January 31, 2017

Benefits of Podcasts and Best Ones to Listen To

Emily H. Long – Associate

Podcasts – everyone knows what they are, but hardly anyone I know listens to them. Reasons like “I don’t have time,” or “I don’t know what to listen to,” are some of the most frequent excuses I hear. But, if we are talking honestly, these are weak excuses. Here are some of my favorites and benefits to listening.

Benefits:

1. Free and Convenient – I have never paid for any podcasts, and they are available any time of day or night. Sure, if you are listening to a current season, you might have to wait for the new episode to come out every week, but that’s just like any other TV show. So in the two hours I’m in the car every day, that’s two podcasts I can listen to.

2. Cultural Awareness – Podcasts sit on the edge of technology and information. As a result, those who are listening often are more aware of the changes in culture. The first season of my all-time favorite podcast brought up so many debates on my social media, in class, in the office, at the gym at home… you get the point.

3. Introduce New Ideas – Podcasts can provide the listener with new and unfamiliar topics and ideas that the host thinks are important. The listener is then informed about these important topics and ideas that they might have never known about.

With these benefits of listening, here are some of my colleagues’ favorite podcasts and mine.

• Serial – This is my all-time favorite podcast! From the creators of This American Life, hosted by Sarah Koenig, Serial tells one true story over the course of a season. The stories can create some buzz as they uncover facts and findings from criminal trials that were never before told.

• No Jargon – This weekly podcast from the Scholars Strategy Network features interviews with top university scholars on the politics, policy problems, and social issues facing the nation.

• The Disney Movie Review – This is your source for reviews and the latest news on Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Lucasfilm movies. This show also looks at how the films are expressed in Disneyland, Disney World and the other Disney Parks around the globe.

• Pottercast – This is my guilty pleasure. This podcast gives a Harry Potter fan more than an hour of the best Potteresque entertainment. Fun fact: This is the only Harry Potter podcast to have interviews with the editors, cast and crew of the incredible series.

What are your favorite podcasts? Let us know on our social media!

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