Wiki Loves Women/Podcast/Inspiring Open Results

Inspiring Open project phases

The Inspiring Open podcast project was undertaken over four distinct phases:

Research and development
Pre-production
Production, and
Distribution.

Across all project phases, weekly meetings are held between the growing team of members.

Phase 1: Research and development included the following activities:

Created a long list of notable women across Africa via three ways (find the initial list here) :
1. active desk-based research with suggestions from members within the team;
2. one-on-one requests to connections within the arts, culture, education and knowledge sectors for nominations;
3. a call to the communities of Wikimedia, Creative Commons, Open Education Global and other aligned open organisations to nominate women to be featured on the long list (find the nomination form here);
Found the ‘voice’ of the Inspiring Open podcast, by:
1. A continental call went out to media and communications communities across Africa to find the host of the Inspiring Open podcast. (Call details here • application form here)
2. One-on-one requests for suggestions via communities
3. Conduct two-tiered interviews
4. Final choice of host select and contracted. Ghanian journalist and women in media activist, Betty Kankam-Boadu is chosen as the host of Inspiring Open
Consulted with public relations and publicity experts on planning, expectations, scale and scope.
Planned the project and compiled the team:
1. Compiled project milestones, project branding (look and feel) and tone (messaging and platforms), web template options, podcast platforms, distribution mechanisms, studio options, audio requirements, etc.
2. Research scope and scale and contract the production manager, communications liaison, audiophile, studio support, designer, website developer, and illustrator.

Phase 2: Pre-production included the following activities:

Team activated, briefs negotiated and clarified, website, design and messaging and tone created and shared.
Potential guest long-list researched, criteria applied and final selection of 20 guests decided on.
Once the short list was finalised:
1. Top candidates were approached, introduced to the project, interest level sought and availability assessed,
2. Final guests offered multiple time options for recorded interviews
3. Schedule of pre-interview conversations compiled
4. Schedule of recorded interviews compiled
Online platforms and software (messaging, recording, audio editing, design, etc.) support activated as needed
Brand personality workshopped (initial survey here • find final results here)
Design direction workshopped and agreed upon. (initial concepts • final logo design)
Website developed and branded: https://podcast.wikiloveswomen.org/
Individual guests’ photographs, and biographical, social media, and sector information researched and compiled.
Social media campaign, visual language, and release briefed.
Social media channels primed, and scheduling systems activated.

Phase 3: Production included the following activities:

Podcast ‘theme’ music selected: High Funk by Crowander (www.crowander.com) under the CC-BY-SA-NC 4.0 license. CC-BY-SA 2.0 licence negotiated.
Portraits of each guest (link to portraits) created by South African artist Candace Di Talamo (https://www.behance.net/candaceditalamo).
Generic Inspiring Open messages at the beginning and the end of the podcast written and recorded.
Liaison with guests with regards to additional elements, plus recording/interview times.
Recorded interviews with guests turned into podcasts
1. Guest interviews conducted
2. Raw interview audio edited
3. Guest introduction for each guest compiled
4. All elements combined
5. Final edit for flow and sense
6. Entire podcast transcribed
7. Final recording sent for audio balancing
8. Delivery for release
9. Version for YouTube compiled
Podcast webpage, episode page, and communications elements created, uploaded and scheduled for release. Each podcast audio file is released onto a variety of platforms and has a number of elements that need to be created for the final presentation. (Here is one example). These elements include:
1. Chapters or moments of interest within the podcast
2. Notable quotations from the podcast
3. Biography of the guest
4. Links to anything mentioned in the podcast, from websites for organisations mentioned, to important books, authors, sayings or poems shared.
5. Social media handles or links acquired

Phase 4: Podcast release and dissemination and communication campaign:

Announce the launch of the podcast and its intentions among multiple spaces and places:
1. Introduction video released (view it here).
2. Press release sent to journalists and media across Africa.
3. Launch blog posts placed on Wiki In Africa, Wiki Loves Women and Inspiring Open websites:
  1. Inspiring Open: the new podcast that gives voice to incredible women in Africa and the Middle East
  2. Wiki Loves Women’s Inspiring Open podcast series launched!
  3. Inspiring Open launches!
4. Individual emails sent to Wikimedia Foundation, Creative Commons and Open Education communications teams.
5. Announcements on all Wikimedia gender-gap, African Wikipedian, Creative Commons and other group messaging announcements
6. Included in Wiki In Africa newsletter – French and English:
  1. Wiki In Africa News #1: Focus on Africa (English) Women’s Voices • Africa’s homes • Podcasting Women • Offline Education • ISA drive • WikiAfrica News
  2. Les actualités WikiAfrica #1 : Mise au point sur ... (French) Femmes et podcasting • Concours photo Foyers/Habitats d'Afrique • Éducation hors connexion • ISA et données structurées • Les actualités WikiAfrica
Finished podcasts are released under a 2-week schedule:
1. Create website pages to host materials on each individual podcast:
  1. Website: https://podcast.wikiloveswomen.org/episodes/
2. Prepare platforms and schedule the podcast for release across multiple platforms. The following guest podcasts have been released:
  1. Episode 1: Anie Akpe
  2. Episode 2: Maryana Iskander
  3. Episode 3: Maha Bali
  4. Episode 4: Dr. Nkem Osuigwe
  5. Episode 5: Angela Lungati
  6. Episode 6: Islam Elbeiti
  7. Episode 7: Esra’a El Shafei
  8. Episode 8: Elizabeth Oyange
  9. Episode 9: Helen Turvey
  10. Episode 10: Lola Shoneyin
  11. Episode 11: Nana Ama Agyemang Asante
  12. Episode 12: Emna Mizouni
  13. Episode 13: Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah
  14. Episode 14: Jane-Frances Obiageli Agbu
  15. Episode 15: Mulenga Kapwepwe
  16. Episode 16: Hilda Twongyeirewe
3. YouTube-friendly versions of the podcast are created for additional audiences to access. Access the playlist here.
4. Each podcast is directly uploaded to the Soundcloud platform.
Write and post articles that relay the key points from the conversation with each guest in a narrative format. These articles are added to Be Inspired blog space on the podcast website. So far, the following 5 articles have been released:
Create content, schedule and load videos, visuals and text for communications ‘noise’ around each campaign, across these platforms:
1. Twitter: @WikiLovesWomen
2. Instagram: @wikiloveswomen
3. Facebook: @WikiLovesWomen
4. Linked In: www.linkedin.com/company/wiki-in-africa

Output

Features worth mentioning

16 final guests featured + podcasts created and released every 2 weeks across 2022.
Podcast is available for subscribers or to listen across 16 channels (including Wikimedia’s project space, Meta) and growing.

Elements that were added in addition to the initial project plan

16 podcast interviews were created (12 initially planned)
20 Illustrated portraits created for each guest (and the four core team members) released under CC-BY-SA licence for use across open movement (and as a special thank you gift to each guest). View them all here.
From Oct-Nov 2022, the podcasts will be a special feature on Wiki Loves Women’s annual #SheSaid drive that adds quotations by notable women to Wikiquote, for increased project impact and visibility for the guests. Find information about #SheSaid here.
Each guest podcast is accompanied by a transcript that can be downloaded, and a narrative article that relays the key concepts covered in each conversation. These allow for alternative ways for people to read about and be inspired by each guest, and the pathways and choices each woman has made. This was deemed especially important if the audience is not able to access the audio files for technical or financial reasons (data costs, technology costs, etc.). It also allows concepts and ideas to be unpacked and intellectually consumed in different ways.
The podcast series has been featured on several media news sites (CGTN, Channel Africa, etc.), and was included in the WikiAfrica Hour focus on Women Podcasters in March. Watch it here.
The podcast series has been ‘syndicated’ by Africa Tech Radio. This syndication will be launched from their website in June 2022.
The podcast launch was covered by the following media houses:
1. CGTN Africa – watch the coverage here.
2. Channel Africa - both Isla and Betty were interviewed separately by Asanda on the Change your Game programme.

Achieving our Initial Objectives

Objective 1: Create a reference catalogue - series 1 that showcases 12 speakers - and is regularly updated.

Result:

An online reference catalogue of 16 guests were compiled and are being released every 2 weeks over 2022. An additional 2 ‘thematic’ podcasts have been compiled that reflect the shared themes, life experiences and challenges across all 16 guests.

The full release schedule for the podcasts are as follows:

March 14 – Anie Akpe - business - Nigeria
March 28 – Maryana - wikimedia/youth unemployment - Egypt / SA
April 11 – Maha Bali - education - Egyptl
April 25 – Nkem E. Osuigwe - libraries - Nigeria
May 9 – Angela Oduor Lungati - tech - Kenya
May 23 – Islam Elbeiti - music - Sudan
June 6 – Esra'a El Shafei - social justice - Bahrain
June 20 – Elizabeth Oyange – Law - Kenya
July 4 – Helen Turvey - philanthropy - South Africa
July 28 – Lola Shoneyin - author / creative - Nigeria
Aug 1 – Nana Ama Agyemang Asante – journalist - Ghana
Aug 15 – Emna Mizouni – social justice - Tunisia
Aug 29 – Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah - sexual liberation / womens rights - Ghanaian
Sept 12 – Jane-Frances Obiageli Agbu – open education - Nigeria / Canada
Sept 26 – Mulenga Kapwepwe - Playright - History / Museums – Zambia
Oct 10 – Hilda Twongyeirewe - author / creative - Uganda

Objective 2: The podcast catalog is able to be accessed at any time, and provides vital information on leading women across Africa, their leadership styles and their paths into or engagement with the open movement

Result:

The podcast is available for free on the website, and 16 additional podcasting platforms and community spaces. All podcasts and the materials created are under a CC-BY-SA 4.0 licence.

Afripods
Apple Podcasts
Amazon Music
Audible
Anchor
CastBox
Google Podcasts
Overcast
Pocketcast
Radio Public
RSS Feed
Soundcloud
Spotify
Stitcher
YouTube
Wikimedia Meta

Objective 3: Amplify the voices of women beyond the binary in order to ensure inclusion of transgender and other women and girls who are often left out of traditional women and girls perspectives;

Result:

The guests represent a wide range of women from vastly different sectors, different cultures and different experiences. That having been said, gender roles and identities are still contentious issues in Africa. As such, we do not put a spotlight on their identities or choices, as this could cause unintentional harm or danger to the guests.

One example of being sensitive to their personal security can be seen in the inclusion of Esra'a El Shafei, the social justice activist and Bahraini human rights activist and founder of Majal.org, an organisation that develops platforms to amplify underrepresented and marginalised voices in the Middle East and North Africa. She is outlawed in her own country and across the Arab world for the work she does for the gender-marginalised and migrants of Africa. Her portrait only provides a representation of her hands, as an image of her face would put her at personal risk.

Host, Betty Kankam-Boadu, finishes each podcast with the following quote from American playwright, author, and poet, Ntozake Shange:

“Sisterhood is important because we are all we have to stand on. We have to stand near and by each other, pray for one another, and share the joys and the difficulties that women face in the world today. If we don't talk about it among ourselves, then we are made silent by the patriarchy, and that serves us no purpose.”

Objective 4: Provide easily accessible content that affirm alternative spaces and pathways that ensure all women and LGBTQ+ are safe, welcomed, included, recognised and affirmed;

Result:

Guests were chosen to represent multiple spaces, regions, cultures and professional sectors across Africa. The resulting mix is eclectic and representative of the vast diversity across the continent. The sectors range from authors to musicians, activists to educators, technologists to philanthropists, historians to journalists. Each region of the continent is covered, and many have experiences and focuses that incorporate Africa into their global perspectives and experiences. This is all shared in conversations they had with host Betty Kankam-Boadu.

The content provided by each podcast can be accessed on 16 platforms, including the Wikimedia project space, Meta. All content that results from each guest interview are represented in multiple ways to allow for audiences to access in all the ways they can. Just some of these access points are: as audio files, in transcripts (to read online or to download), and as a narrative article, in sound bites, or as a visual on youtube.

Objective 5: Create a campaign of consistent engagement with listeners to encourage them to seize their agency to be involved in the open movement through Wiki Loves Africa programme and drives.

Result:

This is a long term objective that cannot yet be measured. Audience reaction at this early stage has been very difficult to monitor, however there has been a very positive reaction from guests and from the open movements, such as Wikimedia Foundation and Creative Commons. There has been active support from both the Wikimedia Foundation, Creative Commons and Open Education Global communications departments in relaying the Communications Campaign.

In addition, the ‘Mentioned in the podcast’ section on each podcast page on the website allows for listeners to follow their curiosity and explore alternative options should they be inspired by each guest.