Sarah Koenig, the host of Serial, in studio in New York.
Photograph by: Elise Bergerson , Canada.com
The unprecedented success of Serial, the 12-part radio investigation of a 1999 murder in Baltimore, has suddenly made podcasts cool again.
Podcasting is just over a decade old, but the idea is fairly straightforward. Instead of waiting to hear radio programs over the airwaves at a specific time, audiophiles can simply download what they want and listen at their own leisure using their phones, computers and other devices. Although that sounds rather complicated to the uninitiated, it’s essentially an on-demand radio system.
And yet, the number of people listening to podcasts has not really grown very quickly since the initial enthusiasm over the medium back in the mid-2000s. Part of that is the difficulty of explaining to the uninitiated how it works, and partly because there has never been a viral moment for audio — that is, until now.
Serial just wrapped up its first season and if you are a newcomer to podcasting who got hooked on Sarah Koenig’s show, you might be wondering what to listen to next. Here’s a short list of great podcasts in the same vein. Your own suggestions are also welcome; send tips to idaro@postmedia.com.
The idea behind This American Life is that each week producers pick a theme and bring you a variety of stories on that theme, ranging from deeply reported finance stories to personal essays and the occasional bit of fiction. The whole thing is held together with twee charm and an affable host, Ira Glass. A good place to start is with the producers’ list of favourite episodes. My personal pick is episode 218, in which a group of inmates at a high-security prison practice and perform Act V of Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
Although Radiolab has a tendency to be a bit too cute with its storytelling, Abumrad and his charming co-host Robert Krulwich still manage to put out a consistently enjoyable program, now in its 13th season. Episode 13 from the 10th season, “Colors,” is a good example of Radiolab at its best.
Although Serial centres on real events, fans who like following the same story week after week may find a lot to like about Welcome to Night Vale, set in a fictional town where nothing is what it seems. The podcast mimics a small-town radio news program complete with weather and traffic updates, as well as discussion of all the creepy goings-on around Night Vale. This is the podcast with which I’m least familiar, but fans of the show swear by it.
Podcasting is just over a decade old, but the idea is fairly straightforward. Instead of waiting to hear radio programs over the airwaves at a specific time, audiophiles can simply download what they want and listen at their own leisure using their phones, computers and other devices. Although that sounds rather complicated to the uninitiated, it’s essentially an on-demand radio system.
And yet, the number of people listening to podcasts has not really grown very quickly since the initial enthusiasm over the medium back in the mid-2000s. Part of that is the difficulty of explaining to the uninitiated how it works, and partly because there has never been a viral moment for audio — that is, until now.
Serial just wrapped up its first season and if you are a newcomer to podcasting who got hooked on Sarah Koenig’s show, you might be wondering what to listen to next. Here’s a short list of great podcasts in the same vein. Your own suggestions are also welcome; send tips to idaro@postmedia.com.
This American Life
In many ways, this is the godfather of podcasts. The weekly show has been on the air on American public radio stations since 1995, but producers started making it available online about a decade ago and it has remained one of the most popular podcasts ever since, consistently topping the iTunes podcast charts (the unofficial Billboard of the podcasting world).The idea behind This American Life is that each week producers pick a theme and bring you a variety of stories on that theme, ranging from deeply reported finance stories to personal essays and the occasional bit of fiction. The whole thing is held together with twee charm and an affable host, Ira Glass. A good place to start is with the producers’ list of favourite episodes. My personal pick is episode 218, in which a group of inmates at a high-security prison practice and perform Act V of Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
Radiolab
Radiolab has a similar playful tone but tends to focus more on science and technology. The topics are not the defining characteristic of this podcast, though. What really makes Radiolab stand out is the audio production by co-host Jad Abumrad, who meticulously weaves together interviews, archival audio, music and sound effects into a rich tapestry of sound that pretty much demands to be heard with high-quality headphones.Although Radiolab has a tendency to be a bit too cute with its storytelling, Abumrad and his charming co-host Robert Krulwich still manage to put out a consistently enjoyable program, now in its 13th season. Episode 13 from the 10th season, “Colors,” is a good example of Radiolab at its best.
Welcome to Night Vale
Although Serial centres on real events, fans who like following the same story week after week may find a lot to like about Welcome to Night Vale, set in a fictional town where nothing is what it seems. The podcast mimics a small-town radio news program complete with weather and traffic updates, as well as discussion of all the creepy goings-on around Night Vale. This is the podcast with which I’m least familiar, but fans of the show swear by it.
The pilot episode from 2012 is embedded above, and you can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, or through your favourite podcasting app on your smartphone.
99% Invisible, a self-described “tiny podcast,” is also a case study in what talented people can accomplish online by drawing on audience support. Mars has repeatedly turned to crowdfunding to expand the project — most recently to launch a radio network to distribute other public radio programming — and fans seem all too eager to chip in.
A great episode for Canadians, in particular, is the one delving into the criminal past of Michael Calcetin, a Quebec-raised computer phenom who managed to “break the internet” when he was only 15 years old.
The rules are simple: People get in front of an audience and tell a real story from their personal lives without using notes. The storytellers can be rich and famous, but more often are just average people with incredible experiences to share. The most moving episode of The Moth is the late comedian Mike DeStefano’s heartbreaking 2007 story about his wife battling illness before her death. If you can listen to “Franny’s Last Ride” with dry eyes, you are a monster.
99% Invisible
If you love architecture and design, 99% Invisible is your ticket. Hosted by the gloomy sounding Roman Mars, the podcast’s mission is to take a closer look at the large, unseen forces that shape our world. Some of the best episodes make you re-evaluate the way you look at everyday things, like the wheelchair symbol that denotes parking for people living with disabilities, or the UPC barcodes we see on everything at the grocery store. You see them every day, but do you know the backstory?99% Invisible, a self-described “tiny podcast,” is also a case study in what talented people can accomplish online by drawing on audience support. Mars has repeatedly turned to crowdfunding to expand the project — most recently to launch a radio network to distribute other public radio programming — and fans seem all too eager to chip in.
Criminal
Criminal is similar to Serial in that it focuses on what can go wrong in life. Rather than following the same people each week, though, each new episode of Criminal focuses on a new person and their story of criminality. Hosted by Phoebe Judge, this relatively new podcast just finished its first season, and all 12 episodes are short enough that getting through them won’t take more than a few days.A great episode for Canadians, in particular, is the one delving into the criminal past of Michael Calcetin, a Quebec-raised computer phenom who managed to “break the internet” when he was only 15 years old.
The Moth
The Moth launched in 1997 as a live storytelling event in New York City, and a weekly podcast culled from the best stories told on stage followed several years later.The rules are simple: People get in front of an audience and tell a real story from their personal lives without using notes. The storytellers can be rich and famous, but more often are just average people with incredible experiences to share. The most moving episode of The Moth is the late comedian Mike DeStefano’s heartbreaking 2007 story about his wife battling illness before her death. If you can listen to “Franny’s Last Ride” with dry eyes, you are a monster.
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