Chekhov makes a podcast: lessons from literature for podcasters

Podcasting has its antecedents in that most ancient form of communication, storytelling. Still, it is the most contemporary of audio forms, taking advantage of digital tools and the vast and diverse distribution offered by the internet. Like radio before it, podcasting is intrinsically interdisciplinary in both form and content. The influence of literature was imprinted by the seminal Serial podcast drawing a direct line from a format popularised by Charles Dickens in the 1830s — the connection is evident in the name. This article explores the influence and lessons of another literary great, the Russian writer Chekhov, on podcasting. It draws on my experience as both a practitioner-producer of podcasts and a teacher of the form, illustrating my argument with contemporary relevant examples. Not only has Chekhov's influence been strong through the lineage of radio features and drama, but through his six principles for writing — including brevity, audacity and truthful descriptions — he offers a way forward through the contradictions of objectivity and compassion in contemporary journalism.