Reading lists and catalogs become podcasts after IKEA success : NPR

On the heels of IKEA’s success with its podcast – a four-hour reading of its catalog – dozens of new, non-narrative podcasts have broken new ground by reading other catalogs and lists.

AILSA CHANG, HOST:

IKEA, the Swedish distribution company, recently launched its first podcast.

(SOUNDBITE OF PODCAST, “THE IKEA AUDIO CATALOG”)

JASMIN RICHARDSON: You’re listening to the IKEA 2021 Audio Catalog, around a very inviting Songesand white queen size bed frame.

CHANG: It’s a simple, practical and hands-free version of IKEA’s large printed catalogue, perfect for a road trip. It lasts four hours. But as member station KAFJ’s Karen Zamora discovered, IKEA was a bit late to the party.

(PODCAST SOUND EXTRACTION, “COMBINE NATION”)

SEAN BELLEVILLE: You listen to “Combine Nation” (ph), your weekly update on the agricultural machinery market.

KAREN ZAMORA, BYLINE: In Collinsville, Illinois, podcasters Sean Belleville and Maura Marrison host a podcast rooted in the region’s rich agricultural history.

(PODCAST SOUND EXTRACTION, “COMBINE NATION”)

MORA MORRISON: This is a 2018 Massey Ferguson AC25 bale accumulator and mover.

BELLEVILLE: It’s beautiful.

MORRISON: The serial number is AGC…

ZAMORA: How did you come up with this idea?

MORRISON: We were looking for something with really great cross-platform synergy.

(SOUND EXTRACTION FROM THE EDITING)

MORRISON: …MAC250GZBLR213. Its stock number is 17931.

BETSY MORGAN: Welcome to “Ingredients.” I am Betsy Morgan.

RUBEN TIDWHILLER: And I’m Ruben Tidwhiller.

MORGAN: Well done.

ZAMORA: “Ingredients” is a podcast meant to start your day.

(PODCAST SOUNDBITE, “INGREDIENTS”)

MORGAN: One serving of cereal and skim milk provides 2 grams of total fat.

ZAMORA: Hosts see service as a trigger for ASMR, also known as Autonomous Sensory Meridian Responses.

(PODCAST SOUNDBITE, “INGREDIENTS”)

MORGAN: 260 milligrams of sodium.

TIDWHILLER: 36 grams of total carbohydrates.

ZAMORA: Aren’t you afraid that listeners will fall asleep listening to “Ingredients”?

MORGAN: We want them to fall asleep, actually.

TIDWHILLER: We tell them not to drive while they’re listening to the podcast. It is important.

ZAMORA: And there’s another favorite podcast in that genre.

(PODCAST SOUNDBITE, “PODCAST”)

SIRHAN BROOKS: Welcome to the “Podcast” podcast. I am Sirhan Brooks (ph).

STELLA WINTERS: And I’m Stella Winters (ph).

BROOKS: Let’s start.

ZAMORA: If you’re into all things meta, this one’s for you – a podcast that rattles off the names of other podcasts.

(PODCAST SOUNDBITE, “PODCAST”)

BROOKS: Planet Money.

WINTERS: “My favorite assassin” (ph).

BROOKS: “You’re wrong about that” (ph).

WINTERS: “Ladies from the office.”

BROOKS: “Slow burning.”

WINTERS: “Floodline” (ph).

BROOKS: “Frenzy mode.”

WINTERS: “Dr. Death.”

BROOKS: “The armchair expert.”

ZAMORA: But the most downloaded podcast in the country this week is “Those American Names.”

(SOUNDBITE OF PODCAST, “THESE AMERICAN NAMES”)

EUDORA ROBERTS: Act 2 – Birmingham, Ala., Whitepages – June 1961.

MYRON PELLA: Hinkelman, Delbert – 664-94…

ZAMORA: Myron Pella and Eudora Roberts came up with a simple concept.

(SOUNDBITE OF PODCAST, “THESE AMERICAN NAMES”)

ROBERTS: Hinkle, Bob-922-3412.

PELLA: Hinkley, Louis-246-7347.

ZAMORA: Many are intrigued by the success of this type of podcast, but one expert knows the real reason why this type of narrationless podcast works.

RANDY SHEPHERD: Music.

ZAMORA: Randy Shepherd – he thinks people in 2021 are tired of the narrative and all the baggage it carries. These new podcasts work because they use what they call in the business, rating.

SHEPHERD: It adds emotion to item listings. And I mean, you know, without marking, what is it?

ZAMORA: He thinks even traditional short stories suffer without the musical element.

SHEPHERD: Listeners today, they couldn’t imagine Edward R. Murrow on that rooftop reporting on the London Blitz if there wasn’t some background music. I mean, how are we supposed to know what we’re supposed to feel?

ZAMORA: Meanwhile, the FCC says it has granted more than 3,000 new podcast licenses in the last month alone, with a backlog of hundreds more. I’m Karen Zamora for NPR News.

(SOUNDBITE OF PODCAST, “THESE AMERICAN NAMES”)

ROBERTS: …233-4578.

PELLA: Hersh, Albert (ph) – 264-5683

ROBERTS: Hire, William (ph) – 657-2167.

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