Space! Not the Final Frontier
For Our New Ancestor
On November 14, 2025, we lost one of our strongest advocates, Alice Wong. As you may know, Alice was the catalyst for POD Access. It was Alice who invited us to create this space to help continue her work of amplifying d/Deaf and disabled voices.
We’ll have a more fitting tribute in the near future. Until then and even after, head on over to Disability Visibility Project and take in all the goodness produced by our newest ancestor.
Space! It’s Not the Final Frontier
As the 2025 podcasting year comes to a close, perhaps you’re considering how to make your podcast sound new in 2026?
Rather than buying the latest piece of audio or video technology, your new sound may just so happen to be in space. In this case, it’s a lot easier to access and doesn’t require you to travel out of the earth’s atmosphere. We’re referring to the use of silence in your podcast.
No matter what type of podcast you produce, chat cast, narrative, fiction, consider being more intentional about the space between segments.
Imagine you’re listening to a chat cast. It’s non-stop banter about multiple topics between two or more people. Rather than presenting the conversation in the way it was recorded, a few slight edits can make a difference. Applying a bit of space, 3 seconds between topics, for instance, can make a real difference to the overall flow of the podcast. That space automatically informs the listener that something new is on the way. Three to maybe five seconds is a suitable amount of time where the audience will expect something new without fearing there’s a problem with their audio.
Give it a try and play with the time to judge for yourself. If you’re feeling even more adventurous, consider audio zingers, short transition music, other sound effects or a video transition or animation that without words communicates, “We’re not done, we’re just about to change it up!”
Chances are this will sound quite familiar as we’re used to these transitions in television, film and radio. Next time you’re watching your favorite sitcom, movie or listening to another podcast, notice how pauses and transitions help the story flow.
[Image description: Two sky blue gift boxes with gold and purple ribbons sit on a sky blue background with gold and purple confetti falling around them. One box is on its side, open, showing off the POD Access logo stamped on the inside. In wavy, dark purple letters, “Crip My Podcast” floats above the gift boxes like a banner. Below the boxes, the word POD is spelled out with a podcaster inside each letter. P is a Black person listening on headphones. Three lines representing sound waves are on their rosy red sweater. O is a white person with scruffy blond beard and a rosy red outfit with an eye representing the visual on the pants leg. He’s watching a podcast on his wheelchair mounted device. P is a brown-skinned person with glasses and a hearing aid, reading on their honeydew green laptop. Three lines representing writing are stamped on the laptop’s lid.]
Crip My Podcast!
In the spirit of the holiday season, POD Access wants to give one lucky podcaster a free 45 minute Crip My Podcast session.
Send us an email by January 10, 2026. Let us know a challenge you’re currently facing with your podcast that you’d like help talking through or workshopping.
Are you:
An aspiring podcaster with an idea and need to get some other opinions?
Someone who pod-faded and you’re wondering how to get back?
Just want some editing tips?
Whatever it is, email us at ThePodAccess@gmail.com by January 10, 2026.
We will put all the entries into a hat and the world famous PODCat will randomly choose the winner. We will notify the winner and schedule your very own, Crip My Podcast!
Join the library
Submit your podcast to our online library. Share with all the d/Deaf and disabled podcasters you know so we can really build this library! And join our Skill Share if you have skills podcasters are looking for like editing, graphic design, transcribing, marketing, or branding.
Cheryl, Thomas, and RouRou the PODCat