Entertainment
BBC Radio 5's Rachael Bland Podcast Award Honours The Presenter In The Best Way
Meeting a person who doesn't listen to podcasts is a bit of an unusual occurrence these days. Like let's be real, there is a podcast for every interest, taste, issue. Ones to make you scream laughing, cry on public transport, or even feel utterly terrified. Boo! These little audio nuggets are just what the world needs in a time where getting funding for projects is like squeezing blood from a stone. And hey, I bet you have an idea that you have been mulling over for a podcast? Well, why don't you enter BBC Radio 5's new podcast competition?
Y'all it is about to be lit beyond belief. Imagine putting "award winning podcaster" slap bang in the middle of your CV. Anyhow, the Evening Standard reports that the award has been created in memory of the late great Rachael Bland, BBC Radio 5 live newsreader and presenter. Bland, who died last year after battling breast cancer, chose to use her knowledge and experience to create a podcast called You, Me, And The Big C. Hosted alongside Lauren Mahon and Deborah James, the award winning podcast is an account of what living with cancer is actually like, and became a lifeline for cancer sufferers and those close to them.
The show is incredibly creative in that it is informative whilst not being in anyway forceful or instructive. They manage to go from moments of desperate silence and sadness to a wildly inappropriate joke which will have you bent double laughing. Because that's the humanity of illness. You have to let yourself laugh and puncture pain with moments of positivity.
Bland's husband said of the competition, "it's something she'd be really proud of," and rightly so. So, this is your opportunity to do Bland proud and be the next batch of raw podcasting talent. How do you enter I hear you ask? You need to fill out the application here. As with all competition or job applications, it is best to look at precisely the judges are looking for. And in this case, Jonathan Wall, Controller of BBC Radio 5 Live is very clear on what made Bland's podcast such a success.
"When Rachael first pitched her podcast idea to us, we knew it was going to be special, but we could never have predicted the immense impact it had on its listeners. We’re looking for those ideas that don’t normally get heard. It’ll need to be original, fun, personal and teaches us something. Thanks to Rachael, there’s already an incredible health podcast about cancer".
As Wall explained, they are looking for stories that are not being heard. Stories that need to be heard. Be as weird and wonderful as you want. Your podcast can be about absolutely anything.
"So tell us something we don’t know. Be original and make us laugh. We’re incredibly excited to see what talent this award discovers."
You have to write a 500 word pitch for the judges, laying out your ideas and concept. The judges will be Wall, Bland's husband Steve, 5 Live editor Heidi Dawson, among others. And if you are shortlisted, you will be asked to submit an audio clip for their perusal.
But what is in it for the winner? So the winning idea will be turned into a pilot series on the BBC's new audio/radio/podcast platform, the aptly named BBC Sounds.
OMG sign me up! So when is the closing date I hear y'all ask? You have until February 11th to get your entry in so get brainstorming ASAP.
