How Kunsht produces narrative podcasts about science

Publishers around the world are looking for ways to establish a direct connection with their audiences. And podcasts seem to be the way to do it. The Digital News Report 2023 says that podcasting might not be the most popular medium but listeners are richer, younger, and better educated. 

The Fix talked to Kyrylo Beskorovayny, CEO of the first Ukrainian popular science media Kunsht with a portfolio of eight podcasts. Kunsht produces one of the most popular podcasts in Ukraine, and we asked what helped them succeed. 

From a print magazine to a digital operation 

Kunsht started eight years ago as a print magazine devoted to popular science, but eventually the outlet moved online. Today the team maintains a website, runs a newsletter, produces podcasts and videos, and organises events like lectures and exhibitions. The total reach is about 100,000 people monthly, including 320 paying members as part of Kunhst’s drive to increase audience revenue. 

According to data provided by Kunhst, 15,000-20,000 people listen to their podcasts regularly — not a lot by the standards of large markets but a healthy number for an upscale outlet focused on a niche topic in Ukraine.  

Kunsht’s approach to narrative podcasts

A little bit of audience listening is hugely helpful. Before transitioning online, Beskorovayny and his business partner, Daria Kuziava, conducted audience research, holding 40 in-depth interviews with their magazine readers. They inquired about the readers’ interests, what they thought of the magazine, and their pain points, among other things.

They gained a better understanding of their audience. For example, a recurring pattern across Kunsht readers’ responses was their fondness for the magazine’s longreads but lack of time to read them in their entirety. Recognizing this, about three years ago, the team began converting articles into audio format, initially narrating them personally.

Subsequently, these audio renditions were made available both as accompaniments to website articles and on various podcasting platforms. Feedback from listeners included requests for more engaging narration, suggesting collaboration with professional narrators. Heeding this input, Beskorovayny soon involved a diverse group of narrators, including artists, theatre actors, and other creatives. (For one podcast, the team even collaborated with a chamber choir to craft an original soundtrack).

This approach led to the birth of one of the most popular podcasts in Ukraine, “Bude tobi nauka” or “You Will Have a Lesson” (the original name in Ukrainian is a witty play of words, making it easy to remember). Their podcasts “You Will Have a Lesson” and “Don’t Go to the Fortune Teller” earned a spot in a curated collection on Apple Podcasts.

Buoyed by the initial podcast’s success, they ventured into developing more, with a particular emphasis on narrative-style content.

Focus on storytelling. For successful podcasting, the key lies in both discovering and telling great stories. If you have a captivating narrative or the aptitude to find one, it can resonate with your audience in an audio format too.

When selecting topics, the team considers the benefit/purpose of it, and what they want to change or convey through the podcast. Then, they seek to understand how this can be presented through a scientific lens and how they can involve scientists to narrate the story. 

Essentially, they start with the audience’s interests, their own questions, and what topics are on the public agenda.

Being open to innovation. Here are some of Kunsht’s podcasts:

• “Don’t Go to the Fortune Teller”: Delving into the realm of magical thinking.
• “Mamma Mia, Pandemic!”: Tips and tricks to endure during pandemics.
• “You’ll Have a Lesson”: Discussing intricate scientific issues that society grapples with.
• “Project Intellect”: A deep dive into AI, technology, and their profound impact on the world and humanity.
• “Food for Thought”: An exploration of food through a scientific lens.
• “Post Truth”: A guide on sifting through the modern information space and keeping one’s sanity.
• A podcast about Telegram: About whether it is secure to use Telegram in Ukraine (in development).

Kunsht has also adapted to its listeners’ preferences by featuring its podcasts on YouTube, accompanied by a static image. The upsurge of video podcasts is evident in Ukraine, and even content featuring merely two people with a microphone can amass a significant following.

Beskorovayny points out, “In Ukraine, there are very few true crime or narrative podcasts. We offer narrative podcasts, however, we’ve yet to venture into podcast series, the kind that weaves gripping tales, often grounded in journalistic investigations, all presented in an audio series format.”

Communication is key. The team has two dedicated communication specialists, complemented by a designer skilled in crafting illustrations.

To boost their podcasts’ reach, they leverage social media, newsletters, and collaborate with other publishers to organise cross-promotions on different platforms. They also partner with opinion leaders – experts who contribute to the podcasts with their insights and interviews, and later share them with their own followers. When listeners resonate with the content, they naturally recommend the podcast, which further expands the listener base.

Kunsht’s most recent offline campaign spotlighted the podcast “Don’t Go to the Fortune Teller”. To attract potential listeners, they found intriguing myths and crafted a concise video with a call to action to subscribe. This video was featured in high-speed train broadcasts.

A robust team and financial backing. Kunsht’s primary revenue streams for its podcasts stem from sponsorships and grants. For complex narrative podcasts requiring an extensive team, they look for grant funding. For example, the podcast “Food for Thought” is backed by the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation, a government agency. Its creation is a collaborative effort: interviewers to scriptwriters, scientific editors, a dedicated editor, two hosts recording in-studio, an audio editor, and a separate person for video editing. All told, this podcast involves a team of nearly 10 professionals.

Commercial sponsorships are also at work – the podcast about technologies is supported by SQUAD, a Ukrainian-based IT company. For podcasts without sponsors, the Kunsht community steps in, funding productions via their membership program.

Staying relevant. One of Kunsht’s podcasts is called “Project Intellect”. Before the full-scale invasion, this podcast was about AI and Ukrainian companies working on it. Now, it refocused to cover technologies during wartime.

The team also adapted articles voiced from the website to ensure the outlet remains relevant to its audience. Now, Kunsht covers topics related to survival, medicine, first aid, military affairs, media literacy, and everything else that can have a practical application and can be geared toward survival during wartime.

 Source of the cover photo: https://unsplash.com

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