ABSTRACT
Liveness is often used to distinguish broadcast radio from podcasting, with radio being classified as live in contrast to podcasting’s on-demand distribution. This chapter uses the podcast Hello from the Magic Tavern to examine the extent to which on-demand audio media can incorporate aspects of liveness into their content. Drawing largely on Paddy Scannell and Nick Couldry, it finds that the podcast’s improvised, chatty format creates a sense of liveness not reliant on the temporalities of traditional broadcast radio. The feeling of being in the same time as the podcast hosts extends into the show’s transmedia presence and monetization. The podcast encourages listeners to think of its content as live because it is continually accessible. In the case of Hello from the Magic Tavern, this accessibility means that listeners can help create the podcast’s imaginary world with the podcast hosts.
