From end-to-end digital podcasting platforms to self-service recording studios, several podcasting services are emerging in the MENA region. Micah Aguilar speaks to industry insiders from Amaeya Media, Podeo, Warehouse Four and Poddster to understand the bigger picture.
The podcast industry has been gaining momentum in recent years. Market research company eMarketer estimates that by 2025, approximately 504.9m people around the world will be listening to podcasts, roughly 23.5% of all internet users, and according to the Business Research Company, the international podcasting market is expected to exceed $66bn by 2027. Behind these numbers are emerging podcast studios and services cultivating the industry, fuelled by their passion for storytelling.
In simple terms, podcasts are audio shows available in digital format that can be downloaded or streamed. The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is no exception to this intimate form of audio content creation. One of the most notable trends here is the rise of local podcast creators and services emerging to address the market, from beginner-friendly self-service podcast recording studios to a multiservice podcasting platform for podcasters and listeners.
Over the past few years, we have seen support and recognition for local podcast talent. The increasing number of listeners and creators in the podcasting community has prompted various media stakeholders, including creatives, government bodies and business leaders of all shapes and sizes, to take an interest in this budding industry. In response to the increasing popularity of podcasting in the global digital content landscape, the Dubai Press Club launched Dubai PodFest, a podcast convention bringing together listeners and leading members of the community to connect and share knowledge. The third edition of the festival is due to be held on May 16 in One Central, Dubai World Trade Centre. Similarly, the Ignite the Sound conference organised by the Saudi Digital Content Council took place in October 2022, hosting a series of panel discussions and workshops to support digital audio content and podcast creators.
In addition, a growing number of podcasting networks and communities in the region provide support, resources and platforms for podcasters to showcase their work. Chirag Desai, a regional podcast host and the founder of Amaeya Media, recognises the podcasting community as an independent space where creators can engage in open conversations that foster trust between them and their listeners. He further notes that the accessibility, convenience and credibility of the medium are contributing factors that encourage people to enter podcasting and tune in to their favourite shows.
“Many brands today look at podcasting as a way to communicate with audiences and that brings more people to the medium. We also see a lot of creation here. As more creators come into this space, we will begin to see more evangelists for the medium,” he says.
Amaeya Media is building a portfolio of branded and original audio conversations that focus on creating content for listeners within the region. Some of the network’s most notable podcast shows include What I Did Next, which was featured as an Apple Podcasts Editor Top Show in 2021 and 2022, and Tales of the Trade, a show about conversations with some UAE entrepreneurs who share their personal stories and journeys in the region.
With a growing interest in local voices and perspectives, podcasters are creating content in Arabic and English, covering various topics from politics and current events to culture, entertainment and business-related discussions relevant to the Arab region. Its dynamic landscape and growing economies open up opportunities to highlight stories about communities that once did not exist in the area but are now thriving today.
Desai says: “When we first started, there were three or four companies operating in the podcasting space regionally. Today we’re in the double digits. As the medium grows, and the creation grows, the industry will follow. We are seeing more and more interesting content that represents the region.”
Stefano Fallaha, founder and CEO of podcasting platform Podeo, notes: “We identified that society and culture are the most listened-to category. That includes personal stories and journals, relationships and documentaries set under that category. Under spirituality, Islam is a big category. Other big categories include health and fitness, art and design, and fiction.”
Stefano believes Podeo is set to become the Arabic Netflix of podcasting. When Podeo first launched the platform, it was intended to function as a listening app focused on Arabic content. Eventually, it grew to over 250 original shows, but Fallaha and his team recognised a more significant opportunity to enable and encourage more creators into the space: “You have around 50m creators, and less than two million are podcasters. So on average podcasting represents less than 2% of the output of content on a daily basis. So around 15,000 hours of podcasts, versus 800-900,000 hours being uploaded on YouTube on a daily basis.”
Podeo thus worked towards simplifying the process by building a digital podcast studio for creators to record, distribute, manage branding, do post-production and monetise their podcasts all from one place. By diversifying the offering rather than just remaining a listening app, it created a platform to enable and support the entire podcasting ecosystem. In addition, Podeo integrated creation abilities into the listening app to make it even simpler for listeners to become podcasters.
“We dived deeper into the problem, and what we noticed was that creators were using six to seven different tools to create a podcast. One tool to record, another to host, another to do the post-production and another for branding. So the process was very fragmented,” says Fallaha. Since its launch, Podeo has registered over 20,000 new podcasters.
Ian Carless, one of the owners of Warehouse Four, an event and rental space company in Dubai, acknowledges the attention podcasting has received over the past few years as an alternative to conventional media like video but observes that there is still a lot of space for adoption and for brands to fully accept it. “We’re in a similar space now in terms of adoption and persuading companies to adopt podcast as we were 10 years ago in persuading companies to adopt branded content, video content.”
Carless has a background in television production and worked for ESPN and MTV before venturing off to Dubai and starting Warehouse Four in 2016. In 2020, it made an addition to its facilities: a podcast recording studio. Although it had a rocky start due to the lockdown measures imposed earlier that year, the company eventually saw a positive response in demand for the space. “We’ve set up the studio in a particular way that’s got a certain look and feel to it, but that’s not to say that it can’t be adapted. In most cases, clients book us because of how the studio looks. I don’t necessarily think we offer anything different in terms of equipment,” he says.
Known for its contemporary setting and versatility as an events venue, podcasters looking to book a space with Warehouse Four can expect a similar aesthetic and professionalism with their recording studio, which may be of interest to those looking to incorporate video into their podcasts. In addition, it recently introduced a mobile podcast studio concept with the launch of its Airstream4 Podcast Studio trailer, putting its modern and contemporary aesthetic on wheels.
“It’s an old, converted Airstream trailer that we’ve stripped out, refurbished and turned into a studio. The plan is to be able to rent this out for big conferences and big events where people want to have a dedicated podcast studio that content creators can use to come in and do their podcast,” explains Carless.
As opposed to typical recording studios, Carless explains the concept as an alternative to the traditional black-and-grey set-up. “I think that our aesthetic is very conducive to creativity. I’ve worked with many recording studios and they’re great, but you walk into the room and it sucks the life out of you just because of how it has to be. It must be completely silent and the acoustics have to be near as perfect as possible, but that’s not a creative environment.”
Getting started with podcasting does not necessarily require expensive equipment and high-end sound recording, as we have seen with Podeo’s products. The process can be made simpler and does not require a high level of production value to produce. “You don’t need dead air. You can have a little bit of background noise and it’s perfectly acceptable. It’s obviously not in a Hollywood movie or a television commercial, so you get away with a lot of things,” says Ian.
Stefano of Podeo advises investing in advanced equipment if podcasters are seriously looking into levelling up their podcasting game, “It’s very similar to YouTubers. You have those with advanced equipment and then you also have those that just don’t have equipment at all, but still the content is great or the content goes viral. That’s when they start getting into more advanced equipment.”
Regarding pricing, we see a joint approach with podcast recording studios in the UAE charging an hourly rate, with rental prices ranging from AED 150-450. For individuals who want additional services and are ready to pay a premium, other studios provide various packages. Studios typically include operators and sound engineers prepared to assist with recording, except for self-service podcast recording studios, which only offer the space and equipment. Alternatively, some organisations mainly focus on podcast creation, like Poddster, a video podcast production company built with high-end audio and video equipment to help brands grow their podcast.
Speaking on behalf of the company, Marwan Mohamed, Poddster Studio Manager, says: “Poddster is the first 360 video podcasting solution in the region. Basically we help businesses and individuals create and curate content for their online platforms by offering a multitude of services that a content creator would need.” The studios include a complete kit of Netflix-certified Sony FS5 cameras, SM7B mics, audio interfaces, lighting and services to support creators’ podcasting journey. “Our services offer them a sort of journey. We offer services ranging from concept strategy, branding, guest sourcing, content development, and then we move on to audio and video post-production, micro-content development, distribution and promotion.”
Poddster boasts four different podcast sets to choose from in the Dubai Media City branch, the Voyager Studio, Midnight Studio, Focus Studio and Nostalgia Studio, and four brand-new sets at its recently opened flagship location in Al Barsha. Using these, podcasters can select the mood according to their creative direction. “Our set-ups have different themes to invoke different atmospheres out of the shows that we are helping produce. So when we’re meeting with a client for the first time and they want to choose a set for their show, or maybe they’re looking to change that or integrate elements from different sets into their own set-up, we have to understand the tone and how involved the conversation is in certain facets of life. Different colour themes, lighting styles and techniques lend themselves to creating different atmospheres,” says Mohamed.
Located in Dubai Media City and Al Barsha, Poddster’s studio rental pricing starts from $65, with a selection of packages and bundles that offer postproduction, micro-content extraction, content distribution, branding and other production services.
Podcasting is an increasingly popular medium in the Arab region, with many individuals and businesses venturing into the space. As a result, we have seen a rise in podcast studios providing creators access to the gear and resources needed to produce high-quality audio content, making it easier for creators to start their own shows and share their stories. Alternatively, there are also platforms such as Podeo that are designed to make podcasting more accessible regardless of whether people have access to recording equipment or not. As podcasting continues to grow in popularity, there are many opportunities for creators and businesses to explore the potential of this medium. And as the region’s podcasting industry continues to evolve, there is no doubt that we will see even more innovative and creative uses of this dynamic platform.
