Podcasting and disability voice: A close analytical listening study

Podcasting’s recent rise in popularity and its role in democratizing the media landscape have established it as a key media form of the digital age. People from diverse backgrounds, including those who have been historically marginalized, have embraced this medium’s sonic space for self-expression. In the dominant narratives of the media ecosystem, the often systemically silenced voices of disabled creators have found new opportunities on podcasting platforms (e.g. Apple Podcasts, Spotify) to express identity, build community and resist ableist norms. Through close analytical listening and thematic content analysis of ten introductory podcast episodes, this qualitative research explores how disabled podcasters use narrative and sonic strategies to shape an auditory identity of disability within the sonic space of podcasting. The findings show hosts consistently combine personal storytelling with direct audience address and candid emotional expression. Common practices include linear narratives of self-acceptance, strategic use of pauses and unpolished speech to convey authenticity, and efforts to create solidarity through shared experiences. However, some podcasts also reveal tensions between empowerment and lingering deficit-focused framing. Overall, the research highlights podcasting’s role as a counter-hegemonic platform that challenges traditional portrayals of disability and broadens opportunities for inclusive media participation.