Date: Wednesday, December 12, 2024
Time: 3:00pm to 4:00pm
Venue: Online Zoom (Register Now)

Background

Disseminating research results in a way that is relatable to policy makers and other stakeholders remains a major challenge facing think tanks. One way of achieving this is through podcasts. According to research by Africa Podfest, African-produced podcasts have been around for over a decade. They saw a steady and rapid increase between 2017 and 2023, with South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya being the largest podcast markets in the continent. [1] However, effective adoption of podcasting for research dissemination in Central Africa appears to be lagging behind , notably due to the fast-growing digital space; insufficient skills of think tanks’ communication professionals, as well as poor internet literacy rate.

However, a huge portion of these podcasts are initiated by media or entertainment industries and for similar genres, while very little podcasts deal with informative or educative contents. Described as a collection or series of digital audiovisual files available for downloading, listening or viewing via the internet [2], podcasts can help share messages with a wider audience in a more engaging and effective way that compel to action.

In order for think tanks in Central Africa to leverage policy driven podcasts to enhance their ability in shaping policies through evidence-based research results and recommendations, the Nkafu Policy Institute in organizing a Capacity Building Workshop to equip think tanks communication professionals with related skills that would help expand their reach on political discussions, foster informed debates, and ultimately influence public policy decisions.

Objective

The overall objective of this Capacity Building Workshop is to build the skills of think tanks communication professional to use podcasting as a medium for influencing policies and trigger behavioral changes through relatable audiovisual contents. More specifically, we will:

• Establish podcasting as an effective and efficient communication medium for think tanks in Central Africa;
• Drill think tanks communication professional on podcasting tools, genres and formats, as part of a global communication strategy;
• Explore podcasting awards/recognition platforms for increasing visibility and reach;
• Enhance organizational storytelling and narratives through engaging audiovisual

Target audience

This Capacity Building Workshop is tailored for:

• Think tank communication professionals in ECCAS

Format

Training will happen on zoom in the form of a webinar through a practical session and an interactive series of moderated Q&A. Participants will learn about:

• Choosing suitable podcast formats
• Podcast Planning and Strategy
• Technical Aspects of Podcast Production
• Platforms for hosting and sharing podcasts

Expected Outcomes

By the end of the training, participants will:

• Be drilled on why podcasts should be adopted as one of the communications medium in the global communication strategy;
• Equipped with skills and knowledge on podcasting tools, genres and formats;
• Be edified on leveraging recognition/awards platforms for greater reach and visibility of their podcasts (impact);
• Empowered to craft impactful organizational storytelling and narratives through engaging audiovisual podcasts.

Contact Information

For more information, please contact: Ayukmba Nkonghonyor, Senior Communications Manager

Email: [email protected] Tel: (+237) 654 86 72 54