Remember This seeks to make podcasting more accessible

Amanda Cupido, an RSJ alum and now an instructor at the School of Journalism, has released a new app and podcast, with a focus on helping to make podcasting more accessible.

Remember This is an easy-to-use app for someone who doesn’t have any podcast experience. It was launched on March 1 and has already been accessed by hundreds of users. 

“A lot of the apps that are out there have high customization features and they actually require quite a bit of tech know-how to use,” said Cupido. “I was seeing a gap in apps that were available for people who did not want to do this professionally.”

In the app, users will be able to record themselves answering questions and the audio will be mixed with music and a host asking the questions, to be presented in a podcast format. Users will then have the option to keep the finished audio to themselves or share it as part of the podcast, which is also being released under the name Remember This. 

The podcast will feature original interviews, as well as user-generated content. The first episode is expected to be released in the coming weeks. 

Cupido had the idea for the app and podcast while conducting workshops at the Toronto Public Library in 2019. She had interacted with several people who wanted to capture the stories of elderly family members but weren’t sure how to do so. 

“I had such a heart for these stories and really wanted to help these people in the best way that I could. I was literally offering up my personal contact information to come and help them record,” said Cupido. “I just started thinking, there’s got to be a better way.”

She then connected with developers Jake Edwards and Troy Forster to turn the idea into a reality. 

While the app is open to people of all ages, she hopes elderly users will share their stories, who may not have otherwise had the opportunity to do so. The app encourages this by using large fonts and contrasting colours as part of the display. 

“You talk about communities that are underrepresented, ageism is a massive problem and that is a level of discrimination that sometimes doesn’t get talked about enough. We see that there’s a resistance to including older voices not only in radio but in podcasts. This app is meant to help shift that mindset and go against the stereotype and lift those voices.”