The 5 Best Podcasts You Need To Know
One of the best things about the podcast world is that so many of them are built and maintained by word of mouth publicity, people telling their friends, “Hey, you’ve got to check this out.” Many podcasts are put together by one or two people who simply don’t have the ability to do a lot of promotion, so in turn they grow organically by individuals spreading the word. Below is a list of the five best podcasts right now. Not listening to these yet? Well, perhaps you should.
Freakonomics
Freakonomics, unlike some of the other podcasts we’ll be discussing, is a cross media franchise. Freakonomics is a blog, book, film, and a podcast. The podcast wing of Freakonomics is an interesting conversation-based podcast melding pop culture and economic theory. The podcast covers a myriad of topics in on a wide range of subjects but always with the lens of viewing things through economic theory. Should Everyone Be in a Rock Band, Should Kids Pay Back Their Parents for Raising Them?, and What You Don’t Know About Online Dating.
This Week in Tech
This Week in Tech is the flagship podcast of TWiT.tv network. It’s a tech news roundtable show that keeps you up to date on everything happening in the world of tech. The show’s format features a roundtable of guests discussing a number of current hot topics in the ever-changing world of tech. Frequent shows guests include Kevin Rose, Roger Chang, Tom Merritt, and Becky Worley.
Nerdist
The Nerdist is your one stop shop for everything you need to know about in Geek Culture. They have videos, podcasts, events, and originally programming. Their main podcast the aptly titled The Nerdist Podcast is an interview show where Chris Hardwick and Jonah Ray and Matt Mira sit down and interview celebrity guests. The Nerdist Network also has the podcast James Bonding, The JV Club, You’ve Made It Weird with Pete Holmes, and Cashing In with TJ Miller, among many others.
Q + A
If you’re into filmmaking, Q + A is one podcast you’re sure to geek out on. Hosted by cinephile Jeff Goldsmith, this podcast features in-depth interviews with screenwriters and directors who discuss the intricacies of the craft. Many of the interviews explore what’s unique about the screenwriting craft vs. other forms of writing, how writers get into the story they’re telling, structure and process. Goldsmith interviews lesser-known screenwriters as well as pros including: Aaron Sorkin, M. Night Shyamalan, Chuck Palahniuk, Noah Baumbach, and Quentin Tarantino.
Risk!
Kevin Allison, the comedian who came to prominence with his work on MTV’s The State, launched his own podcast in August of 2009. The concept is simple: People tell true stories they never thought they’d dare to share in public. Think This American Life meets The Moth only much edgier. Storytellers include: Trevor Noah, Margaret Cho, Kevin Nealon, Sarah Silverman, Janeane Garofalo, Marc Maron and more.
Want to learn more about careers in podcasting and radio? Visit radioconnection.com.