The first thing one thinks of when one sees the name Yuval Barnea is his last name, and it instinctively brings to mind another famous Barnea, Mossad chief David Barnea.
While there is no relation between the two (or so Yuval claims), there are some similarities. David Barnea is responsible for a lot of Israel’s behind-the-scenes diplomacy and intelligence efforts. Likewise, Yuval Barnea is a man who works best behind the scenes, as The Jerusalem Post’s podcast manager.
Many readers who read only the Friday print edition and accompanying supplements may not be familiar with the podcasts. However, they are increasingly becoming a bigger part of the news industry.
The Post has a few main podcasts. Among them are The Jerusalem Post Podcast, where our alternating hosts Zvika Klein, Tamar Uriel-Beeri, and Sarah Ben-Nun discuss the big news events of the week and conduct high-profile interviews; and Inside Israeli Innovation, where Eve Young talks with movers and shakers in the business world.
Behind all these efforts, sitting in his sound room at the Post’s studio, is Yuval Barnea. With podcasts, he is able to turn our readers into listeners who absorb our content through the audio medium – a new dimension in which newspaper and Internet journalists can engage their audience.
In Jerusalem sat down with Barnea to talk about his work behind our podcasts, and why they are so important to today’s media landscape.
This is “Behind the Bylines,” where we bring you a look at the people behind the articles – and podcasts – that keep our paper running.
How did you get into journalism?
[Breaking News Desk Manager] Joanie Margulies texted me one day, asking if I wanted to work at the Post. I had completed my master’s and needed a graduate job. At the time, I was working in the library at the University of Haifa. So I applied, got the job, and then basically just worked the weekends and overnight shifts.
How did you get into podcasting for the ‘Post’?
This was what I was interested in originally, but at the time I started it wasn’t really in the cards. I asked if I could start working on it in May. It just so happened that on that same day, we got confirmation that a podcast studio would be built in the building.
What is the importance of podcasts for journalism and for the overall media environment?
People learn in different ways, so it’s best to diversify your content. I think the COVID-19 pandemic also had an effect on introducing Internet and audio media into news.
What are some of the most memorable podcast interviews you’ve had?
Last week was very interesting. Eran Lerman, vice president of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, was very knowledgeable but also coincided perfectly with the news. He spoke about the situation with Hezbollah, following last week’s escalation and preemptive Israeli strike on Lebanon.
Walk me through the process of podcast producing.
Well, as I said, we got a new studio, so it’s changing a little bit. Some of the new things – we should be able to record very high-quality video and edit it rapidly. Overall, we should be able to get podcasts or even short videos out about current events soon after they happen.
What can we expect from JPost Podcasts in the future?
Hopefully, a few new podcasts that we’re currently developing, such as our daily briefings. Our goal is to see more of the current Breaking News Desk helping out and providing insight into the news. We have a large and diverse pool of knowledge and talent among our staff, which is something we can and should take advantage of.■