Was this newsletter forwarded to you by a friend?
You must be really cool! Click below to subscribe and join the tribe.

Hello pod bodies.
Welcome to the 9th edition of The Podcast Catalyst. As always, a warm welcome to all our new subscribers. I’m stoked you found us.

In this issue:
New South African Podcasters Guild
+ a FREE trial for a new podcast audio visualizer
+ a podcast made entirely by AI
+ lessons from creators that are now in the Podcast Graveyard 
PLUS the first episode of What Now? with Trevor Noah 🔥🔥

Spark The Creator 🔥🔥

Oh what a night! Aimed at helping podcast creators connect, collaborate and create the room was filled with a pulsating energy.

Nicole Engelbrecht ( host of True Crime South Africa ) and Spike Ballantine (founder of dbo Media ) joined me to answer many a creator question; from recording equipment, to storyboarding, the difference between editors and audio engineers, to monetization, the value of video and so much more.

With over 70 registrations for the night and guests flying in from up country, the feedback on the first creator event has been exceptionally positive. So much so that I’ve already started planning the next one.

Thank you once again to everyone that made it! It was really great to connect IRL. To Nicole Engelbrecht and Spike Ballantine, thank you for sharing your expertise on the microphone. And to the event supporters, Latitude Aparthotel, Riverside, Rode, IONO, Oppo, Bombay Sapphire and Bounce Media for walking the journey with me.

Listen to the podcast here.
Watch the full conversation here.
Check out some happy snaps here.
And a lekker little showcase video, made by Mirandi Nel here.

The South African Podcasters Guild is alive.

It’s official! United by a passion for creating exceptional content, the South African Podcasters Guild (SAPG) launched on 2 November!

The core values of The SAPG are:

• Listening: We value the opinions and ideas of every member.

• Authenticity: We believe in genuine, honest storytelling.

• Collaboration: We support and help one another to succeed
  
  I am very proud to be a founding member and invite you to join us as we, collectively elevate the medium in South Africa. www.sapg.co.za 
  

There is an app for that!

SoundMadeSeen.com is a new video creation app for podcasters allowing you to transform your audio into captivating videos. Think of it as your shortcut to amazing visuals!
With full transcription capabilities you can analyze your audio, create your own designs and even generate beautiful images with AI!
All TPC subscribers can claim their FREE two week trial of SoundMadeSeen by using the coupon code CATALYST23. The 2 week trial includes unlimited transcriptions and up to 300 minutes of video generation. Claim it before the end of 2023!

Ever wondered what a podcast made entirely with AI would sound like?
Develop AI is doing just that - including the hosts! What’s more, all imperfections generated by the AI have been kept in deliberately. Find out more at www.developai.co.za.

According to The Podcast Host, this is How to Get ChatGPT to Recommend Your Podcast!

Spotted in PODNEWS: A music editing program, The RipX DAW, has launched - with added AI. The tool includes corrective and creative AI audio mixing.

Recommended listening: Technology

The world of tech is evolving at a rapid rate and many of us struggle to keep up.
Thankfully there are podcasts for that.

From lessons on how to code, to consumer tech all the way through to shows that have been created and hosted by AI avatars, it’s ALL happening in Africa!

What Now? with Trevor Noah

The first episode of the much-anticipated project by the South African star was published today, 9 November. In it, Trevor Noah is joined by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson — "The People's Champion" in the wrestling world, one of the hardest working actors in Hollywood, and a bonafide Girl Dad. Trevor and Dwayne get real — discussing everything from Dwayne's troubled youth and his lifelong struggles with depression, to Dwayne listening, understanding and responding to public feedback surrounding the launch of his fund following the Maui fires and whether he'd ever consider running for President of the United States.

Extra-Extra Stuff

• Many podcasters use Buzzsprout as their host. But when it comes to listenership, how does South Africa stack up against other countries? Check out the stats across players and countries for October 2023.

• Redcircle published a guide on how to conduct interviews on your podcast. You might find some tips and tricks.

• Røde released their white collection of podcasting gear in… yes, you guessed it, white. They have also released the NT1 Signature Series in red, pink, purple, blue and green.