ALTBAYS and the NZ Podcasting Summit
The NZ Podcast Summit is an annual event that focuses on collaboration, education, sharing and networking for Aotearoa’s podcast producers, presenters, practitioners and providers. The event stands out because, in the conference room, you will find indie podcasters sitting next to representatives of NZ’s big media companies like Stuff, RNZ, The Spinoff and the NZ Herald, all listening to panellists and discussing the past, present, and future of podcasts — undoubtedly one of the fastest-growing information and entertainment media formats.
The summit concept was created by Auckland University of Technology Communication Studies Lecturer Lewis Tennant, who also hosts the Verbal Highs podcast. In late 2018, Lewis began archiving local podcasts via his NZ Podcast Directory, which became a hefty document that presents the most comprehensive overview of NZ podcasting to date, from who is making our podcasts to what we are making.
The ALTBAYS Table Talk crew, which has been successfully running their podcast since February 2022 in Whitianga, had the pleasure and honour of being guest speakers at this year’s event. Leo Magri and Taylor O.G. spoke about organic growth, the use of social media to spread the word about their mahi, and their involvement with the local Coromandel-Hauraki community.
Their presentation was as relaxed as their show’s format. The duo, originally from Brazil, are highly interested in how Kiwis perceive their own country and the world around them. Growing up with a different cultural background helps the ALTBAYS crew dive deep into topics which could be considered taboo or not suitable for NZ mainstream media but which are definitely part of Kiwis’ lives.
“I strongly believe that there’s no topic you could or should not be able to discuss and learn about. Even more important than that, I believe we do not have to have an opinion on everything. This necessity to see things as black or white can stop us from finding similarities in our thoughts, distancing us from a more empathetic approach to life. If we are okay with disagreeing on this but agreeing on that, there’s an opportunity to use the middle ground to try and make things okay for both sides.”
Leo and Taylor took four friends to the summit who have been guests on the show and are massive collaborators of their platform: Fabian Roberts, Operations Manager of Coromandel’s CFM; Benji Humphries, lead singer of the band FLAXXIES; Nikora Edwards “Swizl Jager,” Māori lyricist and MC; and Fredrick Pokai, writer, actor, and director.
“Although Taylor and I work hard as a duo, our podcast and media platform would not exist without collaborators. It made a lot of sense to talk about growth and community with our friends there who want to see us thriving.”
New Zealand’s podcast consumption is growing faster than in countries like the United States and Canada. This shows that people are choosing different ways to get informed, forcing big media outlets to change their ways and independent productions to improve their content creation to reach a bigger audience.
“Older generations critique young ones for not letting go of their phones, but this is not exclusive to young people. We made this technology available, and there’s no way back. How we communicate is changing; if you don’t adapt and learn, you get behind.”
Here are some guest speakers that have been a part of the NZ Podcast Summit: Justine Murray (RNZ), Michael Wright (The Press/Stuff Audio), Richie Culph (MediaWorks), Rich Coles (NZME Digital Audio), Amie Mills (NZ On Air), James Cridland (Podnews), Kirsten Johnstone and Melody Thomas (Pop Sock Media), Tim Batt (Acast), among many others!
Check out the NZ Podcasting Summit website for more information: www.nzpodsummit.com
Not surfing the podcast wave yet? Aotearoa New Zealand produces incredible content, covering a wide range of topics: from sports to mental health, comedy to true crime, and much more! If you’re unsure where to start your podcast journey, give ALTBAYS Table Talk a go! Every episode features a different guest covering various topics, so you will definitely find something that appeals to you!
Listen to the ALTBAYS Table Talk shows on your favourite audio platform by searching for ALTBAYS. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube for top clips and reels from our shows: @altbays.
Photos by Michael King
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