“You’re the Gatekeeper”: Exploring Open-Access Podcast Creation in the Sport and Exercise Sciences

This study explores the motivations of individuals producing open-access podcasts related to sport and exercise science. Following interviews with 14 podcasters, we found that the podcasters demonstrated various gatekeeping practices, such as selecting and excluding interview guests based on academic credentials, to ensure credibility. Despite being independent from traditional media outlets, the podcasters imposed self-regulatory editorial decisions when sharing knowledge, challenging the notion of complete independence in new media. The findings highlight the tension between democratization and gatekeeping in contemporary knowledge dissemination, suggesting that constraints shape content creation practices in specialized fields such as open-access podcasts with educational focuses.