Blogs

ABC News share podcasting insights with community broadcasters

By CBAA Comms posted 25-08-2025 14:36

  
Banner with ABC Webinar: Inside the ABC podcast playbook

In our recent webinar, ABC News podcasting experts Jess O’Callaghan (Supervising Producer) and Adair Sheppard (Digital Audio Producer for If You’re Listening) delivered a masterclass in podcasting essentials — from crafting compelling stories to optimising content for multiplatform success. 
 

Tailored specifically for community broadcasters, the session was packed with practical, budget-conscious strategies to help stations grow loyal audiences and extend the reach and impact of their local stories. 
   

Inside the ABC podcasting playbook

Jess and Adair drew on real-world examples from ABC’s flagship podcasts, including Politics Now (formerly The Party Room) and If You’re Listening, to show how listener-led content can thrive in an era where audiences increasingly “watch” podcasts as much as they listen. 
   

Their insights covered 

  • Production best practice for both audio and video formats 

  • Workflow optimisation for small teams, including editing tips and AI transcription tools 

  • Vertical video strategies to boost discoverability on platforms like YouTube and Instagram 

  • Low-cost equipment recommendations for creating professional-quality content on a budget 

  • Audience engagement techniques to foster communities around your content, not just drive listenership. 
       

“The audience doesn’t need to consume your podcast the same way you make it,” Jess explained. “Whether they listen on the radio, watch a vertical video clip, or stream the full video on YouTube — they can still be a passionate fan.” 
   

Case studies 

Using ABC’s If You’re Listening as a case study, Adair unpacked how they transitioned from an audio-only format in 2017 to a fully integrated audio/video podcast in 2023 — now one of ABC’s most successful digital products with 100–200k+ views per episode across YouTube and iView. 

  

The team’s workflow emphasised

  • Recording once and repurposing content for multiple platforms 

  • Editing with audience attention in mind — starting with the “juicy bit” 

  • Using behind-the-scenes setups and lighting hacks to maximise production value with minimal cost 


Key takeaways 

  1. Content first – Plan for audio, then adapt for video. 

  1. Be recommendable – Make it easy for audiences to share your work with clips and captions that feel like “friend-to-friend” recommendations. 

  1. Simplify your editing – AI transcription and multi-cam editing can save time while improving accessibility. 

  1. Maximise your resources – Record once, publish everywhere. 

  1. Know your audience – View video and audio audiences as complementary, not competing. 

  

Why this matters 

Podcast listenership in Australia continues to grow, and community radio is uniquely placed to deliver authentic, locally-focused storytelling. This webinar showed how, with the right strategy, community broadcasters can compete with big-budget productions by focusing on quality, relatability, and smart distribution. 

 

Community broadcasters can access a complete podcast and on-demand audio solution, powered by the advanced audio management and publishing platform Omny Studio through subsidised rates at the CBAA. 

  

Missed the webinar? 

You can watch the full recording at CBAA Learning. 

 

Upcoming webinars 

AI Tools with the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) 

2 September 2025 
3 pm AEST

Related Content

Permalink

https://www.cbaa.org.au/News/cbaa-comms/2025/08/25/abc-news-share-podcasting-insights-with-community