Abu dhabi: Participants in the third edition of the Arab Podcast Programme have successfully transitioned from developing their podcast concepts and creative identities to producing practical models of their projects. This milestone was achieved during the second week of specialised training organised by the Dubai Press Club (DPC).
According to Emirates News Agency, the programme's second phase focused on 'Technical Production and Execution', building on the opening week's emphasis on conceptualisation and identity creation. Through 17 hours of practical workshops, participants honed the audio, visual, and technical skills necessary to transform their ideas into pilot episodes, moving closer to full production.
The workshops addressed various aspects of podcast production, including project presentation, sound engineering, professional audio processing, visual and cinematic direction, modern editing techniques, AI-assisted script development, and smart production strategies. By the end of the week, participants applied these skills to develop pilot episodes, paving the way for the programme's publishing, promotion, and final evaluation stages.
The second week commenced with a session titled 'Project Showcase: Evaluation and Readiness Selection Platform', where participants presented their initial projects. They received valuable feedback on the clarity of their concepts, target audiences, and overall identities from an evaluation panel, allowing them to refine their ideas before advancing to production. The panel included Maryam Al Mulla, Director of the Dubai Press Club; Emirati writer and publisher Jamal Al Shehhi, founder of Kuttab Caf©; Patrick Samaha from Next Audio; and Abdulla Al Nuaimi, host of the 'Kursi al Athnein' podcast.
Barry Kassab, Associate Manager, Market Development at Shure MEA, led a workshop on 'Sound Engineering and Professional Audio Processing Techniques', introducing participants to sound quality fundamentals and professional production standards. Ahmed Eid Salem and Moris Dakar from Sony MEA delivered a visual direction workshop, focusing on lighting, camera angles, and scene management for video podcasts.
Bilal Ahmed Habib from Blackmagic Design conducted a session on 'Modern Podcast Editing Techniques', which covered episode editing, pacing, and content sequencing suitable for digital platforms. Meryem Raji from YouTube provided insights on 'Smart Preparation: Prompt Engineering and Podcast Script Development', highlighting AI tools for scriptwriting while maintaining content originality.
Amr Zaki from the 'Zaka Mish Istina'i' podcast led a workshop on 'The AI Revolution: Smart Podcast Production Strategies', illustrating AI's role in streamlining workflows and enhancing production efficiency. The week concluded with a practical session on pilot episode development led by Alaa Nawar from MediaCast.
Maryam Al Mulla emphasized the significance of the second week in transitioning participants from concept development to practical execution, enhancing their readiness to produce professional content. She remarked on the programme's ability to integrate creativity, technology, and practical application, contributing to the growth of Arabic podcast content.
Wedad Kahoor, Section Head - Media Talent Development at DPC, noted that the second phase closely simulated a real production environment, equipping participants with the necessary skills to create professional podcast models. The feedback from specialists will be instrumental in refining projects before the publishing and promotion phase.
The Arab Podcast Programme will proceed to its third phase, focusing on publishing and promotion, culminating in a final evaluation by industry experts.