7 Podcasts for Chief Communications Officers

The skillset of Chief Communications Officers (and really, any aspiring CCO or person working on a corporate communications team) demands an incredibly far-reaching skillset. 

We know we’re preaching to the choir here, but let’s take a moment to appreciate the oft-overlooked work accomplished by dedicated communications teams:

• Marketing and branding expertise

• Human resources finesse

• Public relations management

• Crisis planning strategy

• Social media listening and community know-how

• Global management awareness

• Exceptional communications skills

And all of this in addition to exemplifying leadership qualities as the face of the company.

If only CCOs had it as easy as those nerdy CFO-types! They only have to focus on numbers. We jest, but really. CCOs are the backbone of most organizations and as such, must be agile enough to keep up with best practices and new industry innovations.

Enter podcasts. This on-the-go, free resource that can be listened to at the gym, during your walk or drive to the office, or while folding laundry, are the answer for many professionals strapped for time. 

In support of corporate communications professionals everywhere and the great work that they do, The RepTrak Company has pulled together a list of our favorite communications-based podcasts.

Our goal: help you fine-tune your PR game, boost the effectiveness of your workplace wellness programs, expand your corporate social responsibility efforts. Get some top-tier guidance and be even better. Enjoy! 

Spin Sucks by Gini Dietrich

Episode length: 10-minutes Release frequency: Every Monday If you’re short on time but want to kick off your work week right, this podcast’s episodes pack a quick, listen-worthy punch. Dietrich is the founder and CEO of Arment Dietrich, a Chicago-based integrated marketing communications firm. Her blog-turned-podcast, Spin Sucks, has earned multiple accolades from Cision, Readers Choice Blog of the Year, AdAge Power, and Social Media Examiner among others. The Spin Sucks podcast discusses all hot topics in communications: social media strategies, data and analytics, plus strategic ways to capture and own the voice of your brand.  Our recommendation? Check out the recent December 2018 episode on Thought Leadership, “When did we stop talking to each other like real people?” Listen to Spin Sucks on iTunes, Google Play, Overcast, or Stitcher

HR Happy Hour by Steve Boese and Trish McFarlane

Episode length: 25-45 minutes Release frequency: Twice a week With an obvious bent towards human resources, this podcast has been on for almost a decade. HR Happy Hour is hosted by Steve Boese, the co-chair of the HR Technology Conference and Trish McFarlane, author of the HR Ringleader blog. Topics range from talent management and the latest HR tech to recruiting and retaining employees. Boese and McFarlane welcome guests who are academic leaders, authors, and consultants who tackle issues like gender equality and workplace wellness. If you want to get your finger on the pulse of pressing issues in HR, this podcast is for you. Listen to HR Happy Hour on iTunes, Blog Talk Radio, or Stitcher.

The New CCO by Page Society

Episode length: 15-45 minutes Release frequency: Once a month

If you want to hear from CCOs at the top of their game, you’ll want to listen to this podcast. Released on a monthly or biweekly basis, this podcast interviews CCOs from large organizations who are members of the Page Society—Anheuser-Busch, IBM, and Southwest Airlines. You'll hear personal stories of how these leaders connect with stakeholders through digital media, manage blockchain technology, navigate a brand through tragedy, and how they to engage audiences on social issues. 

Listen to The New CCO on iTunes, Google Play, SoundCloud, Stitcher, or Spotify.

The Echo Chamber PR Show by The Holmes Report

Episode length: 45-minutes Release frequency: Once per week The Holmes Report’s CEO and Editor-in-Chief Arun Sudhaman hosts this podcast on the global PR industry, with a wide range of experts (CEOs from top PR and communications firms like Edelman and Ogilvy) on topics like digital metrics, content marketing, “fake news”, consumer bias, and creativity. This podcast is released weekly every Friday. It’s been going strong since 2013, so there’s plenty of content to dig into.

Listen to The Echo Chamber PR Show on iTunes, PodBean, or Stitcher.

For Immediate Release by Shel Holtz

Episode length: 60-90 minutes Release frequency: Every Monday If you want to keep up with the latest news in the PR world, then For Immediate Release is your podcast. Each week, social and digital media experts weigh in on news and hot topics buzzing in the PR and communications world. Holtz has been hosting this show since 2005. Bonus: There’s also the For Immediate Release Podcast Network that covers more day-to-day operational topics —  how to use LinkedIn, technology, employee engagement, and strategic communications.

Listen to For Immediate Release on iTunes, Android, or Google Podcasts.

Stanford Social Innovation Review Podcast

Episode length: 60-minutes Release frequency: Once per month

This monthly podcast from Stanford Social Innovation Review provides inspiration and guidance on how to effectively incorporate social responsibility into your organization. Interviews with social entrepreneurs, executives, professors, and authors give a varied look at corporate social responsibility, sustainability, and ethics innovations. 

Listen to the Stanford Social Innovation Review Podcast on iTunes or TuneIn.

Redesigning Wellness Podcast by Jen Arnold

Episode length: 40-90 minutes,  Release frequency: Every Wednesday

Jen Arnold hosts this podcast on corporate health, helping business leaders to create engaging employee wellness programs. Arnold interviews physicians, c-suite executives, wellness experts, and others on leadership, effective communication, and ways to create healthier corporate cultures. This podcast is an absolute must for any organization aiming to launch a wellness program that supports culture.

Listen to the Redesigning Wellness Podcast on iTunes or Stitcher

Do you already love some of these corporate communications podcasts? Or, did we miss any of your favorites? Please let us know on social media using the hashtag #RepTrak! 

Melanie LoBue Senior Director, Global Marketing The RepTrak Company [email protected] @melanielobue