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Podologues: Conversations created by science podcasts

Birch, Hayley; Weitkamp, Emma

Authors

Hayley Birch



Abstract

Podcasts are media files that can be automatically aggregated and downloaded via the internet, and transferred to portable media players. Combined with online discussion facilities, podcasts represent flexible and potentially valuable tools for communicating about science. This pilot project aimed to assess the role of science podcasts in stimulating discussions, or 'podologues', about science through detailed analyses of a sample of five popular science podcasts. Two main methods were used: content analysis of online discussion forums and blogs associated with the five podcasts and interviews with listeners. The results show that podcasts are regarded as valuable sources of scientific information by listeners and that blogs and forums can act as public spaces for audience members to share knowledge, develop their own ideas about science and provide feedback to media producers. Larger, more detailed studies are required to further understand the value of podcasts for stimulating public discourse about science. © The Author(s) 2010.

Citation

Birch, H., & Weitkamp, E. (2010). Podologues: Conversations created by science podcasts. New Media and Society, 12(6), 889-909. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444809356333

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Sep 30, 2010
Journal New Media and Society
Print ISSN 1461-4448
Electronic ISSN 1461-7315
Publisher SAGE Publications
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 12
Issue 6
Pages 889-909
DOI https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444809356333
Keywords podcasting, new media, science communication, dialogue
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/983385
Publisher URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1461444809356333