Like other media and entertainment industries, the future of podcasts in Yemen relies upon developing the infrastructure with content producers believing that the industry is set to flourish as it has big opportunities despite the challenges..

Reem Al-Fadhli (South24)

In 2003 and 2004, the world witnessed the emergence of new creative ideas through recording and broadcasting audio content via the internet. This was later called “Podcast”, derived from the two English words “pod” and “broadcast”. The 2003 weekly chat show “BackStage Pass” is considered the first radio talk show broadcast via the internet.

In 2009, the idea of podcasts caught on slowly in the Arab world, four years after its emergence in the United States and Europe. It reached its peak during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2019 and 2020, with 526 programs being produced in 2020 alone.

Yemen has recently witnessed soaring interest in this kind of content as a number of media platforms and channels have taken to producing it. This is along with personal works of some journalists, content producers, and cultural influencers.

Growing Industry

After podcasts entered Yemen, especially in the aftermath of 2020, several local programs emerged as many people, including the youth, and satellite channels, began producing them. Social and artistic programs have been the most common among them. Although the podcast industry in Yemen is still in its early stages, podcaster and audio content producing trainer Firyal Majdi believes that it will develop but needs proper guidance.

Audio content producer Camellia Kamel believes that though the podcast industry is growing slowly in Yemen it is achieving a positive impact. Camellia told ’South24 Center‘: “Podcast has become an effective way to convey ideas and discuss social issues deeply. The field is still in the growing phase. However, it has huge potential to become a strong method for dialogue and expressing opinion, especially in light of the limitations of traditional media platforms.”

Tahani Al-Khadher, presenter of the ‘Solo’ podcast, said that the podcast industry in Yemen is still in its early stages as most creators focus on the audio content without filming the episodes. Tahani told ’South24 Center‘: “There is big potential in the podcast industry with the growing interest of young people to create valuable content. Moreover, with support being provided to this field lately by organizations and institutions has enhanced the opportunities of its development.”

Tahani Al-Khadher during the ’Solo’ podcast.

Director and cultural influencer Aseel Ehab believes that there is a current trend to engage in the video dialogue podcast. He told ’South24 Center‘: “The local industry is still in its early stages in comparison to external production. This is due to poor infrastructure to support this field in Yemen as a result of the war and its repercussions.”

Inspiring Patterns

Aseel Ehab, along with others, created the ‘Araikhhn’ podcast which documents a number of Yemeni mythical tales in a dramatized way. This is in addition to the ‘BonCast’ platform that focuses on reviving the artistic and cultural heritage of Yemen. Aseel and his team chose audio production due to the security hardships facing content producers in Yemen as well as the difficulties regarding obtaining filming permission, especially in North Yemen. 

“The reason that pushed us to move to the podcast industry is to keep up with the sophisticated technology in the world, in addition to assuming responsibility for delivering community services to the people and creating awareness about Yemen’s history and culture and art, particularly after the latest Yemeni war,” he added. 

The ‘Araikhhn’- BonCast.

Camellia has specialized in the audio content production industry because she believes that the voice is a strong tool for change, especially for defending human rights issues. Camellia said she debuted in the audio blogging field in 2022 after receiving a grant from the European Union and the Goethe Institute to launch the ’Exceptionalist‘ (Istithnaeya) podcast. 

She added: “This experience disclosed to me the need for local audio platforms that discuss the community’s issues in-depth. This pushed me to launch the ‘Adeni Cast’ in 2023 as the first podcast platform in Aden.” Camellia participated in the ‘Voix des Femmes Sans Frontières’ program which is an initiative supported by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs over the past years.

According to Camellia, “this experience was an important move. I was among the first batch that received comprehensive training in content production, voiceover, editing, and designing. This has enhanced my skills, allowing me to become a podcast trainer later through my work with the Humanitarian Aid Organization and journalism.”

Firyal Majdi, who is considered among the first audio producers in Yemen, began early through practicing her voiceover through Bobby’s coaching course. Her actual shift to podcasts came after her participation in a training course about documentation and archiving with the Basement Cultural Foundation, an independent civil society organization, in Sanaa.

Firyal said: “My realization about the need to preserve history properly, particularly what is related to women’s issues, pushed me to specialize in this field.” Through the ‘Dafayer’ podcast, with the participation of a number of Yemeni women, Firyal seeks to highlight the stories of Yemeni women, especially in the fields of art and culture.

She added: “In 2021, I launched the ‘Menkam’ podcast to document the stories of forgotten Yemeni artistes. This year, I launched the ‘Absent Voices and Melodies’ podcast which isn’t limited to audio documentation but includes training females in the techniques of oral history, archiving and podcast production from scratch to publication.”

For her part, Tahani Al-Khadher attributed her move to the audio content industry to her passion for communication and storytelling as well as her desire to interact with people. Tahani said: “The ‘Solo Podcast’ experience is rich as it has boosted my self-confidence and the ability to deliver meaningful content. It taught me how to look for opportunities, how to convince sponsors and investors in Aden, and the best way to interact with viewers. This has allowed me to impact the lives of others.”

Challenges and Hardships

Tahani has faced many challenges, including the lack of resources and expertise, poor audio and recording quality, and the difficulty in finding volunteers to work for free. Eleven episodes were filmed with an all-volunteer team. Furthermore, she initially faced challenges related to selecting topics and finding sponsors and advertisers for the episodes.

The biggest challenge facing Firyal Majdi is the scarcity of podcast resources, whether in Yemen or the Arab world in general, in a way that would prolong the education process. She added: “The hardships include finding new ideas, getting the required funding, publication, and marketing challenges, especially since podcasts isn’t a basic source of income for me. This sometimes leads to production irregularity.”

Aseel Ehab said the biggest challenges for content producers in Yemen include the poor infrastructure, especially in the rural areas that comprises the biggest population bloc in the country, in addition to the weak funding, particularly to the non-profit organizations.

The Future of Podcasts

Content producers who spoke to ’South24 Center‘ agreed that the podcast industry in Yemen is set to flourish as it has big opportunities despite the challenges, and has become an effective way to discuss the community issues in-depth in light of the constraints of independent media.

Camellia Kamel is keen on expanding the impact of podcasts locally via the ‘Adeni Cast’ and her collaboration with other groups in this sector. She pointed to her upcoming “inexpensive” podcast series that discusses the issues of women and community.

According to Ehab, this field is witnessing a production boom due to the development of infrastructure in the country. Commenting on his future steps, Ehab said that he and his team in the ‘Boncast’ are seeking to conserve and document Yemen’s cultural heritage through podcasts.

Tahani Al-Khadher expects a promising future for podcasts in Yemen with the growing opportunities for young people to obtain production and communication skills as well as the growing support for this sector.

Firyal Majdi believes that podcasts need the right guidance to avoid repeating ideas. She stressed that “several Yemeni stories deserve to be documented. This is what we are aspiring for through Dafayer.”

The ‘Dafayer’ podcast.

Majdi advises those who are interested in the audio content production to begin working on it without delay. She stressed that the quality of ideas and scenarios is more important than sophisticated tools. She believes that success is based on delivering new ideas or distinctive content with a personal touch in light of the current competition.

Like other media and entertainment industries, the future of podcasts in Yemen relies upon developing the infrastructure of internet, telecommunication, as well as energy services to provide an opportunity to the biggest possible number of those who are interested in engaging in this field or viewing its content.