12.0 - Working Together

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By Tristan Boyle And Gregg Griffin

Public Archaeology outreach has transformed from an offshoot of digging work into its own branch of study. It's of benefit to the community in which the excavation is being done but also important for practitioners to reflect and observe the meaning of this past for the public. However, it is all too easy for this outreach to become a box ticking exercise, a façade of show and tell, not show and learn. In order for the public to have a say in the creation of the past and thus imbue it with a sense of being shared and communicated, the archaeologist must not gate-keep aspects of generating knowledge. If the final outcome is not in some way changed by including the public, how can that be any different than excluding them in the first place? 

Obviously, there are things we must be careful to exclude and challenge, racism, sexism and the desire for simple, comfortable history that ignores suffering and oppression. However the rejection of these ideas need not always come from the archaeologists; communities themselves are diverse in thought and feeling, not guided by a single set of rules. There are disagreements, compromise, democracy, all which build up a navigatable space of understanding, the boundary at which stands the heritage professional. 

I am not pessimistic about the current field, only that I have seen examples of attitudes that perpetuate stereotypes about the roles of archaeologists as teachers and arbiters of history. More importantly, these same attitudes often remove the archaeologist from the public, never allowing the practitioner to sit back and take part in the practice of archaeology without being considered an expert or looked to for answers. 

There is no shortage of examples of dissemination of knowledge being diversified and made available to new audiences on new platforms. Even before the changes to everyday practices due to COVID19 pandemic, a number of archaeological sites have already been very progressive in how they interact with the public and share what they have found and how they go about interpreting the implications of their discoveries.  One organisation at the forefront of this is EXARC, with an open access source for journal articles, instructional material, and other content to comprehensively present experimental archaeology to academics, hobbyists, and novices alike. They have expanded their offerings to include live stream conferences and weekly discussions on different ancient crafts and skills, available on Discord.

The Knowe of Swandro Coastal Archaeology Trust that operates a field school in the Orkney isles and run by the University of Bradford is a good example of accessible outreach in archaeology. The dig operates throughout the summers and hosts multiple open days with Neolithic and Viking reenactors demonstrating crafting and cooking on site. In addition, they also put on larger events that showcase the research and post excavation work to the general public. This dig makes the knowledge available, accessible, and engaging for all ages and experience levels. People who are really interested in trying their hand at archaeology can also volunteer to dig on the site. These two examples are just a few of the organisations that are working to make sure the knowledge of the past and passion for archaeology are reaching the masses.

There are good examples of public outreach, and especially in these trying times, institutions have either chosen or been forced to migrate into digital presentations shared around the world. However it is not enough, simply to do, we must be ever ready to adopt new practices and rethink current paradigms.

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11.0 - Motivation

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The Pit and Pod is the fortnightly blog of the Archaeology Podcast Network full of updates, news and opinion. Written by co-founder Tristan Boyle and special guest writers.

My motivation is a liminal space.  I find it warps and bends time, on some days I can frantically piece together long sentences that on review can be made coherent. On other days I pick at my social media, like the remnants of meat on the bone, bored with the choice before me. I am keen to do so many things that I get lost in the flashes of dopamine as I rush to complete them all. 

Alas, it instead becomes a race to the bottom, as one deadline looms and passes, another one quickly follows and soon I spiral into struggling to keep up the most basic of things. Calendars that were planned easily at the start now become heavy shapes, I am fearful of moving them, of placing them in case they need to go, requiring again more energy. 

However on the good days where I can feel some direction and space in my world, I breathe a sigh of relief, it does not always have to be difficult. I sometimes wonder if I am alone in such frantic thoughts or if maybe there could be a name for this but then again the happiness and freedom I feel when I can communicate and write again is beyond words. 

Of particular note during a worldwide crisis, it seems that many people have found themselves at loose ends or in the headspace where they feel they should be doing more. I do sometimes feel the same way but I realise that this expectation is not healthy nor beneficial. In fact, such drive can be counterproductive. In some ways the guilt I build up when not doing something seems to stop me when I actually do try, as it feels forced and of poor quality. 

So how am I to be regular in my output, how do I find my flow? I must say that the most empowered I feel is when I get the chance to speak to people who are passionate about their work or their research. You could say I am guided by the great work that other people do and just a simple conversation can be the fuel I need to keep going.

That’s why I will always do my best to respond to tweets, emails and the like, even if it takes me some time, because maybe someone is needing a little motivation. And since not everyone is in a position to be able to regularly contact or work with, be in touch with, discuss, or collaborate with those people that can help inspire and motivate them, let me be that for you. And in turn, you will help motivate me.

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10.0 - Advertising on the APN

Photo by Peter Spencer from Pexels

The Pit and Pod is the weekly blog of the Archaeology Podcast Network full of updates, news and opinion. Written by co-founder Tristan Boyle and special guest writers.

By Madi Weingardt

With our audience continually growing, we want to make our advertising services as comprehensible as possible for potential advertisers.

If you have a product or service that you want to promote, keep reading! We answered some important questions about the purpose and benefits of podcast advertising.

First, what is a podcast? 

A podcast is a digital audio recording that can be played on computers and mobile devices. Pretty straightforward, right? These digital audio recordings are called episodes. Each episode is part of a specific show, and each show has a minimum of one host, who creates the content for the show. For example, our network has 20 shows: 11 active and 9 in our back catalogue. Each show has its own unique theme related to archaeology. 

For advertising purposes, another important term is a download. Downloads occur every time someone listens to an episode from a show. Rates for podcast advertising are usually based on the number of purchased downloads. 

What is the point of a podcast? 

People across the globe have integrated podcast listening into their daily routine, indulging in an opportunity for free education or entertainment. Its convenience allows listeners to enjoy their favorite shows during different times of the day in various places. 

Are podcasts gaining popularity? 

Undoubtedly podcasts are becoming immensely popular, and the number of listeners will keep growing. People from across the globe are familiar with podcasts. According to Podcast Insights, 50% of U.S. homes alone are podcast fans. That’s a whopping 60 million homes! 

How popular is the APN? 

When it comes to the APN, our number of listeners is continually rising. Right now, our network has an average of over 70,000 downloads from our listeners per month. 

So, why should I advertise on a podcast show? 

The connection between podcasts and advertising has grown in importance over the years. It’s become a mutually beneficial relationship.

 The advertising industry is utilizing podcast shows as an effective option for promoting their clients’ products or services. But what makes these ads so effective? A significant factor is podcast listener behavior. Listeners show a sense of loyalty and high retention rate with their shows. Statistics from Podcasthosting.org state that 93% of listeners listen to all or most of each podcast episode. In addition, 81% of listeners pay attention to podcast ads. For this reason, listeners are more likely to make a purchase after hearing the ad, and clients can experience a solid return on their advertising investment. 

While the advertising industry recognizes the usefulness of podcasting, podcast creators are reaping the benefits, too. Podcasts are generally free to the public, but that doesn’t mean that creators aren’t paying a cost. To name a few, there is the cost of studio time, equipment, and editing. That eventually adds up. With advertising, content creators can make a profit – even if it’s small – to comfortably maintain their shows for listeners’ pleasure, while promoting products and services they believe in. 

What are the benefits of advertising on the APN specifically?

1. We know how important affordability is. We want to give you a lot of bang for your buck. An example of this is our first-time client discount. Reach out at any time for our current advertising rates! 

2. Our audience is very niche. Our band of archaeology fanatics is dedicated to our network and will express great interest in brands that acknowledge the importance of free archaeological education. 

3. Our network has a large variety of shows to choose from for your ad. While listeners are streaming in, you can pick which unique show will best complement your product/service.  

4. Our advertising process is simple and straightforward. After expressing your interest, we will walk you through the steps. We aim for your satisfaction every time!

5. Your investment is going to a worthy cause. Archaeology gives us insight into the past, teaching us how to understand cultures, humanity, and the world around us. 

Hopefully this article has been helpful, whether you’re a newbie in the podcast realm, an advertiser, or just a curious reader. For any further questions about advertising on our network, please email advertising@archaeologypodcastnetwork.com and let’s talk!

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9.0 - A Journey to A Life in Ruins - Guest

Carlton Gover

The Pit and Pod is the weekly blog of the Archaeology Podcast Network full of updates, news and opinion. Written by co-founder Tristan Boyle and special guest writers.

By Carlton Shield Chief Gover

The A Life in Ruins Podcast wasn’t a spur of the moment decision, but the culmination of years of thinking about starting a podcast. Almost a decade ago, back when I was a bushy-eyed undergraduate at Radford University, I was enamored with the show Drunk History. I played with the idea of recreating that same kind of experience through a podcast that I was going to call Inebriated Archaeology. But alas, the cost commitment for buying all the equipment for a full-time undergraduate student making minimum wage at Domino’s was just too much to justify. Even after graduating from Radford, I started at the University of Wyoming where I received my Masters. I remember asking a couple of other graduate students there if they’d be interested. But this time it wasn’t the cost that was the issue, but the time commitment. No one, including myself, had time to be a graduate student and produce a podcast; especially one in which were supposed to get drunk each episode. Doesn’t look good when you’re trying to sell yourself on the job market. 

Even though it was becoming increasingly apparent that I’d probably never start my own podcast, I still thought about it. You see, I listened to a couple of archaeology podcasts, but they just weren’t that entertaining. They were either too high brow or had such niche content that it just wasn’t fun to listen to them. The seriousness and professionalism of the current archaeology podcast landscape just didn’t have anything that felt personal. Listening to those podcasts felt like I was at a lecture and I was required to go to enough of those already. It was apparent that those shows were geared towards professionals in the field and not the general public. I just hoped that someone would come along and make the show that I so desperately wanted since my hands were tied in making one myself. 

After the University of Wyoming I went the University of Colorado Boulder to start on my PhD. Towards the end of my first semester at CU, I received an email from the host of the Heritage Voices Podcast, Jessica Yaquinto. One of her previous guests, Emily Van Alst, recommended to Jessica that I would be a good guest to have on the show. I remember being so nervous to be interviewed for Heritage Voices. I didn’t have a mic but instead I used my Trident Gaming Headset. After the recording I asked Jessica about the time and energy it took for her to produce her podcast. She told me that having the show as part of the Archaeology Podcast Network meant that all she had to do was record consistently and the producers would take care of the rest. I immediately asked her if she could get me in touch with her producers because I had an idea for a show. Well shortly after the interview I received an email from Chris Webster about my idea for a show. He liked my pitch for a show targeted at the general public to showcase the variety of research and experiences of young professionals in the field of archaeology. 

Now that I had a home for my future podcast, I just needed to find some co-hosts. I had a few in mind. I reached out to my colleague David Howe who I went to UW with. He was now working as a lab manager for New South Associated Inc. He was up to join when I told him that all we had to do was just record and episode and leave it to the producers to make the magic happen. Getting Connor Johnen to join the show was all David’s idea. Connor had graduated from UW before I had arrived. We had stayed together at a couple SAA conferences, but I didn’t know him all that well. Yet he was onboard too. He was working as the GIS wizard for Alpine Archaeological Consultants. I think they both missed doing research and being in academia and the podcast was a quasi-way for them to get back into a side of archaeology that wasn’t available in their daily routine. Since we began to think about starting the podcast just shy of over a year ago, they’ve become two of my closest and treasured friends. Picking the name for the podcast was a journey in it of itself which we’ve talked about a couple of times on the show. 

Our first episodes dropped in May of 2019 and the A Life in Ruins Podcast has been running ever since. We’re now the second most downloaded show on the Archaeology Podcast Network and we have a successful following on our Instagram account where we post about current events and awesome figures in anthropology. We’ve also started producing YouTube content to further the kinds of media we can produce for the public. A Life in Ruins has become more than just a podcast now. 

Podcasting can be a huge financial and time commitment. However, having the podcast’s home on the APN has made the A Life in Ruins podcast a reality. If it weren’t for our producers Chris Webster and Tristan Boyle, this show would have continued to have been nothing more than a daydream. 

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8.0 - #SSASC2020

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The Pit and Pod is the weekly blog of the Archaeology Podcast Network full of updates, news and opinion. Written by co-founder Tristan Boyle and special guest writers.

I had the fortune of attending the Scottish Student Archaeology Conference held in Glasgow. The APN presence was a small table beside the door with a tablet and survey and laptop and of course lots of sweets. The conference as a whole was a very positive experience for me, I want to make a special mention to those from UHI Perth, who were very positive about podcasts and were listeners of the Archaeology Podcast Network. 

As well as promoting the network, I was also interested in road-testing my new line of research, that of archaeology podcasts and who listens to them. One of the continual disappointments for me has been the lack of uptake of archaeology podcasts in the study of digital public outreach. There are some researchers who have included podcasts as examples, this article by Colin Admunsen and Cristina Belmonte,  Chris Webster and myself. The question is then with almost 30,000 downloads a month for the network alone, and interest in others podcasts, e.g. Archaeology and Anthropology podcast, what’s the missing link, why are podcasts not included in written work? 

 In order to answer this I have resigned myself to the idea that I will probably have to produce the work. I can’t wait around; so with a couple of good questions I created the survey to be unleashed on unsuspecting attendees. I have to also put this survey and its responses into context, we are talking about a conference that will likely be attended by certain kinds of people, the chance that an attendee is an archaeologist, a student and living in Scotland. This means that the data I get has to be presented in a way that reflects those conditions appropriately. Good research is done with transparency. 

Fortunately the lure of sweets meant that many people felt very comfortable coming up the stall, talking to me and completing the survey, even if they didn’t listen to podcasts. The first page of the survey had the all important GDPR question, whether consent was given for the data to be used; there is no point in collecting data if that can’t be used for research and then discussed widely. To ensure that no lines were crossed, the questions regarding identity and background were made optional, what was required was the answers relating to podcasts. 

Despite this choice, many respondents took the time to answer and for that I am very grateful. Now comes the difficult part of the work, how to analyse and understand this preliminary data and what lessons can be learned. Even without sifting the data, a clear way forward is by allowing people to be more specific in their answers; I gave ranges for podcast subscriptions thinking about my own listening habits, about 70 subscribed podcasts but only 12 actively on rotation. I wonder how many people actually listen to that many? Would it better to be fine grain? 

The questions I eventually choose will reflect my desire to research this but it may not be in the end, the single or best way to conduct this research. I never wanted to be the one person writing about podcasts, and I will be contacting a lot of my acquaintances to gain insight on things that may be important I have inevitably overlooked. In the end, we can only do the best drawing on our experiences, however it is through community and collaboration that good work becomes great.

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7.0 - Reflection

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The Pit and Pod is the weekly blog of the Archaeology Podcast Network full of updates, news and opinion. Written by co-founder Tristan Boyle and special guest writers.

I often find myself at a loss about how to communicate what I think I know. It seems odd for someone who spends their time actively communicating to face such an issue but the truth is I don't think there's anything particularly special about my presenting beyond my own choice to continue to do so. 

My childhood was sheltered and my creative outlets were aplenty; looking back it was clear that podcasting was for me. I was a loud, outspoken boy with a need to perform, a need for approval, and a little attention doesn’t hurt either. And that little boy is still there, he’s just gotten older but yet the hunger to perform remains. 

This feeling can be draining, surrounded by amazing content creators, knowing that one’s own output is so very standard and basic. I think I used to consider my own work higher and it's been humbling watching others take the format of podcasting and achieve more than me.

This feeling isn't unique. All creators, especially on a smaller professional and independent level see what others are doing and think it’s better. Part of that is the “grass is always greener” phenomenon, but the other part is the “sausage” phenomenon, because those creators we see put out great work, the only difference between what they do and what I do or what you do, is that we don’t see the work they put into it. 

Watching someone launch a podcast that sounds equal to our own, if not better, we didn’t see the months of prep or the hours of technical setup. The early mornings of editing, and the late nights of marketing. We only see the polished product, and we look at it like the tip of an iceberg, ignoring the underlying base it sits upon because we weren’t there for it, meanwhile with our own work, we usually only focus on what is below the surface. 

Over the last number of years, writing about podcasting and archaeology has opened my eyes beyond my own work and to the larger project of podcasting as a means of education and outreach. Often these terms are corporate buzzwords that spend more time on funding applications than in practice (no matter the size or intent of the projects), but in my opinion they represent the future of archaeology. 

When I wrote about the "Death of the Archaeologist", I was trying to touch upon the grandiose self vision and societal relationship to the class, the idea of "the Archaeologist". In that piece I talked about discarding archeologist as a professional signifier, as the power and revenance afforded to it is hijacked by pseudo-archaeologists and grifters; the only way to disempower them would be to let go of the term. I still believe at the very least, a clear reflection is needed, a repositioning of what archaeology is to a general public. 

Archaeology lives in hubris, the museums of the world still exert power over the artefacts which they admit were stolen. We are still living in a society which cannot reckon with its own history, picking and choosing its own version to suit the instantaneous moment. 

To create media without the traditional institutions, off your own back (with help from friends), being in a privileged enough place to afford equipment, time needed, that is the revolution, that's the future. The more voices we enable through these platforms and channels, the more open history can become but we need to all the while mindful of how the institutions of which we criticise don't become the blueprint for what we create. Looking inwards doesn’t have to be a huge overarching narrative, it can start with the small steps we take in our own lives to put ourselves in context. I want podcasting about archaeology to grow and grow and provide a necessary answer to the call of better public outreach.

Tristan Boyle

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6.0 - Staying Engaged [Guest Post]

image © Jason Stershic

The Pit and Pod is the weekly blog of the Archaeology Podcast Network full of updates, news and opinion. Written by co-founder Tristan Boyle and special guest writers.

I have a blog and a podcast. And if AgentPalmer.com and ThePalmerFiles.com were all I had going for me, that would be a handful alone. But I also co-host podcasts Our Liner Notes and The Podcast Digest. I help behind the scenes on The Wicked Theory Podcast and do other shadow work behind the scenes for podcasts and blogs and networks that I don’t necessarily share publicly.

Plus, there’s the day job. And while that is a lot, it’s also the norm. Or maybe it’s more than the norm, but it’s not uncommon. Perhaps I have more than the average, but if you have a blog OR a podcast and aren’t independently wealthy, then you have a job and a blog, or a job and a podcast.

And while at times, it does feel overwhelming to have so much to do, I’m not the masochist it would seem, because I do love everything about all of my passion projects.

Blog, podcast, youtuber, helping friends with their thing, if you’re a part of any piece of the process then it’s a passion project for you, because on the most basic level, the overwhelming majority of content creators have at least the dichotomy between their regular “day job” and their passion project.

Otherwise, you would be casually reading a book or streaming a show or listening to a podcast instead of creating something for yourself.

But you have chosen to be a creator. First off, good for you. Second, it’s not easy. Third, seriously good for you.

With the most common creators having a full time job, even having one project is hard to stay engaged with because the full time job, obviously takes up a good portion of the day for your time, but also your mental and emotional energies as well. Which means coming home to a project isn’t easy.

But we do it. Why do we do it? Because it is a passion project. We have reason to believe that creating is not only good for our souls, but can be entertaining or of interest to others. You want to know the secret to my engagement with more passion projects than hours in the day?

I am fulfilled by the process. That’s my secret to being engaged. Having a meeting to throw ideas around is fun for me. Following up with people is enjoyable. Going over notes, doing research, learning new things about what I’m working on or about myself throughout, all of it is great fun to me.

They say if you find a job you love, you’ll never work a day in your life. Well, even if we can’t make a dime, these passion projects are not work to me, nor should they be for you, and that is the secret to staying engaged.

Sure it’s not ALL great. Yes, promotion of the completed project, either weekly with a blog, or regularly with a podcast (depending on your release schedule) is a long drag, but in 2020 if you’re cultivating a digital social circle the promotion can turn to discussion very quickly, which makes each promo tweet or status update a potential discussion among friends.

Ok, I’ll admit sometimes editing an audio or video project isn’t exciting. Sometimes editing a piece of writing is downright painful. But on the other side of that editing, no matter how soulsucking it may seem during the process, is the fantastic rush of hitting “publish.”

About the guest blogger: Agent Palmer is Jason Stershic, a mild mannered geek and nerd, who started a blog called AgentPalmer.com about “all things geek.” Then, through the magic of Twitter (@AgentPalmer) and consuming podcasts he found a circle of friends and started guesting on all of their shows (and he’s still available to guest on podcasts when asked). Then he became a producer and co-host on shows such as The Wicked Theory Podcast, Our Liner Notes, and The Podcast Digest, before finally launching his own show The Palmer Files Podcast.

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5.0 - The Network

Photo by Jimmy Chan

The Pit and Pod is the weekly blog of the Archaeology Podcast Network full of updates, news and opinion. Written by co-founder Tristan Boyle and special guest writers

2019 was in many ways, a great formative year for the Archaeology Podcast Network. This whole project is a constantly evolving creature - refining, honing and improving. What has consistently been cemented for me is a sense of desire and need for the APN as a network and as a community. It seems like more and more people are seeing the value of podcasting as a form of outreach and more importantly a place for their voices to be heard and shared

I find it difficult to constantly create content, in this I don’t feel that I am alone. I am driven by fierce passions, have big ideas and I work best if I am fully invested in something. And I'll admit that I have had my doubts about the network, the effort, and the difficulties but I keep coming back to the idea, the mission statement; to create informative and entertaining media about the past. 

This is not about engaging a public separate to archaeologists nor is it about solely providing a space for professionals. In creating podcasts that cater to a wide range of audiences, the network is seeing the archaeologist, the professional and amateur, as well as the public as part of it’s broad listenership.

Perhaps this is a stretch, what exactly about the podcasting model is participatory, what function does the public have on the outcome of each show? 

In the first case, podcasting in the APN is not participatory, shows are created by hosts and producers with possible input from an audience on topics or themes. There is no method or regulation to this interaction, it is idiosyncratic to the show in question. The audience/public can use any of the modern methods of communication but the final decision is left to the host or producer.

This highlights the second case, that the audience/public only has at best, an indirect effect on the outcome of the show. In some cases where a podcast asks for interaction from the audience and reads responses/includes answers , there may be an argument for a stronger sense of participation, however the decision-making has been maintained outwith the control of that audience/public. 

I am not criticising the ways podcasts are made, I am expanding the terms used in order to examine the fine grain details.

It is very easy in the larger course of promotion to overestimate the impact, the effect and to downplay the challenges.

I have written previously on the idea of audience feedback, “When All is Quiet on the Listener Front” and “Reaching out is a Two Way Street” but in the end, it comes down to the individual shows, their hosts and producers, and their listening audience. 

Are they cultivating an environment where feedback is responded to? If you ask for it, are you thanking people or at least acknowledging that they took the time to reach out?

Are you shouting out and giving credit where credit is due? Do you even want to have an ongoing conversation with your audience? These are things that any listener to any episode of any show should be able to pick up on after the first listen. 

And while some may argue you should have it all included and buttoned up right during your introduction, it can and sometimes should be saved for whatever outro you have created for yourself, but during either the intro or outro or both, the listener, first time or long time, should be able to identify what kind of feedback and at the same time relationship that the show wants to have with its audience. 

I have the desire to take a look at the impact of podcasting within the broader field of heritage and the impact places like the APN has on listeners and audience. All I need are the willing participants. 

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4.0 - Reaching out is a Two Way Street

Photo by Aleksejs Bergmanis

The Pit and Pod is the weekly blog of the Archaeology Podcast Network full of updates, news and opinion. Written by co-founder Tristan Boyle and special guest writers

Following on my previous blog post on feeling like no one is listening,  I want to discuss the importance of getting on with fellow content creators and other people in order to help each other out. 

It is no secret that if you are creating content, it can sometimes feel that you are competing with other people for the time of your possible shared audience, this can be even more prominent if you are in a niche topic area, like archaeology. 

I think this is a false economy, in many ways we are so used to ideas of competition and “winning” in terms of markets; however this fails to capture the nature of a podcast listener.

In fact according to the latest statistics, the average podcast listener has around 6 shows that they listen to a lot. A person’s time is valuable but its not a space for monopoly, in fact the growth of many shows happen because someone is listening to one show and hears the guest from another. I recently received an email from a listener who had heard me as a producer on Archaeoanimals and then subsequently started listening to my show, Modern Myth because of that. 

That is something special about the podcast community. These links are so easy in terms of promoting each other's work and helping each other, that podcasting is more of a web of connection than just a series of random links. I really would like to see less focus on numbers in podcasting and more on the interaction between podcasters. And the benefits speak for themselves, people are not listening to just one show, there is an appetite for more and more. 

This all goes back to what is the value of a good listener? Is it someone who silently listens to your show without fail every time you release new content? Is it someone who live tweets your show without fail, but seems to skip some episodes? Is it someone in between those two? And most importantly, where are you as a content creator as far as being a content consumer?

Very few of us are recording and releasing without having our own shows and podcast communities that we are a part of? Are we doing what we would want of our own audience?

Without wishing to sound subversive or dreary, I believe that the nature of understanding podcast audiences is still in its infancy. The fact is that when I look for research into podcasting in archeology online I can find what I wrote in 2017 and have just had published last month, is all the proof I need. We need to be discussing these above questions if we are all wanting to benefit the community as a whole and that group can’t form if we aren’t interested in forming it and coalescing it into something real and responsive, instead of presumed or imagined.

Thus if you are a creator of sorts and enjoy other people’s shows, please reach out, even if just to say that you are listening and enjoy the content. 

Step by step we can start building bridges and building communities of creators as well as listeners who give better insight so we might improve how we work and what we put out.

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2.0 - The Value of Everything and the Funding of Nothing,

The Caithness Broch Project

The Pit and Pod is the weekly blog of the Archaeology Podcast Network full of updates, news and opinion. Written by co-founder Tristan Boyle and special guest writers

The value of everything and the funding of nothing, a common trope in public archaeology projects and one of the reasons that make public outreach projects so precious. I have seen so many projects with active social media running for years with only either a small bit of funding or solely done by motivated volunteers.  It’s no secret that volunteering makes up a huge chunk of the labour done in the heritage industry but it seems that visibility of that fact has not changed much of the landscape. Over the last decade, with economic measures all over the world cutting down on spending or reducing projects for public benefit, it is easy to be caught up in the piranha  mentality of a small funding pool. The vying for potential cash to cover a year or so or for a part-time employee is draining and demoralising and it’s a testament to the strength of conviction of many people who run projects that they keep at it.

In saying that, when a project does come along and do well, and get the funding it needs, it is a cause for celebration in the industry. So when I heard that the Caithness Broch Project successfully got funding I was over the moon for them. I have been in contact with Kenneth McIlroy over the last number of years, and I want to congratulate the whole team on their efforts in raising the prominence of an area of the north of Scotland that has a fantastic physical heritage. One of their goals, (and possibly the coolest) is to construct an iron age Broch, which is a large round building found in Scotland. 

This marks a chance for the CBP to really ramp up what they can achieve and I am definitely watching that space to see what they can accomplish. 

For all the other projects that you know about that are finding it difficult to keep going or keep funding, please remember to show your support. On the APN, we are member supported and that has such a positive impact on the work we do, it is amazing that people want to help us achieve more. So every time you share something on social media, cite a podcast in a paper or tell someone about podcasts in archaeology then you are doing us a favour and you are appreciating our work.

While money helps, it is important to remember that it is not the only currency. Likes, Retweets, Follows, Subscribes; in the modern age, these are as much currency as dollars and pounds. And as we celebrate our 5th anniversary, it is only because of the support we get socially and monetarily that we are able to continue on with our mission.  

Tristan

Follow it all on #APN5 on Twitter

Please contact tristan@archaeologypodcastnetwork.com for more information

1.0 - Archaeology Podcast Network Celebrates 5 Years of Success

The Pit and Pod is the weekly blog of the Archaeology Podcast Network full of updates, news and opinion. Written by co-founder Tristan Boyle and special guest writers.

The Archaeology Podcast Network (ArchPodNet or APN) is the largest collection of podcasts dedicated to talking about the past is marking its 5th year with extra content each day in December, in addition to normal releases. The network, which launched in 2014 has increased in size from three shows to eleven active shows and 100s of back episodes.

Tristan Boyle, one of the co-founders explained: “the network has gone from strength to strength over the past few years, expanding and creating content for a diverse range of audiences.” It is not just for experts, “even though some of our shows are geared towards professionals, we have shows like the Archaeology Show and ArchaeoAnimals which are for general audiences.”

The APN will be looking back at their first five years and showcasing behind-the-scenes stories about how individual shows got started and how the hosts feel about being on the network. The hosts come from a variety of backgrounds and areas of study including zooarchaeology, Indigenous heritage, community archaeology, and more. Additionally, the hosts will be talking about how they bring their stories and skills into the podcasts they are part of.

The APN began with The CRM Archaeology Podcast, The Struggling Archaeologist's Guide to Getting Dirty and The Anarchaeologist Podcast when Tristan Boyle and Chris Webster teamed up to create a platform for voices in archaeology. "No one had tried to bring all these shows together before," said Chris, "by sharing resources and engaging with each other, we have been able to build up our content and make it available for a larger audience.”

The network is primarily member-funded and has tiered subscriptions for those who want to support it. The anniversary content, as with the regularly scheduled content, will all be available on archpodnet.com and through all good podcast apps, on the All Shows Feed, and on individual podcasts feeds.

Follow it all on #APN5 on Twitter

Please contact tristan@archaeologypodcastnetwork.com for more information.

3.0 - When All is Quiet on the Listener Front

Image from FINNDEN Studios

The Pit and Pod is the weekly blog of the Archaeology Podcast Network full of updates, news and opinion. Written by co-founder Tristan Boyle and special guest writers

It's quiet, too quiet - in fact, you are starting to feel very alone. You are shouting into the void and nothing is coming back. You have put so much work in and yet, you have no response to speak of.

It's a common issue in content creation, that the audience seems to not exist and yet the listener numbers are going up and up. For many starting out, the question is 'why is no one listening'? You don't get very much interactions on Twitter, you get barely any emails and you find yourself wondering if anyone is gaining anything valuable at all.

Well fear not, dear producer, creator, and listener, we are listening. One of the key takeaways from modern content consumption is that often, it is occurring parallel to other tasks. For example, podcasts are the soundtrack for my commute to work or during my time at the gym. They are there to help support me and I am definitely listening. I think it is all too easy to listen to a lot of podcasts at once and taking the time to respond to them all can feel like a task and almost a chore. However as a content creator myself, I recognize and value even the smallest bit of feedback where I can. A DM on Twitter, a short email, being tagged on Instagram; these all add to a feeling of being responded to. 

Let's not get too tied up in how much praise we think we ought to receive, a little humility will serve you well. Especially when you find it is long term listeners who will notice if you aren't releasing content and will miss it. Being a content creator can be extremely validating and also very depressing but you have to remember that the drive to do this must come from more than wanting praise. You should think about what you want to achieve with your projects and how that can be done over months and years, not days and weeks, never be afraid to take a planned hiatus and come back stronger.

Even if you feel as if you are shouting into the void, know that sometimes it will shout back.

Follow the 5th Year Celebration on #APN5 on Twitter

Please contact tristan@archaeologypodcastnetwork.com for more information