{"id":5998,"date":"2022-02-28T09:26:00","date_gmt":"2022-02-28T14:26:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sonymusic.com\/?p=5998"},"modified":"2022-03-07T12:11:19","modified_gmt":"2022-03-07T17:11:19","slug":"passing-the-mic-black-representation-in-audio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sonymusic.com\/inside-sony-music\/passing-the-mic-black-representation-in-audio\/","title":{"rendered":"Watch: “Passing the Mic: Black in Podcasting”"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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In celebration of Black History Month, Sony Music\u2019s Global Podcast Division hosted a virtual panel about the importance of Black Representation in audio.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This week, Sony Music\u2019s Global Podcast Division<\/a> hosted a conversation about the significance of Black representation in the growing podcasting industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The virtual panel, \u201cPassing the Mic: Black in Podcasting,\u201d<\/strong><\/em> was developed and moderated by Janicia Francis<\/strong>, Creator\/Producer, \u201cTea with Queen and J.\u201d <\/em>and Producer for season two of \u201cGood Words with Kirk Franklin,<\/em>\u201d and featured a cross section of Black creatives working in audio, both in front of and behind the mic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Panelists included Rob Dozier<\/strong>, Producer, Somethin\u2019 Else; Sam Riddell<\/strong>, Lead Producer, \u201cIn Those Genes\u201d<\/em>; Catherine Saint Louis<\/strong>, Executive Editor, Neon Hum Media; Alzo Slade<\/strong>, Host, \u201cCheat!\u201d <\/em>and Vice News Correspondent; and Moses Soyoola<\/strong>, President of OTHERtone (Pharrell William\u2019s podcast company).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are inspiring moments and pieces of wisdom dropped throughout the conversation\u2014here are just a few:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Janicia Francis<\/strong>: Moses, you are a podcast executive… I think a lot of us as creatives are often navigating how to make sure the \u2018suits\u2019 are happy, while still doing our creative work. Where does that merge with the creative side?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moses Soyoola (<\/strong>8:31<\/strong><\/a>): <\/strong>If you have that core thing that people are in love with, then the audience will come, the revenue will come, all the other things will come. For me it\u2019s been exciting\u2014it’s a different muscle to flex instead of trying to think of it from scratch as a money-making machine because when you do that, you almost end up at the place where everything sounds the same and that\u2019s obviously what\u2019s not going to benefit diversity in the space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

JF<\/strong>: Have you ever felt the need or temptation to code switch and not show up as your fullest self?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Catherine Saint Louis (<\/strong>17:49<\/strong><\/a>): <\/strong>I\u2019ve always known who I am, I\u2019m just becoming less afraid of speaking my mind\u2026I think now, when I talk to some colleagues from NYT, they say something along the lines of \u201cYou used to be so nice, now you\u2019re just so forward.\u201d And it’s just so amazing to me because I guess I was hiding\u2014there was some code switching going on. Or just some muting of myself. Now, at Neon Hum, I feel like I\u2019m definitely bringing my full self. (19:00)<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

JF<\/strong>:Alzo, you wear so many different hats, from comedian to reporter to television. What would you say is something unique that you bring to podcasting\u2014or a muscle\u2014that you have to work when you are specifically creating audio?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alzo Slade (<\/strong>35:48<\/strong><\/a>): <\/strong>I come to the podcast space from visual medium and performative medium; from stand up and even as a professor. One of the things that I really had to adjust: As a host, I didn\u2019t realize I was so insecure about reading out loud\u2014a full script. [\u2026] When I\u2019m in the booth and I\u2019m reading 16 to 20 pages, one of the challenges I recognized was you have to bring just as much juice at page 18 as you do to page five. When you\u2019re reading for an hour or two, you can easily fall into this monotonal trap. [\u2026] What I bring to podcasting is that performative component but the challenge of transitioning that skillset to an audio medium is bringing the energy myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Replay the full conversation here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n