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Bringing Sustainability to the Forefront: A Bilingual Podcast Movement in the Middle East (Progress Podcast)

Background:

Sustainability is a topic of growing importance, particularly in the Middle East, where the effects of climate change and resource depletion are becoming increasingly apparent. In an effort to increase awareness about sustainable practices in the region and provide a platform for voices from the Middle East to share their perspectives, The College of Public Policy and the College of Islamic Studies at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) in Qatar created a bilingual podcast focused on sustainability, with a specific focus on the Middle East.

The Challenge:

The focus of this case study was to create a podcast that sheds light on the issue of sustainability from a Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) perspective, with the aim of promoting sustainability awareness and understanding.

The Goal:

The goal for the HBKU team was to create a podcast that would increase accessibility for a wider audience by featuring Arabic and English discussions while highlighting perspectives from and about the Middle East.

Methodology & Approach

To achieve this goal, the SciComm X team employed a multi-faceted approach and methodology, including:

  1. Branding and Visual Identity: The team began by creating a unique and recognizable branding and visual identity for the podcast, which included the brand identity, logo, and overall aesthetic of the podcast.
  2. Podcast Production Strategy: Next, the team developed a comprehensive production strategy that included the recording manual, timing, publishing schedule, and tools required for the podcast. This strategy ensured that the podcast was produced consistently and efficiently.
  3. Marketing Strategy: The team also developed a marketing strategy to reach a wider audience and promote the podcast. This included utilizing social media, creating accounts on podcast platforms, and reaching out to some potential guests.
  4. Pitch guests and podcast topics research:
    1. Conducting research to determine the most relevant and interesting topics for the podcast, taking into consideration our target audience and goals.
    2. Recommending some potential guests for the Podcast, based on their expertise, knowledge and relevance to the podcast target audience.
    3. Reaching out to some potential guests, either through email, or social media, to invite them to be part of the podcast’s next episode.
  5. Recording Episodes: The podcast episodes were recorded with the hosts and guests through Zoom. The audio quality was ensured using professional audio editing programs during the recording process, in line with the brand’s high standards for audio production.
  6. Audio Engineering: The podcast’s audio was engineered to optimize the sound quality for the listeners. Marketing materials were also created and designed to promote the podcast.
  7. Publishing Platforms: Finally, the podcast was published on various platforms such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts. The episodes’ descriptions, designs, and transcriptions were also managed on these platforms to ensure consistency and accessibility.
  8. Monitoring and evaluation: Continuously monitoring the success and engagement of the podcast, and using our insights and information to refine our methodology and strategy going forward.

Key Results:

As a result of the approach and methodology outlined above, the following key results were achieved:

  • Successfully created a bilingual podcast focused on sustainability and perspectives from and about the Middle East.
  • Increased accessibility by providing discussions in both Arabic and English.
  • Consistently published over 40 episodes on a bi-weekly basis, providing a wealth of information and diverse perspectives on sustainability.
  • Successfully reached audiences from over 45 countries, raising awareness about sustainable practices in the Middle East and providing a platform for voices from the region to share their perspectives.

Listen now to PROGRESS PODCAST and explore sustainability perspectives from and about the Middle East! Click here

Client Testimonial

SciComm X has consistently provided timely, high-quality work in support of our bilingual podcast. Recommended.
Dr Logan John Robert Cochran
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs College of Public Policy at HBKU