Afripods
{{Short description|Kenyan podcasting platform}}
Afripods is a Kenyan podcasting platform that focuses on the African market. It was founded in 2017 by Molly Jensen and had become one of Africa's largest podcasting platforms by 2022. It describes itself as a "full-service podcasting platform" and both hosts and distributes podcasts for creators.
History
Afripods was founded in Nairobi, Kenya by Molly Jensen in 2017.{{Cite web |last=Reffat |first=Lara |date=2023-06-16 |title=This podcast platform is amplifying African voices |url=https://ijnet.org/en/story/podcast-platform-amplifying-african-voices |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=International Journalists' Network}}{{Cite web |last=Kanali |first=Nixon |date=2023-07-19 |title=SemaBOX wants to help African podcasters monetize their podcasts with a new distribution platform |url=https://techtrendske.co.ke/2023/07/19/semabox-wazo-podcast-distribution-platform/ |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=TechTrendsKE}} Jensen claimed in the Daily Nation that she wanted to develop a platform where African history could be recorded by Africans, saying that she "felt embarrassed as an African that I relied on western media." Inspired by the success of African radio networks, she founded Afripods to replicate that on a smaller scale.{{Cite web |last=James |first=Kyle |date=2023-10-25 |title=Afripods: A podcast hosting platform focusing on African stories told by Africans |url=https://akademie.dw.com/en/afripods-a-podcast-hosting-platform-focusing-on-african-stories-told-by-africans/a-67216518 |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=DW Akademie}}{{Cite web |last=Hagger |first=Alastair |title=The Resonant Rise Of The African Podcast |url=https://www.forbesafrica.com/current-affairs/2023/04/05/the-resonate-rise-of-the-african-podcast/ |access-date=2025-05-10 |website=Forbes Africa}} In 2021, Afripods partnered with Nation Media Group to host the company's podcasts.{{Cite web |last=Nampewo |first=Angella |date=2021-11-19 |title=When East Africa’s podcast royalty came to Kampala |url=https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/lifestyle/entertainment/when-east-africa-s-podcast-royalty-came-to-kampala-3624560 |url-access=subscription |access-date=2025-05-10 |website=Monitor}}
A 2022 report by Baraza Media Lab found that Afripods was one of the most used podcasting platforms in Africa and the most used homegrown platform.{{Cite web |date=2022-04-01 |title=Discovery Tour, Data Edition: Mapping out the present & future of African audio storytelling |url=https://barazalab.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/DiscoveryTourDataEdition-AnApril2022report.pdf |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=Baraza Media Lab}} In 2023, Afripods began converting traditional radio station's shows into podcast form, describing the new model as being "on-demand radio."{{Cite web |last=Khalid |first=Amrita |date=2023-09-05 |title=How Afripods is trying to grow the podcast market in Africa |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/5/23859798/afripods-broadcast-to-podcast-kevin-brown-africa-podcast-market-hot-pod |access-date=2024-10-30 |website=The Verge}}
As of 2023, Afripods hosts podcasts in 50 languages and from 30 countries across Africa.
Business model
Afripods describes podcasting as a "low-cost way to preserve African culture, traditions, and language." To that end, the company offers a full-service podcasting platform, offering hosting and distribution services for podcasts along with promotion for creators. The company also operates an advertising network for podcasts. Podcasts hosted by Afripods are available on Afripods own platform, along with platforms like Spotify, Stitcher, and Apple Podcasts.{{Cite web |last=Oniang'o |first=Maurice |date=2023-08-15 |title=African podcasters are now recognised globally. Can they transform this success into a viable business? |url=https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/news/african-podcasters-are-now-recognised-globally-can-they-transform-success-viable-business |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=Reuters Institute}}{{Cite web |date=2022-05-29 |title=Podcasts: The future of storytelling |url=https://www.thecitizen.co.tz/tanzania/magazines/sound-living/podcasts-the-future-of-storytelling--3831214 |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=The Citizen}}
Afripods was the first podcasting platform to pay creators directly in Africa, without the need for them to create an American or European bank account.
Podcasts
- "The Fabiola Podcast," hosted by Anita Fabiola{{Cite web |last=Apolot |first=Catherine |title=17 Interesting facts you didn’t know about socialite Anita Fabiola |url=https://www.watchdoguganda.com/entertainment/20211229/127468/17-interesting-facts-you-didnt-know-about-socialite-anita-fabiola.html |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=Watchdog Uganda}}
- "Legally Clueless," hosted by Adelle Onyango{{Cite web |last=Muia |first=Sylvia |date=2022-05-21 |title=How podcasts are taking over the African narrative |url=https://nation.africa/kenya/life-and-style/culture/podcasts-are-taking-over-african-narrative-3822918 |access-date=2024-05-15 |website=Daily Nation}}