Perhaps one of the most convenient forms of journalism, podcasts offer audiences the chance to explore a new media field through their headphones, engaging with content beyond the scope of the typical streaming or social media service. Although the feature is one of the most oft-overlooked buttons on the modern phone screen, the purple icon hides an impressive canon of information, entertainment and inspiration.
This compilation of recommendations offers a comprehensive introduction to the world of podcasting, and its contemporary triumph as an art form.
- Pod Save the People → Politics
Hosted by Black Lives Matter leader DeRay McKesson, this podcast focuses on social justice and the activist communities. McKesson, along with his expertly curated panel of guests, delves into the subtle legislative and cultural barriers to progress. His dialogues reveal nuanced perspectives on race that contextualize abstract issues of inequality with a strong sense of community and exigence.
- Pod Save America→ Politics
The four hosts of this show, Jon Favreau, Dan Pfeifer, Jon Lovett and Tommy Vietor, are all former Obama staffers. They discuss the American political theatre with the zeal of sports commentators and the intelligence of academics. Often times darkly humorous, the progressive hosts make the circus of the Trump presidency accessible through their intimate understanding of the backstage of government.
- New York Times The Daily → News
The Times’ 20 minute daily podcast is perfect for the busy student: brief and ready by 6 A.M. Michael Barbaro’s brevity does not detract from his efficacy; he adroitly condenses entire debates on current events into the space of time it takes to get ready for school.
- NPR Up First→ News
NPR takes the idea of The Daily one step further and offers an entire day’s news summary in the span of ten minutes. The drive to school is the perfect time span to listen to this comprehensive briefing. The most critical issues of the day are presented with minimal commentary in the classically dulcet tones of NPR’s journalists, preparing you for informed conversation with your peers and teachers in crash-course style form.
- NPR Music’s Piano Jazz Shorts→ Arts and Culture
Take your vague appreciation for the audio aesthetic of “La La Land” to new heights with this podcast hosted by Jazz pianist Marian McPartland and her musical guests. Each episode features insightful artistic dialogues and an improvisation by the visiting musician.
- The New Yorker: “Poetry” and “The Writer’s Voice”→ Literature
The editors of The New Yorker are expert literary curators, and this podcast is no exception. The words of the featured authors are elevated by the creator’s own voice, often bringing out different textures and meanings otherwise hidden if encountered solely through print. The works featured offer respite from the onslaught of life, as well as an opportunity for reflection and appreciation.
- BBC Radio 4 In Our Time: Philosophy and History → History
These episodes feature in-depth explorations of pivotal historical moments and philosophic systems. Presented as a conversation between academic experts, the listener is guided through the direct connections between the most minute footnotes of antiquity and our contemporary human conflicts. This series truly provides the joy of a history lecture from the comfort of your own home.
- TED Radio Hour→ Miscellaneous
The “everything but the kitchen sink” of podcasts, this series encompasses every genre of human thought. The series is essentially a compilation of ideas and innovations; each week brings a cycle of the world’s greatest visionaries and creatives. If under great duress, TED also serves as a free life coach, offering fresh perspectives on the most fundamental problems of the human condition.
Other recommendations: Pod Save the World (Politics), Vox’s The Impact (Politics), NPR All Songs Considered (Arts and Culture), Conversations on Dance (Arts and Culture), NPR Fresh Air (Arts and Culture), Malcolm Gladwell’s Revisionist History (History), American Public Media’s Terrible, Thanks for Asking (Society and Culture), HowStuffWorks: Stuff you Should Know (Science), NPR Rough Translation (Society and Culture)
