The Betoota Advocate launching into podcasting with Acast

Betoota is a ghost town… but it has its own newspaper, and it is about to get its own podcast.
 
The Betoota Advocate bills itself as “a small and independent regional newspaper from far-west Queensland and arguably Australia’s oldest newspaper.”
 
It is actually a satirical news site with a focus on regional perspectives. The style of humour is as dry as the Aussie desert country that spawned the publication.
 
When radioinfo spoke to the two editorial leaders of the publication, they kept strictly in character, avoiding any reference to the satirical nature of the publication and speaking seriously about regional news gathering, a possible cadet program and their world wide network of reporters. Expect the same style of delivery when the podcast is launched in coming weeks.
 
Editor-at-large Errol Parker and homegrown Editor Clancy Overell, pictured here in the thriving regional metropolis of Betoota, told us they are regular readers of radioinfo, and have used our publication to keep up with the comings and goings of regional radio.


 
“We look forward to joining your world of audio,” the pair told us today during a wide ranging interview.
 
The pair have experience in radio, being in hot demand for regular guest segments on a range of ABC Radio stations in Queensland, Outback Radio and the Indigenous NIRS radio service.
 
The podcasts will be hosted on the Acast platform and will also be available on iTunes, the Acast app and wherever you go to listen to your podcasts. See our earlier report on Acast here.
 
The Betoota Advocate “has a highly engaged readership greater than The Australian and The Financial Review and is run by Betoota residents; Errol Parker and Clancy Overell, who cover breaking news across the country and beyond,” the pair told us, deadpan, with no hint of their tongues being firmly in cheek.

When you read their stories there are many references to ‘the Paris end of Betoota,’  ‘the Betoota Industrial District,’ and other parts of the thriving city of Betoota, while in fact the real town has a population of zero.

“Details of the podcast are still under wraps but the Walkley awarded editors of the publication hint they will be expanding their sport and crime categories in response to the appetite of our readers,” said the pair.

“As a print publication, unfortunately there are no higher heights than the ones we have already met,” said Overell.

“Our newspaper is leaving the likes of Fairfax and Murdoch in the dust. We liken ourselves to the 2003-2012 era of Queensland’s State Of Origin. The success has become status quo. We don’t feel shit anymore.”

Errol Parker is also enthused by the idea of competing with age-old media organisations through these exciting new channels.

“Audio is the next logical step for our organisation. Our close relationship with the local hot hits format radio station DesertROCK FM has for many years provided our town with cutting and balanced social commentary.

“However, much like our bold transition from print to online news in 2014, we must look to the internet to broadcast our radio programming outside of the Diamantina Shire. This, we believe, is called podcasting.”

Acast Country Manager Henrik Isaksson says signing such a trusted news source for Australians is a feather in the cap for Acast locally:

“The Betoota Advocate podcast represents the most exciting and hotly anticipated Australian podcast of 2018. With flagship podcasts like The Economist and The Financial Times on our platform globally, since launching in Australia in 2017 we’ve been on the hunt for great Aussie influencers that can provide the Australian market with local, entertaining and informative content. The quality penmanship of The Betoota Advocate’s journalists will translate perfectly to an audio-on-demand format and it is the content Australians want on their daily commute.”

We await the launch of the podcast from such a highly respected news source!

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