Podcasts are great; we can consume them virtually anywhere and on basically any device, so the convenience factor is huge. But the fact remains that many of us prefer to consume content in print … especially our leisure reading. And that’s impossible to do with a podcast without printing out the transcript.
Until now.
“Pod Papers is a new limited-edition magazine that turns your favorite podcasts into reading material,” writes Melissa Locker in Fast Company. “Now fans of shows like 99% Invisible and Dear Sugars can skip the headphones and instead see the stories brought to life on the page—and the pages are beautiful.”
“Other podcasts to grace the pages of Pod Papers include Grammar Girl, Design Matters, The Barnes & Noble Podcast, Foundr and more,” she continues.
The new magazine is a welcome and tangible element in our increasingly digital world, and brings a new layer of meaning and permanence to the content of these popular podcasts.
“In today’s tech-forward world, putting things down on paper – a love note, a creative idea, a thought-provoking story – makes them even more meaningful,” explains the Paper & Packaging Board’s website in announcing their new product.
“To celebrate the creative impact of analog, we decided to do something a little crazy: take something inherently digital, like a podcast, and turn it into something beautiful, and more permanent, you can hold in your hands.”
The Pod Papers Magazines are available at Barnes & Noble stores nationwide, bringing the digital podcast experience to life in living color.
There’s a lot to love about this. Research has shown us that consuming content in print brings a deeper understanding and better comprehension than digital formats. And while we aren’t assuming the same would be true for print vs. audio, it’s not that big a leap to make. Printed media brings an element of emotion to our experience that is missing on screen or through headphones. Our human senses love to read in print.
For the podcasters, this also gives them exposure to a whole new audience, one that might not be tuning into podcasts on a regular basis, but resonates with what the magazine has to say. It’s a terrific way to repurpose content into another channel, in much the same way that digital-first brands are moving into print. Watch for Pod Papers next time you’re in Barnes & Noble, and enjoy the read.