Podcasting for Public Knowledge: A Multiple Case Study of Scholarly Podcasts at One University

Through a lens for engaged scholarship (Boyer in Journal of Public Service and Outreach , 1 (1), 11–20, 1996 ) this multiple case study (Merriam, 1996 ) explores the potential of scholarly podcasts for public knowledge dissemination, highlighting the misalignment of university impact metrics with this medium. Our team collected qualitative and numerical data from six podcasters across our university system. We identify metrics for assessing scholarly podcast value, offer recommendations for institutional communication, and share our insights and challenges. Data analysis suggests that a Listen Score (Listen Notes, ND) and an increasing Podcast Success Index (Singh et al. JMIR Medical Education , 2 (2), 1–10, 2016 ) may be consistent with a wider reach. Consistent production and promotion are key and infrastructure support for scholarly podcasters is necessary.