A Podcast Glossary for Podcasters
Earlier this year, I started a spreadsheet of podcast terms as a resource for my AJO students. The list quickly grew out of control, as you can see below. The goal is to help producers of all levels understand how podcasting works.
A few notes:
This list is far from complete. There are currently 100+ defined terms, with another 400 or so undefined. My goal is to define 50 terms per week, then continue to add terms in perpetuity.
In the descriptions of each term, I’ve marked other defined words or terms in bold, where relevant.
I’ve simplified a lot of the technical explanations for a general audience, though I try to link to outside articles for those who wish to go deeper.
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.flac
noun See FLAC.
.mp3
noun See MP3.
.m4a
noun See M4A.
.wav
noun See WAV.
1:1
noun See 1-on-1.
1-on-1
noun A two-person meeting. A businessy term.
44/16
noun Shorthand for 44.1kHz/16-bit. This is one of the standards to set your recorder to. (Ask your engineer what they prefer before you record, if possible.) The 44 part is the sample rate, and the 16 part is the bit depth. Learn more here.
48/16
noun An alternative to 44/16.
48/24
noun An alternative to 44/16, used more for video.
99pi
noun Nickname for the show 99% Invisible. Pronounced "pee-eye."
A
Acts
noun Shorthand for actuality.
Actuality
noun Any interview tape that isn't narration. Often shortened to acts or ax.
Ad
noun Short for advertisement.
Advertiser
noun An entity that pays podcasters to advertise on the podcast.
Ad slot
noun Where you place an ad in your podcast.
Ad space
noun How many ad slots are available in your podcast.
Ad swap
noun When two podcasts agree to promote each other's work during an ad slot in their own podcasts.
Adobe
noun A software company that sells Audition, amongst other software.
Airworthiness
noun Whether or not something is ready to be released.
AJO
noun Acronym for American Journalism Online, a fully remote graduate journalism program from NYU. (I currently teach there. It’s a fine, fine program!)
Align on/with
verb To try to be in agreement with someone. Businessy term.
Aligned
adjective See align on/with.
Ambi
noun Shorthand for ambient sound.
Ambient sound
noun Background noise that helps set a scene and/or makes cutting tape easier. Often shortened to ambi. Related: nat sound and room tone.
Anecdote
noun A sequence of events. One of the building blocks of storytelling, according to Ira Glass. Think of it like an anecdote you’ll tell your friends about something that happened to you. (“The craziest thing happened on the drive home today. I was driving along, and all of a sudden, my tire blew. So I called AAA, and guess what happened next. Etc.”) Usually, anecdotes are told in chronological order, and are followed by a reflection.
APM
noun Acronym for American Public Media.
Apple Podcasts
noun A platform for hosting, distributing, and listening to podcasts. Was formerly a part of iTunes.
Arc
noun See character arc and/or story arc.
Arc out
verb To plan out an arc.
Art
noun Slang for artwork.
Artifact
noun Sonic errors that make your recording sound bad. They're often subtle, and happen because of bad equipment or remote recording connections.
Artwork
noun Visual assets for your podcast, channel, website, and/or episodes. Show art is probably the best example of artwork.
Assemble
verb To build an audio draft by inserting audio (such as tracking, actualities, music, or sound design) into your DAW.
Assembly
noun The thing that you create when you assemble an audio draft.
Asset
noun A digital file, such as a .jpg of artwork or .wav of a recording. Often used in the phrase “deliver assets.” Related: social asset.
Audio reportage
noun One of many ways to describe the genre of narrative nonfiction audio storytelling. Coined by Robert Boynton at NYU’s Audio Reportage program.
Audio storytelling
noun One of many ways to describe the genre of narrative nonfiction audio storytelling.
Audition
verb To review an edit you made by listening back to it in your DAW’s timeline. Related: context.
noun A DAW from Adobe.
Ax
noun Shorthand for actuality.
B
Back announce
verb To identify a character in your story immediately after their actuality. For example, the character might speak for the first time in a story by saying, “I’m a pretty good farmer, if I do say so myself.” Then the narrator might back-announce by saying, “That’s Jane Smith. She won the Best Farmer award at the county fair last year.”
noun The moment where you perform a back-announce.
Back up
verb To save a backup.
Backup
noun A physical hard drive or cloud drive (such as Dropbox or Google Drive) that you save your files to, just in case something goes wrong with the main place where you save your files.
Backup Drive
noun An external hard drive that functions as a backup.
Banked
adjective When an episode has been completed and designated to be released later, often as a backup. If an episode is banked, we often say that it’s “in the bank” or “in the can.”
Barf draft
noun A draft of your piece that you create by talking the story out loud, in one take, into your smartphone. You then transcribe that voice memo, and voila, you have a rough draft of your story. Very helpful when you're figuring out how to put your story together, especially when on deadline. Similar to a brain dump. Bradley Campbell explains the process on the Sound School podcast.
BBC
noun Acronym for the British Broadcasting Corporation.
Beat
noun See story beat.
noun A brief pause or moment of silence in your audio, as in "let's take a beat here."
noun A specific topic or subject a journalist will specialize in (sports, crime, etc.).
Beat out
verb To plan out the beats of your story.
Bed
noun Sound (like music or ambi) that runs underneath other sound (like narration).
bg
noun Shorthand for "background.” Often used in scripts or editorial feedback. Also sometimes written as “BG.”
Blend
verb To smooth a transition in a cut.
Blending
noun The technique of smoothing a transition in a cut.
Book
verb To schedule an interviewee for an interview and/or a physical space for a recording session.
Bookend
1. verb To begin and finish a part of your story with a similar theme, topic, or anecdote.
2. noun The technique of beginning and finishing a part of your story with a similar theme, topic, or anecdote.
3. noun The beginning piece or end piece of a bookend.
Booking
noun A booked interview and/ reserved physical space for recording.
Bounce
verb To export audio from your DAW’s session.
noun Exported audio.
Brain dump
noun The technique of talking out your story with the goal of helping clarify your story structure and/or other relevant information. Similar to the process of creating a barf draft.
verb to perform the technique of brain dumping.
Break
noun The place where you split a clip at an edit point.
noun A section of an episode that in between two segments, as in “We’ll be right back after the break.” Usually this contains an ad or promo.
C
Call-in
noun A show or segment where people dial in via phone, Zoom, etc.). They usually ask questions and/or say comments. This can happen on air, or recorded previously via something like a voice memo.
adjective To describe a type of show or segment, e.g. a call-in segment.
Canned
adjective When narration sounds overly practiced, unnatural, or read.
Cans
noun Slang for headphones.
Cascade
noun/verb See waterfall.
Castro
Central question
noun The overarching question that your piece is trying to answer. It can help the listener stay engaged. It can also helps you focus your piece. For example, I would argue that Serial's central question was: Did Adnan do it?
Character
noun A person who plays a key role in your story. Usually, characters are on mic. A main character may go on a hero’s journey.
Character arc
noun The narrative journey a character takes.
Chicken bomb
noun A fascinating, somewhat off-topic piece of information in a story that's so attention-grabbing that it distracts your listener. Coined by a former student of Rob Rosenthal at Transom.
Choppy
adjective When a cut sounds audibly unnatural and/or not smoothed out.
Chronological
adjective When a story or anecdote is arranged in order of beginning to end, based on the moments in time that they occurred.
CJR
noun Acronym for Columbia Journalism Review.
Clean tape
noun Tape that sounds clear, and/or is easy to understand.
Cliche
noun A word or phrase that’s overused. For example, the line: “To understand X, you first have to understand Y” has been used so often that it’s a radio cliche at this point.
adjective When you’re describing a word or phrase that’s overused.
Clip
noun A clip is a visual representation of sound in your DAW. It’s what you manipulate when you’re cutting tape. (Think: the sound waves.) This visual representation tells your DAW to play a specific portion of an audio recording from your original audio file (e.g. "2023.04.05_Kapelman Project_Interview with Mom from 6:45-6:58).
verb To trim.
CMS
noun Acronym for content management system.
Cold open
noun Segment of a piece that occurs before an introduction (this doesn't occur in every piece).
verb To execute a cold open.
Colloquial
adjective See conversational.
Compress
verb To apply a compression effect to audio.
Compressed
adjective Audio that has been affected by compression.
Compression
noun An audio effect that makes loud sounds quieter, and soft sounds louder. Use it sparingly to help smooth out the voices in your story.
Compressor
noun A plugin that applies compression.
Content management system
noun What you use to post and update content. This can be a specific part of a website (like Wordpress or a radio station's custom site) or, less often, dedicated software.
Cost per mille
noun See CPM.
CPB
noun Acronym for Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which describes itself as "the steward of the federal government’s investment in public broadcasting and the largest single source of funding for public radio, television, and related online and mobile services." They run an annual conference many station managers attend.
CPM
noun Acronym for cost per mille. It's the rate podcasters (and other media organizations) charge to advertisers, based on each group of one thousand listeners. For example, if a podcast commands a $1 CPM and has 1,000 listeners, that means they'd make $1 per ad. Another example: If a podcast commands a $15 CPM, averages 100,000 listeners, and run three ads per episode, they'd make $4,500 per episode. (The math here is: 15*100000/1000)*3.)
Crashing on a story
verb To work extremely hard on a story that’s due imminently.
Creaky voice
noun See vocal fry.
Cringe test
noun A thought exercise that helps you decide if you think your writing is fair to a character. You imagine that they’re sitting next to you while you play your story for them. If you think you’d cringe at a certain line, you might want to rethink it. Coined by Robert Krulwich.
Content calendar
noun A roadmap that helps you plan out when you'll release your content.
Context
noun When you’re cutting tape or editing a script, and you listen or read a little bit before the section you’re currently editing. Knowing what comes immediately before the section you’re editing can help you understand what choices to make. Related: audition.
Conversational
adjective When you write or say something like you’d speak casually, in your everyday life. Editors often tell producers that their narration should sound conversational so listeners can understand them better. Keep in mind: there’s no science behind sounding conversational, and different shops and editors have different standards.
Cut
noun Slang for an audio deliverable.
verb To delete or remove something from a script or assembly.
adjective Something that has been removed from a script or assembly.
D
Day rate
noun What a freelancer charges for a day’s work. Not all freelancers work on day rate’s.
DAW
noun Acronym for digital audio workstation.
dB
noun Acronym for decibel.
Decibel
noun a measurement of sound pressure levels in acoustics. Also see: loudness and volume.
Dead
adjective When the space you're recording has little to no echo. This helps you get clean tape.
Dead cat
noun A big furry cover for a microphone that helps shield it from wind. See also: windscreen and pop screen.
Deadline
noun When a deliverable is due. Respect your deadlines!
Deliver
verb To provide a deliverable to a stakeholder.
Deliverable
noun Something (like a .wav file or a script) that you provide a stakeholder.
Demo
noun See target demographic.
Descript
noun DAW that automatically transcribes files and allows you to make non-destructive edits through text, amongst having other useful features.
Descructive editing
noun Edits that you make to audio that cannot be undone. The opposite of non-desctructive editing. Essentially, every DAW a producer uses today allows for non-destructive editing.
Double duty
noun When a line performs two different functions at the same time in your piece.
Double-ender
noun Another term for tape sync.
Driveway moment
noun A highly compelling section in a radio story. The term derives from when you listen to the radio in your car, finally get home and pull into your driveway, but sit in your car (instead of walking into your home) so you can hear happens next in the story.
Drown puppies
verb See kill your darlings.
E
e story structure
noun See little e.
Echo
noun Repeating the same word or phrase in a short period of time in your narration, which makes it very noticeable to the listener (usually in a bad way).
EP
noun Acronym for executive producer.
verb to executive produce a project.
Evergreen
adjective Describes content that should stay fresh and interesting in perpetuity. (As opposed to content around a specific date or fleeting event.)
Export
verb To bounce from a DAW.
F
FC
noun Short for fine cut.
Final
noun Shorthand for final cut.
Final cut
noun The finished version of a piece.
Fine cut
noun A draft that's somewhere in between rough cut and final cut.
Finesse
verb See: smooth.
FLAC
noun An audio file format for lossless compression of digital audio. The file ending is listed as .flac. Not often used in podcasting.
G
Good tape
noun Common term for tape that works.
Gold tape
noun See good tape.
H
Hear in context
verb See context.
Hindy
noun Affectionate nickname for Hindenburg.
Host
noun Person who emcees or narrates a podcast; verb To emcee or front a podcast
noun A service that stores and distributes the audio files of your podcast through an RSS feed
verb To store and distribute files through an RSS feed
Hot tape
noun See good tape.
K
Kill your darlings
verb To cut a section that you love because it doesn't work in the piece.
V
Vodcast
noun a video podcast.
verb to execute a video podcast.
Additional terms
I’ll be adding definitions for the following terms over the next few weeks:
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.aac
.nhsx
.sesx
.ptx
.rpp
1:1
1-on-1
4 factors
Amplified
Amplitude
Anecdote/reflection
Audience
Audio
Bit rate
Bit depth
Blubrry
Carriage
Channel
Clear/Clearance
Clipping
Condensor
Conflict
Content
Counterprogram
Cover art
CRM
Current
Develop
Development
Digital Audio Workstation
Dim
Dip
Direct response
Distribution
Download
Downspeak
Downtalk
Draft
Drive
Duck
Dynamic
Dynamics
e story structure
Edit (discussion)
Edit point
Editor
Editorial feedback
Effect
Effects rack
Emotional tape
Emcee
Engineer
EP
Episode
Episodic
EQ
Equalize
Estimate
Executive producer
Explanatory comma
Fact check
Fact checker
Fade
Fade in
Fade out
Fade under
Fade up
Fair use
Feed drop
Feedback
Field recording
File
File hygeine
Filter
Final
Focus statement
FOIA
Format
Four factors
Frankenstein
Freelance
Freelancer
Frequency
FX
Gain
Gantt chart
Gap
Give context
Good talker
Handoff
Hard news
Hero's journey
High cut filter
High pass filter
Highly produced
Hindenburg
Hiss
Hit
Hit the post
Hook
Host swap
Hot
Hot Pod
Housekeeping
In-ear monitors
IEMs
In the bank
In the can
In the clear
In point
Indemnity
Indemnify
Intellectual property
Interface
Interview prep
Interview subject
Interviewee
Interviewer
Intonation
Intro
Introduction
IP
IP Pipeline
Ira
iLok
iTunes
Jad
Janky
Journey
KCRW
kHz
Kill
Kill fee
Kit
Layering
Lead
Learning Management System
Lede
Left channel
Level
Levels
Libsyn
License
Limiter
Line
Line edit
Listener
Listens
Literary reportage
Little e
Live edit
Live read
Live to tape
LMS
Longform
Loudness
Low cut filter
Low pass filter
LUFS
Main character
Make a cut
Man on the street interview
Manufacturing tape
Massage
Master
Media organization
Megaphone
Member station
Membership
Membership drive
Metadata
Mic
Mid-roll
MIDI
Mission-driven
Mixdown
Mixer
Monetize
Monitor
Mono
Montage
MP3
MPR
MUX
MVP
Naming convention
Narration
Narrative
Narrative audio
Narrative nonfiction
Nat sound
Natural
NDA
News hook
News spot
Noise floor
Non-destructive editing
Nonfiction narrative audio storytelling
Normalize
NPR
Omni
On air
On background
On deadline
On mic
Out point
OTT
Over the top
P pop
P&L
Pace
Pacing
Pan
Panel
Panning
Patreon
Patron
Peaking
Phantom power
Pickup
Piece
Pilot
Pineapple
Pineapple Street
Pitching
Playhead
Pledge drive
Plosive
Plug-in
Poach
Podcast
Podcaster
Podcatcher
Pop screen
Portfolio
Post
Post-production
Post-roll
Practiced
Pre-production
Pre-roll
Preditor
Prep
Pro Tools
Problem spot
Processing
Prodco
Produce
Producer
Production
Production company
Project
Programmatic
Promo
Pronouncer
PRPD
PT
Public broadcasting
Public radio
Punch in
QC
Quality control
Rack
Radio
Rate guide
Rate sheet
Raw
RC
Read (past tense)
Reaper
Recorder
Recording session
Reflection
Regions
Remote recording
Report
Reporter
Reset
Resked
Reverb
RFP
Right channel
Riverside
Room tone
Rough cut
RSS
RX
SALT
Sample rate
Scene
Score
Scout
Scratch
Script
Scripted
Scripted two-way
Section
Segment
Senior producer
Serialized
Session
SFX
Shoot puppies
Shop
Shotgun
Show cover
Signpost
Singsongy
Simulrec
Sirius
Slammed
Slate
Smooth cut
Smooth out
Snap
Snippet
Social assets
SOP
Sound design
Sound waves
Sound-rich
Source
SOW
Space
Spot
Stakeholder
Stakes
Standards
Standup
Station
Station manager
Stem
Stereo
Stet
Stitch together
Stitcher
Story
Story beat
Story structure
Structure
Studio
Style guide
Subject
Submix
Subscribe
Subscription
Sum to mono
Surehandedness
SXM
Sync
Syntax
Take
TAL
Tape
Tape sync
Tape synch
Tape syncer
TCF
Tease
Tension
Texture
The Current
Third Coast Festival
Throughline
Tighten (editing)
Timeline
Timeliness
TK
Tool
Track (editing)
Tracking
Trailer
Trailer drop
Transcribe
Transcript
Transcription
Transition
Transom
TRAX
Trim
Turning phrase
Two-way
Underscore
Underwriter
Underwriting
Unnatural
Upcut
Upspeak
Uptalk
v1, v2, v3, etc.
Verb
Video podcast
Visual asset
Visual tape
Vocal fry
Vocal organs
Vocal tract
Voice
Voice memo
Volume
VOX
Vox pop
Want/but/therefore
Waterfall
Waveform
What did you have for breakfast this morning?
Wind screen
WNYC
Word order
Work product
Workflow
World
Write around
Write out of tape
Write to tape
XLR cable
XLR input/output
Other podcast glossaries I like:
Podcast Industry Glossary by Bryan Barletta et al., Sounds Profitable
'Butt cut what?' A glossary of audio production terms by Alison MacAdam, NPR Training