The School of Law Podcast goes Live.
Last week, Acast reported that 42% of the British public have listened to a podcast in the past seven days. Today, I’m excited to announce a new addition to that world: The School of Law Podcast from the University of Aberdeen, which I’m delighted to say I presented and produced.
With this series, our goal is simple: to make a variety of legal topics interesting and accessible to everyone.
Exploring Key Legal Topics
The School of Law Podcast covers a range of subjects that are central to the curriculum at the University of Aberdeen’s School of Law. From energy law and cryptocurrency to the way copyright law has evolved in the music industry, each episode dives into subjects that are relevant, thought-provoking, and genuinely interesting for students and anyone curious about law.
To provide in depth insights, each episode features interviews with the University of Aberdeen’s own lecturing staff. It’s their expertise and real world experience to the discussions that really makes it – giving listeners direct access to the knowledge and perspectives that shape the university’s law program.
Episode 1: Anti-SLAPP
The first episode, Anti-SLAPP, delves into Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation – or SLAPPs. Which Lauren and myself knew very little about before we recorded the episode. These lawsuits are sometimes used by powerful entities to intimidate and silence critics. This episode highlights why these protections matter and explores the role of anti-SLAPP measures in today’s society. It’s a belter to launch with!
Bringing in the Right Voice: Co-Hosting with Lauren Mitchell
Choosing Lauren Mitchell as the co-presenter for the podcast series was an easy decision. She’s someone I’ve always enjoyed listening to as a presenter, with a real natural presence on-air, who, with nearly ten years on the Northsound One Breakfast show, has become a respected broadcaster with a strong connection to the North East audience, especially those in the younger demographic – an ideal fit for engaging undergraduate students who might be considering studying law at the University. Which is of course was a key factor to the overall ‘Sound’ of the podcast series.
Podcast Requirements
For this project, I needed to create a recording setup on campus that balanced professionalism with simplicity (for the video recording that was also a requirement). Keeping it unobtrusive helped to keep things as comfortable as possible, so only a single tripod and GH5 camera was set up, along with an iphone 12 pro max. This was a learning curve for me, using an iphone for a ‘business’ shoot, but it was perfect for what was needed. There is after all, nothing worse than having tripods, camera’s and and lights pointing everywhere along with the microphone setup, when its time to record an episode. Lets face it, no one needs it.
Episodes in the First Release
Along with Anti-SLAPP, the first release of The School of Law Podcast includes three additional episodes:
- Crypto Assets, Blockchain, and the Law: Navigating the Legal Landscape of Digital Finance
- Energy Law and the Low-Carbon Future: Legal Pathways for Sustainable Transition
- Copyright Law, Taylor Swift, and the Music Industry: How Artists are Reshaping IP Rights
You can listen to these now via your usual platform, uploaded to Podbean, they are then distributed to the usual outlets. You can tell Alexa to ‘Play the School of Law Podcast’ if that’s your thing.
With a focus on one episode/subject per month, Future episodes in the series will be dropping soon!
You will be able to access all episodes of the podcast via the University website at the time each episode is released.
All production engineering and post-production editing for Audio and Video carried out by Weightman Digital.
Need a Media expert with 3 decades of experience engaging with audiences for your Podcast production?
With 17 years 'front line' radio broadcasting experience including Northsound, Original 106, Metro Radio and TFM, including 7 years as a Programme Director, with a grass roots understanding of radio engagement also being a College Lecturer in Radio Broadcasting, re-writing the teaching materials for the "Radio Broadcasting" module, who's first 'media love' is Audio....
I might just be a good shout. ;-)
Brief History and the Golden Rule
How Podcasts Became Part of Our Daily Routines
Podcasts have been around for about 20 years, but they really started going mainstream about a decade ago. I became a solid daily listener back when Trump first ran for president, tuning into American politics shows like The Daily and my Sunday favourite, Meet the Press. Those got me hooked, and soon after, I was diving into True Crime, History, Comedy and too many others to mention.
These days, my playlist is a solid mix of current affairs, history and education (obviously) . But I treat podcasts the same way I do radio programs: if they’re not keeping me engaged, I’m out! Also with its enormous growth – the quality bar has been raised in all departments, including audio production. Sure, use your smartphone, but make sure the content is pure gold. Also buying the Shure SM57 looks great, but without powering it with an equally impressive processor, then the audio will be hard and cold.
It’s all about the Listener
The principles of podcasting aren’t all that different from radio. The focus should always be on one thing – the listener. Who are they? Where are they? What are they interested in? What media do they consume? What are they used to? What do they want? In the end, it’s all about understanding your audience. NOT falling in love with your own voice whilst wearing a pair of headphones (I can smell these people from a million miles away – 17 years of dissecting radio teaches you that).
Its always felt like the greatest privilege having someone choose to listen to you, tuning in on their commute, while cooking in the kitchen, or lying in bed with their smart speaker or earbuds. Whether they’re listening through Apple, Amazon, or another app, the experience is for them. Always.
