Journalism in the age of audification: Features of narrative non-fiction podcasting in Spain

The digital ecosystem has promoted on-demand audio listening as a complimentary and even alternative to traditional radio. Some 51 per cent of Spanish internet users listen to podcasts on a regular basis, and podcast consumption in Spain is the highest in Europe. Narrative non-fiction podcasts are giving impetus to topics and issues which may be absent from traditional radio, limited by production schedules and the constraints of the antenna. Audio documentaries combine information, fiction and context through narrative and audio elements that are unusual in conventional audio journalism. This article describes the expressive nature of narrative podcasts in dealing with issues of public interest, identifying their differential features through a content analysis of sixteen podcasts released in Spain in 2021 and 2022. This study identifies the descriptive and narrative features of the stories, the approach, structure, use of music, sound effects and silences. The results reveal a strong emphasis on elaborate sound design, a credible enunciative voice, a journalistic perspective and the use of testimonies, sound effects and textures often hybridized with fiction.