Europeans' Love-Hate Relationship with Cheese (and other podcasting stories) 🎙️🧀
Eurowaves #2
Just in case you’ve also lost track of what day it is, I’m back in your inbox with the second issue of Eurowaves!
I hope you had a lovely Christmas and that you're able to continue the well-deserved hibernation into the new year. These days are filled with reflections on 2024, setting intentions, and making guesses about upcoming podcasting trends.
If you're tired of year-end best-of lists featuring the same shows over and over, check out Tink’s Audio Delicacies! Every year, we ask our podcasting friends for their favorite show of the year. This list is full of independent creators, diverse storytelling, and underrated impactful work. I recommended How To Destroy Everything.
We’ll talk about it in Monday’s episode of Feed the Queue, which I co-host with the lovely Devin Andrade, Canadian podcaster and writer of Podstack! I read Devin’s newsletter religiously. Every issue is so full of heart, and she is very intentional about what she recommends. I highly recommend subscribing!
In other news, in case you missed it, Podimo released a 2024 Global Trend Report. Podimo is a subscription-based podcasting and audiobook service available across Europe and Latin America. Here are some stats on European podcasting in 2024 from the report:
Comedy experienced explosive growth, with Finland leading at a staggering +194% and Norway following at +81%.
True Crime’s grip intensifies: Spain saw a remarkable +408% surge in True Crime engagement, particularly among women, while Germany saw 49% of listeners falling asleep to True Crime.
Binge Behavior: Denmark emerged as the most binge-oriented market, with 27% of users consuming 3+ hours of podcasts or audiobooks in a single day.
And there’s a lot more to unpack. These findings actually align with some of the conversations I’ve had with other European podcasters, where comedy is a top genre. Podcasters, please send me your comedy podcast recommendations (in English, Spanish, or French). I’m currently immersed in limited-series, investigative, and narrative podcasts, and would love to switch it up.
There have also been some interesting developments in Italy’s podcasting landscape which are reminiscent of a similar case coming out of Denmark in 2023. Some food for thought.
And now, without further ado, I am very excited to bring you:
An interview with Mobile Stories;
Reviews of what I’ve been listening to;
A list of podcast recommendations from Switzerland, courtesy of Laura Bachmann;
More podcasting opportunities to look out for early 2025.
Let’s go!
📱🗞️Lotta Bergseth and Jenny Sköld of Mobile Stories on Accurate Storytelling📱🗞️
Our names are Lotta Bergseth and Jenny Sköld and we are the people who founded the company Mobile Stories. We are journalists and both have extensive experience from various newsrooms in Sweden. We want to encourage young people to create credible and elaborate material that describes their reality, dreams and ideas because our society needs their voices.
Mobile Stories offers a production and publishing tool that educates young people in media and information literacy, and improves their skills as producers in the digital media landscape. Read the full interview here.
What is the story behind Mobile Stories and how did you elevate this project at an international level? What were some of the ways you were able to overcome language barriers, different cultures?
The idea for Mobile Stories came about during our work as a reporter and photographer in the early 2010s. At the time, we noticed a growing distrust of journalists among young people. Phrases like “The media is lying” and “Nobody cares about what I think” became increasingly common in our interactions with them. At the same time, we observed the rising challenge of disinformation and conspiracy theories online.
[…Continue reading here]
What can podcasters learn from journalism to tell better, accurate stories?
Professional journalists follow a code of ethics that is quite consistent across democratic countries. This code can be incredibly valuable for podcasters who share information with their audiences. Key guidelines include things like verifying sources to ensure the information is accurate, presenting balanced perspectives and allowing all sides to be heard and respecting the integrity and privacy of individuals.
[…Continue reading here]
Why is responsibility in storytelling important, and how can podcasters embrace it?
When you publish content online, it has the potential to reach a wide audience—and with that comes the potential to cause harm. For instance, spreading unverified claims or violating someone’s privacy can have serious consequences.
[…Continue reading here]
What common storytelling mistakes should podcasters watch out for and avoid?
I think a good script is a crucial foundation for any successful podcast story. It doesn’t need to be written word for word, but having a clear structure and outline allows you to stay organized while remaining flexible and creative. Another key element is having a strong hook. With so many podcasts to choose from, you need to put in the effort to capture your listeners’ attention and keep them engaged throughout the episode. Why should your listener choose your podcast over anyone else’s?
How can podcasters use Mobile Stories to keep their work in check?
Mobile Stories offers a publishing tool that lets you embed your podcast into a professional-looking article on our platform for young voices, MobileStories.com. The tool functions like a digital newsroom, where you can invite collaborators to co-create content. It also provides guidance through videos, reminders, and a digital assistant.
The platform covers everything from podcast creation tips and interview techniques to strategies for reaching a wider audience. It also emphasizes the importance of adhering to relevant laws and ethical guidelines when publishing content online. You can also access the tips video with our correspondents on our YouTube channel.
To learn more about our tool or explore our ethical guidelines and resources from professional journalists and fact-checkers worldwide, visit our homepage Mobile Stories is here to help podcasters create impactful, responsible, and engaging stories.
🎙️🌍What I’ve been listening to🌍🎙️
Before we get into this section, I want to share that Little Devils is on Patreon! I recommended this podcast in the first issue and since then, all four episodes of the limited series are out. They are breathtaking and just what the podcasting world needs. If you can, please consider contributing here.
Onto some recommendations!
The Europeans - The Oatly Chronicles - English
This podcast is all about European news told in a fun, engaging way. Katy and Dominic do just that. I spotted this specific series recommended in Ana’s Substack and it immediately caught my attention. Part 1 is titled The Big Dairy Problem. Us Europeans LOVE our dairy. In fact, as I will have learned from this episode, Europeans consumed 220 kg of dairy per person in 2022. Also, 30-40% of Europeans are vegetarian and only 3-4% are vegan. Not surprising! This series is so well-done and brings forth so many strong, well-researched arguments about dairy consumption and its impact on the environment. Part 2 goes into the investment of the controversial firm Blackstone investment in Oatly. Blackstone has directly invested in actors involved in deforestation, displacement and gentrification. They were referred to as “vulture funds”. The Europeans’ catalogue has your classic, chatty and informative episodes about European news and also hits you with a limited-series like this one that blows you away. I was listening to these episodes on the treadmill. On the way back home, I bought oat milk to see if my taste buds have changed and if I might introduce it into my diet. I can confirm that I have!
Don’t Drink The Milk - Invisible Work: Women strike back - English
The holidays have passed and if you had a magical time, it was probably thanks to women. There is so much invisible labor that goes into Christmas: from groceries to cooking to hosting guests and choosing gifts for everyone. This episode of the fabulous and beloved Don’t Drink The Milk podcast goes beyond that and explores the invisible labor of women at an international level, on a daily basis: from Iceland to South Korea. Fun fact, Iceland was the first country in the world to have a female president in 1980. And Icelandic women have held multiple women’s strikes, the first one being in 1975, where 90% of Iceland’s women participated. The country has nearly 50/50 women’s representation in politics so with all these things in mind, some might think there is no more need for a feminist movement. This episode goes into why that’s not the case and also explores stories of South Korean women, a country that does much worse in gender equality reports. You’ll hear about the 4B movement, Escape the corset and much more. To go hand in hand with this, I recommend reading Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 written by Cho Nam-Joo, one of my favorite books.
Europod•English - Sea of Rage - English/Spanish/Italian
It’s not the first time I’ve talked about Europod in this newsletter, and it won’t be the last. They have some of the best cross-border storytelling I’ve heard. Sea of Rage is co-produced by Podium Podcast and Chora Media. It was released this year in Spanish and Italian, and just recently started releasing English versions of the episodes. This podcast follows the streets of Barbate and Gioia Tauro to uncover their inhabitants’ real stories. They are almost 2,000 km apart but share high unemployment rates, complaints against institutions, and another connecting link: drug trafficking. The on-the-ground reporting, mixed with historical research and storytelling, makes it a fascinating listen. The issue is always more complex than it seems on the surface.
🇨🇭Podcasts from Switzerland 🇨🇭
Laura Bachmann is a Swiss podcast producer and audio journalist. She started her career as a radio reporter in Zurich, worked for the Swiss Public Radio and Television in Washington D.C. and Basel and as a podcast producer and sound-designer for “Apropos”, a Swiss version of “The Daily”. She just graduated from NYU’s brand new Podcasting and Audio Reportage MA Program (Woop!) and open for new projects in New York or in Europe.
Note: Switzerland is diverse in language and Laura has a whole list of Italian and French podcast recommendations if you are interested! You can connect with her on LinkedIn here.
Das erschöpfte Meer von Apropos - Episode 1 & Episode 2: Diese zweiteilige Podcast-Serie führt 11’000 Meter in die Tiefe, in die absolute Dunkelheit. Sie führt an Traumstrände in Kalifornien, in schillernde Naturparks unter Wasser und in ein Berner Büro, wo ein Mann mit Blick auf die Alpen den Ozean verstehen will. „Das erschöpfte Meer“ erzählt die Geschichte einer tiefgründigen Recherche über die Wucht der Natur, menschliches Hadern und die Unabdingbarkeit des Klimawandels. Eine grossartig recherchierte Sound-Reise – Shout-out an meine lieben „Tagi“-Gspänli. Zu finden im Feed von „Apropos“, dem täglichen Podcast des „Tages-Anzeigers“.
Zündstoff von der Republik - Knonau brennt: In Knonau, einem kleinen Schweizer Dorf, platzt ein altes Bauernhaus fast aus den Angeln. Es ist randvoll gestopft mit Zeug. Karls Zeug. Er ist ein Messie und versetzt mit seiner Sammelwut das ganze Dorf in Aufruhr. Er eckt an, hält sich nicht an Regeln. Bis die Behörden eingreifen. Und plötzlich steht das ganze Haus in Flammen. Diese fünfteilige Doku-Serie versucht herauszufinden, wie es so weit kommen konnte und was man mit Menschen macht, die sich komplett querstellen. Diese Geschichte ist bewegend, persönlich und ein regelrechter Gesellschaftskrimi. Und das Spannendste ist meiner Meinung nach: Karl ist der Vater einer der zwei Macherinnen.
NZZ Megahertz von der NZZ: Wo gehöre ich hin? Wie kann man auf Augenhöhe streiten? Können wir unsere Träume steuern? Wie beeinflussen negative Gefühle unser Handeln? Ich persönlich stelle mir ständig alle erdenklichen Fragen. „NZZ Megahertz“ stellt sie Expert:innen und Forscher:innen. Ein Interview-Podcast über die grossen Fragen des Erwachsenseins. Jede Staffel beschäftigt sich mit einem Themenschwerpunkt – sei es Beziehungskisten, besser schlafen oder Konsum. Besonders zu empfehlen ist meiner Meinung nach die Staffel „Hard Feelings“. Und ein Hinweis: Dieser Podcast ist nicht im Dialekt, sondern auf Hochdeutsch – also auch über die Schweizer Grenzen hinweg verständlich.
Thank you so much for sharing, Laura!
🚀Events and Opportunities🚀
Ondas Awards 2025 (Spain)
The Premios Ondas Globales del Podcast, organised by PRISA Audio and Cadena SER, are the most important awards dedicated exclusively to the sector in the Spanish- speaking world. The awards are part of the Premios Ondas de Radio Barcelona, which have been held since 1956 and are considered the most prestigious radio and television awards in Spain.
The Ondas Awards applications have been extended until January 7, 2025 and there is a category for Non-Spanish Language.
Brand Podcasting Summit 2025 (Virtual)
Join Lower Street for the second annual edition of the Brand Podcast Summit. The event for brands looking to ditch the status-quo, use their voice to make an impact and become a trusted thought leader. Replays will be available for the sessions. Experience it live and get your questions answered, or save the recordings to watch again.
The event will take place January 14-15.
The ECCO (Location TBC)
THE ECCO brings together audio creators for immersive retreats set away from the cities in nature, where a curated group of talents collaborate, experiment, and support each other in crafting audio projects that are as diverse as they are profound. It's here, away from the distractions of daily life, that participants can fully immerse themselves in the art of audio storytelling, drawing inspiration from the environment and each other.
ECCO is an initiative by Jasmin Bauomy of Little Devils. Apply for the second edition by January 12, 2025.
That’s it for today, friends! I’d love to hear from you with any thoughts you have about the newsletter, the recommendations shared and the discussions started through the interviews. My hope is to bring podcasters together across Europe, US, Canada, and beyond to gather our forces for the good of the medium and for the industry’s growth.
Happy New Year and see you in 2025! To many more well-told stories, communities growing and coming together, and to more podcasting.
Some of the best podcasts we’ll reflect on this time next year are still being crafted. How wonderful is that?
Aw. Thank you for highlighting the Little Devils Patreon. Unfortunately we didn’t get enough traction on Patreon yet. So here’s hoping that we can slowly and sustainably build a community over there.