What does “Pushing the Boundaries of Audio Storytelling” actually mean?
A podcast is not enough
We started MOSH with the tagline “pushing the boundaries of audio storytelling.” What we really meant was something more specific.
There’s growing consensus across the creator economy that distribution without deep consideration for fan participation limits impact. Leading thinkers like Ben Odell (check out Open Gardens if you haven’t yet, it’s a MOSH team favorite) have been articulating this shift for years. Audiences want to do more than listen. They want to engage, act, and belong.
At MOSH, we see the podcast as the entry point, a pillar that drives other forms of content and other forms of community engagement.
From listening to participation
We are holistic content partners. In other words, we use the podcast as an invitation into something larger. It’s the portal to a larger world of ideas, resources, and collective action.
A better way to describe what we do is: “We create podcasts and impact ecosystems that turn audiences into participants.” Sometimes, that looks like podcast companion content that deepens learning, such as quizzes or workshops. Sometimes it looks like tools that help listeners reflect on what they’ve heard, engage with it critically, or connect with a host and the host’s other acolytes. Sometimes it looks like ways for hosts and producers to “give back” to their communities with more customized offerings.
What we’re building at MOSH today is a production company, yes. And we want to do that so darn well. But we are also building technology that moves podcast listeners from the podcast to more. For example, we have built beta versions of tools that hosts and producers can use to automatically translate great podcast moments into listener attendance at events, deep engagement with sources and resources, or involvement with causes that meet listeners where they are. The goal is beyond simply producing quality content; it’s producing content (and the tech) that inspires movement. (More on that later.)
Where creative operations comes in
This is where creative ops is critical at MOSH (and tbh to any early stage company working at the intersection of creators and community). Creative ops is the infrastructure that allows our storytellers—and our MOSH teammates—to do their best work. It’s the architecture that starts before we even meet for the first time, and it will eventually galvanize your community.
So what does that look like at MOSH today?
Designing creative development frameworks that clarify intention early
Building systems that connect shows to audiences
Testing lightweight experiments in new formats (hello mini pods! hello YouTube events!)
Tracker for the Artificially Yours launch. Yes, we are always this productive.
The trackers and dashboards not only build clarity, but more importantly they’re the foundation that allows creative work to travel further and last longer. And in some instances, to matter more. When content is supported by a firm foundation, we can then focus on designing and building for participation. This is when things go beyond listening. When we take our airpods out, go into the real world, and engage with the content in a multidimensional way.
What we’re building toward
By now you can see that MOSH is more than an audio storytelling company. We’re building a new kind of creative practice, one where stories move beyond listening, and where audiences become active participants. If you’re interested in beta testing our new tech solutions, please email hello@moshaudio.com.