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The Rise Of Black Podcasting And The Challenges We Face

Ever been on a commute, in the gym, walking somewhere or just extremely bored at home? In those scenarios, I usually plug my headphones in and shut the world out. As an entrepreneur, I might choose to listen to a conversation about business and personal development, but every now and again I like to laugh and listen to my black brothers and sisters talk about pop culture and Beyoncé. The medium that allows me to do all these things is the wonderful world of podcasting.

For those who have been missing for the last 30 years, a podcast is a digital audio file available on the internet via computer or mobile. Podcasting was first referred to as ‘audio blogging’ and it dates back to the 1980s. As the internet evolved and portable digital devices such as the iPod were developed, podcasting saw a resurgence in the early 2000s but has really peaked in popularity in the last few years. Up until the 2010s, most podcasts were targeted at a certain audience – white and middle aged – but since then, an incredible amount of millennials of all backgrounds have jumped into podcasting as an alternative medium for storytelling and expression.