Nick Quah: 'podcasting is overwhelmingly white' — but that can change
Nick Quah oversees audience development at the Panoply podcast network, and writes about podcasts through his Hot Pod newsletter, but when asked if he feels represented by the podcasts he listens to, he answers without hesitation.
"Oh, good lord, no. Podcasting is overwhelmingly white," Quah told Podcast Playlist's Lindsay Michael.
"I'm a yellow person — I'm from Malaysia … I do not see myself represented in it. Which only speaks to me in the sense that there is so much more to do."
"If anybody ever says something like 'oh, podcasting has run out of ideas,' I say that's complete horse-crap."- Nick Quah
Quah sees the lack of diversity in podcasting as a challenge — something that falls to both the companies that produce podcasts and everyday people.
"If anybody ever says something like 'oh, podcasting has run out of ideas,' I say that's complete horse-crap," he said.
He says things are already starting to shift, with shows like The Read, Another Round and Latino USA showcasing diverse voices.
"As long as there is a living, breathing voice in my body — and in people like me who aren't represented in the media — and in podcasting specifically — there is always a landscape to explore."
Listen to the audio to hear the full interview with Nick Quah.
Tune in to Podcast Playlist on Jan. 7 to hear a condensed version of this interview as well as one of Nick Quah's favourite podcasts.