Podcasting Ethics
In 2019, a notable true crime podcast came under fire after a reporter accused the producers of using her report on a case without accrediting her appropriately.
Her outrage led to a barrage of similar complaints from other journalists who claimed that the podcast contained plagiarised content.
The scandal sparked disapproval from concerned fans and other journalists, causing the podcast to pull out several episodes from its archives, citing an absence of their source material as a reason for this decision.
Although there are authors who argue that the incident was misjudged, this case and many other instances of ethical misconduct in podcasting call for a need to evaluate the place of ethics in the digital space.
A growing population of consumers now prefer podcasts over mainstream media for the following reasons: podcasts are candid, intimate, and push the boundaries of one’s creative mind.
In the same vein, podcasters are constantly seeking out innovative ways to maintain their blooming pool of subscribers.
Whether you’re a podcast veteran or a rookie, you will agree that ethics are important and cannot be overlooked.
What are some ethical issues to consider in podcasting?
Plagiarising content.
Sometimes storytelling for your podcast may require drawing references from other people’s experiences and findings. Shall we imagine that we are making a podcast episode on climate change? First of all, we need a definition — a standard one. For that, we may look to well-versed scholars or renowned organisations or even an encyclopaedia. Another aspect we may want to explore is statistics (how prevalent is climate change?). A guide to this knowledge will be found in research journals and news articles.
Getting this information for use in your podcast is a brilliant step. However, these efforts may fall flat and contravene certain laws when you do not cite your sources. This is because a failure to cite the right references will be seen as claiming other people’s knowledge as yours — which is an offence.
The solution, therefore, is to ensure that every resource used for a podcast is duly mentioned by the host. Also, these references can be written down in the podcast’s working document.
The danger of misinformation.
The events of the year 2020 ushered in a myriad of misinformation that led to elevated levels of anxiety.
A good number of remarkable podcasters were not exempt from this wave as they were strongly criticised by listeners and professionals for spreading false information on events such as the US elections and the Covid 19 pandemic.
For instance, an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience podcast that contained wrong medical opinions on the Covid 19 vaccine caused over 200 health professionals to pen an open letter to Spotify, calling for the streaming service to “moderate misinformation on its platform”, and labelling the host as a “menace to public health”. A few disgruntled musicians also requested that their songs be removed from the platform because of this incident.
Another case in review on podcast misinformation is a study conducted on electoral misinformation by Brookings Institution researchers. After a meticulous analysis of political podcasts spanning closely 1500 episodes released between the time of the US elections and the riots, they deduced a significant amount of untrue information around voter fraud and electoral misconduct.
Apart from the example mentioned above, there are other different forms of misinformation in podcasting. It could be an inaccurate description of a historical event, a false presentation of data, or even an attribution of a person’s contributions to another. Whatever the case may be, it is crystal clear that misinformation and fake news is a threat to all forms of media, podcasts included.
The basis of podcasting is to provide a platform where listeners can be educated and entertained. This purpose is defeated if the information being dispensed is only part-truth or outrightly false. Hence, it is necessary that certain steps are taken to make sure that every piece of information put out in one’s podcasts is easily verifiable.
First of all dear reader, you can see that this is closely related to the first rule of properly citing sources used in one’s work. Using correct citations will ensure that the right people or institutions are credited.
Another way to combat false information is by fact-checking. There’s a lot of research work that goes into the making of a podcast. At every step of the way, it is necessary to confirm that the results of your research are undeniably true. This can be done by going through multiple (human and non-human) sources. When many sources can confirm that a certain fact is true then you’re good to go. If otherwise, it may be in your best interest to cut that part out for the well-being of your listeners and to uphold editorial integrity.
Prioritise consent always.
Consent is a voluntary agreement of someone to the wishes of another. In podcasting, seeking informed consent from whomever you’re working with on projects is important as it is the right thing to do. Also, one should note that consent can be withdrawn at any time.
Consent comes into play during interactions, and at many stages of production. If you would like an individual to come to be a guest on your show, you’ll need their permission. If you want to use someone’s music for your sound design, they need to give you a go-ahead. Would you like to read someone’s poem in your podcast or narrate someone’s story? Consent is required too! Do you need access to someone’s personal environment or property for your podcast? Get their consent.
Furthermore, subjects have the right to request that sensitive information (such as their names or contact information) may not be included in your podcast. You will need to respect that decision, no matter what.
Getting written and signed consent is a secure and excellent way to work, compared to oral consent. Oral consent can easily be destroyed or forgotten but backed-up documents are more recognised and less likely to be erased.
Beware of copyright infringement
Closely related to the rules concerning content theft and consent, copyright infringement is an issue that podcasters should pay strict attention to.
A copyright is a legal authority given to the owner of an intellectual property that grants them the ability to control how the material is used. Copyright infringement occurs when a creative piece is used or reproduced without the approval of the copyright owner.
The consequences of copyright infringement are costly and damaging for any podcast owner — including and not limited to the destruction of one’s reputation, heavy fines and jail time.
A good example of copyright infringement is using someone else’s music or sound in your podcast without their informed consent. A suggested solution to this may be to use royalty-free music. However, it is interesting to note that royalty-free music does not equate to copyright-free music. This is because royalty-free music only prevents the user from paying compensation for using the sound for their work. For this reason, it is important to get the consent of the music owner whether it is royalty-free or not.
Maintain integrity always.
Truthfulness and sincerity in podcasts is one attribute that makes them distinct from other forms of media. While it is good to put out honest content for your listeners, keep in mind that podcasting integrity transcends the quality of your content.
Do not falsify your podcast streams, subscribers or downloads. Doing so is not only criminal but it makes people to lose faith in your work. Your podcast can also get banned from streaming platforms if discovered. Allowing your podcast growth to be organic is not only beneficial for you and your brand, but it is also great for the podcasting community as well.
Although many streaming platforms do not particularly have podcast categories, avoid placing your podcast in the wrong category in its description. For example, it is wrong to categorise a podcast about health by describing it as a history podcast because history podcasts are more popular.
Miscategorising your podcast (on purpose) is dishonest and misleading to your audience. This action can also enrage people who come across the podcast, causing them to report your podcast. Constant reports may ultimately cause the streaming service to remove your podcast.
Good podcasting is a responsibility and strong adherence to ethics is the backbone for a long-lasting career. Although it may be tempting and easier to ignore certain ethics at the beginning, the aftermath is deleterious.
That’s it for me this week.
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