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting with additional support from the Annenberg Foundation. Event sponsors for Werk It 2019 include Luminary, Spotify, Spreaker, Acast, Himalaya, and the Women’s Foundation of California. You can find more information at werkitfestival.com.

One in four American adults is disabled. Bri M., host and executive producer of Power Not Pity, shares ideas on how we can make our podcasts accessible and tell stories that don’t reduce people with disabilities to being one-dimensional sources of inspiration. Hosted by Dessa, Werk It: The Podcast is the ICYMI version of the live event. Both the festival and the podcast are produced by WNYC Studios and are made possible by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting with additional support from the Annenberg Foundation. Event sponsors for Werk It 2019 include Luminary, Spotify, Spreaker, Acast, Himalaya, and the Women’s Foundation of California. You can find more information at werkitfestival.com.

As the podcasting industry grows into a billion dollar ad business, the field is open for women and nonbinary professionals to lead innovation on the revenue side. Katie Sprenger and Caila Litman from Vox Media discuss the challenges ahead for producers of all kinds as podcast advertising continues to evolve in the context of the broader digital advertising landscape. Hosted by Dessa, Werk It: The Podcast is the ICYMI version of the live event. Both the festival and the podcast are produced by WNYC Studios and are made possible by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting with additional support from the Annenberg Foundation. Event sponsors for Werk It 2019 include Luminary, Spotify, Spreaker, Acast, Himalaya, and the Women’s Foundation of California. You can find more information at werkitfestival.com.

When you’re in the freelance game, taking yourself seriously when it comes to managing your business is crucial. Juleyka Lantigua-Williams, CEO of Lantigua Williams & Co., gives you her no-bullshit, hard won guidance on how to be truly professional about your money and avoid common yet disadvantaging errors, from incorporating as an LLC, to digital invoicing and negotiating rates.  Links to additional resources: - “What Podcasting Pays Now” (Werk It Festival) - AIR Media’s Indie Toolbox - The slideshow of this presentation is available online here Hosted by Dessa, Werk It: The Podcast is the ICYMI version of the live event. Both the festival and the podcast are produced by WNYC Studios and are made possible by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting with additional support from the Annenberg Foundation. Event sponsors for Werk It 2019 include Luminary, Spotify, Spreaker, Acast, Himalaya, and the Women’s Foundation of California. You can find more information at werkitfestival.com. 

Werk It 2019 began with a summit of ten CEO/CCO-level women in podcasting talking candidly about the biggest challenges, opportunities, and trends they see in the biz right now. Depelsha McGruder (Chief Operating Officer, New York Public Radio) moderates this conversation with Jennifer Ferro (President, KCRW), Liz Gateley (Head of Creative Development, Spotify Studios), Kerri Hoffman (CEO, PRI/PRX), Amanda Lund (Co-Founder, Earios), Kristen Muller (Chief Content Officer, Southern California Public Radio), Christa Scharfenberg (CEO of The Center for Investigative Reporting), Tanya Somanader (Chief Content Officer, Crooked Media), Paula Szuchman (VP of New Show Development, WNYC Studios), Julia Turner (Deputy Managing Editor, The LA Times), Jenna Weiss-Berman (Co-Founder, Pineapple Street Media). Hosted by Dessa, Werk It: The Podcast is the ICYMI version of the live event. Both the festival and the podcast are produced by WNYC Studios and are made possible by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting with additional support from the Annenberg Foundation. Event sponsors for Werk It 2019 include Luminary, Spotify, Spreaker, Acast, Himalaya, and the Women’s Foundation of California. You can find more information at werkitfestival.com.

This wasn’t just any presentation — it was a strategy session for podcasters looking to use their podcasts to do greater good. Lynn Casper (Host, Homoground) explains how can we create a framework that networks our individual efforts on a larger scale.  This session was part of the Womxnifestos series, the hot takes you didn’t know you needed. They’re distilled wisdom of experience spiced with the power of conviction. These lightning talks are a MOOD. Hosted by Dessa, Werk It: The Podcast is the ICYMI version of the live event. Both the festival and the podcast are produced by WNYC Studios and are made possible by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting with additional support from the Annenberg Foundation. Event sponsors for Werk It 2019 include Luminary, Spotify, Spreaker, Acast, Himalaya, and the Women’s Foundation of California. You can find more information at werkitfestival.com.

There’s great responsibility in taking the mic: To respect your guests and sources, to serve your listeners, and to present yourself well (as well as the hard work of the team behind you)—and that’s just for starters. Four hosts explain how they have navigated challenges like balancing air time with male co-hosts, to creating an accessible and welcoming experience for guests, and handling expectations specific to being a woman and a POC. This session was moderated by Shereen Marisol Meraji (Co-Host, Code Switch) with panelists Misha Euceph (Host and Producer, KPCC), Rund Abdelfatah (Co-Host and Co-Producer, Throughline), and Alice Wong (Host and Co-Producer, Disability Visibility Podcast).  Hosted by Dessa, Werk It: The Podcast is the ICYMI version of the live event. Both the festival and the podcast are produced by WNYC Studios and are made possible by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting with additional support from the Annenberg Foundation. Event sponsors for Werk It 2019 include Luminary, Spotify, Spreaker, Acast, Himalaya, and the Women’s Foundation of California. You can find more information at werkitfestival.com.

Failing is super hot these days - just look at the inventory of TED Talks for proof. Everyone is trying to glean meaning from their flops and fails and foibles. But what if there is no upside to failure? What if crashing and burning is just an unavoidable part of the creative process? Rather than glorify failure or run screaming from it, Spectacular Failures host Lauren Ober will help you just accept it. This session was part of the Womxnifestos series, the hot takes you didn’t know you needed. They’re distilled wisdom of experience spiced with the power of conviction. These lightning talks are a MOOD. Hosted by Dessa, Werk It: The Podcast is the ICYMI version of the live event. Both the festival and the podcast are produced by WNYC Studios and are made possible by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting with additional support from the Annenberg Foundation. Event sponsors for Werk It 2019 include Luminary, Spotify, Spreaker, Acast, Himalaya, and the Women’s Foundation of California. You can find more information at werkitfestival.com.

For some of us, it can be really difficult to take credit for our work and sidestep imposter syndrome. Producer Julia Furlan is calling you to be your own hype woman because no one else is going to do it for you! This session was part of the Womxnifestos series, the hot takes you didn’t know you needed. They’re distilled wisdom of experience spiced with the power of conviction. These lightning talks are a MOOD. Hosted by Dessa, Werk It: The Podcast is the ICYMI version of the live event. Both the festival and the podcast are produced by WNYC Studios and are made possible by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting with additional support from the Annenberg Foundation. Event sponsors for Werk It 2019 include Luminary, Spotify, Spreaker, Acast, Himalaya, and the Women’s Foundation of California. You can find more information at werkitfestival.com.

Many of us became storytellers because we didn’t see ourselves in media, on television, or in podcasts. Rebecca Nagle, host of the This Land podcast from Crooked Media, explains how to translate stories to an audience that doesn’t share your experience or understanding or experience. Rebecca Nagle is an award winning advocate and writer focused on advancing Native rights and ending violence against Native women. Rebecca is a citizen of Cherokee Nation and a two-spirit/queer woman. Her writing about Native representation and tribal sovereignty has been featured in the Washington Post, USA Today, Teen Vogue, the Huffington Post and more. Hosted by Dessa, Werk It: The Podcast is the ICYMI version of the live event. Both the festival and the podcast are produced by WNYC Studios and are made possible by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting with additional support from the Annenberg Foundation. Event sponsors for Werk It 2019 include Luminary, Spotify, Spreaker, Acast, Himalaya, and the Women’s Foundation of California. You can find more information at werkitfestival.com 

Lisa Hanawalt is known for creating worlds populated by animal characters that reveal so much about the human condition. Her illustration and design work includes Tuca & Bertie, BoJack Horseman, Coyote Doggirl and Hot Dog Taste Test. She sat down with Paula Szuchman at the 2019 Werk It Festival keynote to talk about creativity, collaborating, and her love of horses.  Paula is the Vice President of New Show Development at WNYC Studios, where she has worked on shows such as 2 Dope Queens, Sooo Many White Guys, Nancy, Late Night Whenever, Ten Things That Scare Me, American Fiasco, and many more. Visual references from this episode: - Lisa’s custom suit she wore to the 2019 Emmy Awards (link) - “She Draws Deeply Human Characters. They’re Just Animals.” by Amanda Hess (The New York Times, April 29, 2019) - Lisa’s Baen Chunch t-shirt design on Threadless - Music video for “Hang on to the Night” by Tegan and Sara directed and designed by Lisa Hanawalt.   Hosted by Dessa, Werk It: The Podcast is the ICYMI version of the live event. Both the festival and the podcast are produced by WNYC Studios and are made possible by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting with additional support from the Annenberg Foundation. Event sponsors for Werk It 2019 include Luminary, Spotify, Spreaker, Acast, Himalaya, and the Women’s Foundation of California. You can find more information at werkitfestival.com.

My sister being right about everything. That’s terrifying. Join the "10 Things That Scare Me" conversation, and tell us your fears at 10thingspodcast.org. This episode was recorded at the 2018 Werk It Festival. 

Reporting great stories involves a lot of patience, persistence…and sifting through the paper trail. Marketplace’s Sitara Nieves, In the Dark’s Madeleine Baran, and The Uncertain Hour’s Caitlin Esch talk about how going through thousands of documents and developing relationships with sources helped them find audio gold. Hosted by Tanzina Vega, Werk It: The Podcast is the ICYMI version of the live event. Both the festival and the podcast are produced by WNYC Studios and are made possible by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Event sponsors for Werk It 2018 include Spotify, Capterra, Stitcher, ART19, Pandora, Himalaya, and Yale School of Management. You can find more information at https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/werkit.

Grants can be a great way to find funding for your podcast. Juleyka Lantigua-Williams of Lantigua Williams & Co. explains how to figure out which ones to apply for, what you’ll need, and what you want to avoid. Hosted by Tanzina Vega, Werk It: The Podcast is the ICYMI version of the live event. Both the festival and the podcast are produced by WNYC Studios and are made possible by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Event sponsors for Werk It 2018 include Spotify, Capterra, Stitcher, ART19, Pandora, Himalaya, and Yale School of Management. You can find more information at https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/werkit.