Podcasts have been around for ages but have really taken off over the past two or three years. They are like radio programmes in some ways, but there are some key differences.
- Podcasts can be any duration. Programmes are normally a specific length.
- Podcasts can appear at any time. Programmes normally follow a schedule.
- Podcasts are sometimes more relaxed in tone than conventional radio programmes. Most podcasts are listened to by one person at a time, often using headphones. Think how that is different to radio.
Here are some news/journalism/storytelling podcasts.
The Economist There are normally three stories in each edition. The third story is often a simple (but well produced) package. You should try to read The Economist each week — it has some of the best foreign news coverage of any news publication in the UK and is a good source for major project ideas. You can find the latest edition of the Economist near the Social Staircase in JOMEC.
Newscast is a single story daily podcast made by the BBC. It’s not linked to any particular programme.
The Guardian newspaper makes lots of podcasts.
The Daily is produced by the New York Times.
The Global News Podcast is made by the BBC’s World Service.
The World Service also makes lots of documentaries and you can hear them on the Documentary podcast. If you’re thinking of making a radio documentary for your major project you should definitely dip into the huge variety of interesting documentaries from all over the world.
If you love sound, you’ll love the BBC’s Between The Ears podcast. Very creative.
The Comb is a podcast intended for a younger African audience. You might find this podcast interesting if you’re from China.
This list from Vulture is US-focused but has some interesting podcasts.
If you like true crime, you’ll love the first season of Serial. It was the first podcast that really took off in the UK.
Esquire has a list of the best new podcasts here.
Activity: What podcasts did I miss? Email me your suggestions.
Activity: Find a podcast and analyse it. Ask questions like: Who is the audience for this podcast? What are the elements in it — e.g. interviews, packages, music etc. How long does it last? What are the presenters like?
Intro to Broadcast News 