AJMI – Doha

With 146 minutes of interactive, self-paced learning, an “Engaging Podcast Production” course, available on English-language section of Al Jazeera Media Institute’s e-learning platform, offering participants an opportunity to discover the secrets of creating compelling narrative podcasts that capture audiences’ attention and stay long after in their memories.

The course was developed by Amy Walters and presented by Samantha Johnson Both bring extensive experience in podcast production, while Samantha also has a wealth of experience hosting podcasts. They have previously worked together on podcast productions for Aljazeera English.

The course allows learners to progress at their own pace through condensed content that brings together journalistic storytelling, audio innovation and modern editorial techniques. Recognizing podcasting as one of the most powerful storytelling tools in modern journalism, the course sets out to answer a central question: What makes a podcast compelling, memorable and worth listening to?

Through a series of interactive lessons, participants explore the essential elements of a successful narrative podcast: strong openings, conversational scripts, story structure, meaningful interviews, sound design and editing. They also discover different podcast formats, including interview-based podcasts, documentary storytelling, true-crime narratives in addition to audio- video podcast content, with a focus on the distinctive storytelling and journalistic features of each format.

The course is designed to empower journalists, storytellers and media professionals who are looking to enter the world of podcasting or take their existing work to the next level. It offers a flexible self-paced learning experience and carefully crafted professional content that keeps pace with the evolution of audio storytelling in modern journalism.

Find out more here.