EARLY THIS YEAR, during an otherwise bleak couple of days in Brooklyn, New York, thousands of podcast fans enjoyed a special treat: They got to be a part of My Favorite Murder. No, they didn't become victims of some bound-for-true-crime massa- ___ ere; they were invited to the Pod Loft, a pop-up version of My Favorite Murder's original podcasting studio. After spending countless intimate hours listening to the show, these so-called Murderinos were finally able to inhabit a version of the room where it happened, one filled with fan art, listening experiences, and tributes to the pod's motto, "Stay sexy and don't get murdered." The Pod Loft was one of many installations at this year's On Air Fest, which also featured spaces dedicated to Radio-lab, The Heart, Object of Sound, and On Being. The Podcast Experience, as it was dubbed, may have seemed like marketing-an "activation," in industry jargon-but it was also an exploration of the genre's future. With about 220,000 podcasts releasing at least one episode per week, creators need new ways to keep fans engaged. They've sold shirts and gone on tour, but if the On Air Fest asked anything, it was this: What's next?
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