Podcasts

Why podcasts?

Podcasts offer an escape from the algorithm-driven silos of social media and the often undercomplex or sensationalist reporting in mainstream news. Like RSS feeds (see my article on RSS), they let you curate your own diverse mix of topics and perspectives, but in a more authentic, human-driven format.

Podcasts are a great way to stay informed, especially when you have limited time for reading. Personally, I spend much of my workday in front of a screen, so in my free time, I tend to avoid extensive digital reading to give my eyes a break. Yet, podcasts allow me to discover interesting new subject and hear first-hand reports from expert guests—all while doing things like cleaning the house or cycling along the river.

How to find podcasts to listen to

Creating a personalized podcast library is a journey that will spread over months and years. You can start with the toplists in your podcast app, but a lot of the discovery will be based on various sources of recommendations. A podcaster may mention or recommend another podcast as a source of inspiration, or you will find them mentioned in forums or through personal friends. Whenver I stumble upon such recommendations, I usually have a first listen right away. It usually does not take long to find out if a podcast (the hosts, the content and presentation) is something for you.

Apps to manage your podcasts

I used to listen to podcasts on the “Google Podcasts” app. This app has been discontinued in 2024 – but Google allowed the users to export their podcast library via the industry-standard OPML format – so I was able to just take all my subscriptions to a different app with only a few clicks. After reading some forums and trying a few other apps, I ended up with the app Pocket Casts (Android, iOS) which is pretty much 100% perfect for me in terms of features and usability.

My personal recommendations

The podcasts I subscribe to cover a wide array of subjects – from technology and politics to science, history, Asian studies, and entertainment. Each show provides unique insights and stories, sparking my curiosity, broadening my perspective and keeping me up to date with business, culture and the world.

The flag icons indicate the language spoken on the podcast (🇬🇧 english  🇩🇪 german). Progress bars indicate how frequently I listen to this podcast, ranging from “occasionally” (▰▱▱▱) to “every new episode” (▰▰▰▰).

All links in the tables below point to the podcasts’ official websites. Some of these websites make it difficult to actually find a proper, platform-independent subscription link. When in doubt, just put the title of the podcast into the “search” or “discover” function of your podcast app.

Technology

Politics & Society

Science

History

Philosophy

Asia

Entertainment

All links in the tables above point to the podcasts’ official websites. Some of these websites make it difficult to actually find a proper, platform-independent subscription link. When in doubt, just put the title of the podcast into the “search” or “discover” function of your podcast app.

My thoughts on public radio in contrast with podcasts

Podcasts are no longer a new format, but they do have a much older counterpart: public radio. Before podcasts became widespread, I was an avid listener of public radio, particularly Germany’s Deutschlandfunk and Deutschlandradio Kultur (together known as Deutschlandradio). These two publicly funded stations were pioneers in offering robust online services, allowing users to stream and listen to their reports and journals after the initial broadcast. Deutschlandradio has since developed a well-made companion app (Android, iOS) and embraced podcast formats alongside their traditional radio broadcasts.

Reputable public radio stations, such as the BBC and Deutschlandradio, remain invaluable sources of information. They are long-standing institutions with substantial budgets, enabling them to deploy larger editorial teams and conduct on-the-ground reporting from around the world. For in-depth, investigative journalism on politics, economics, culture, the arts, and local issues, public radio still commands high respect and deserves our ongoing public support.

While podcasts are not a direct replacement for public radio, they offer complementary advantages. Podcasts can explore niche topics more quickly, at lower costs, and with a more personal touch. Many weekly or semi-daily podcasts serve as curated newstickers for specialized subjects. Unlike radio, which adheres to tight broadcast schedules, podcasts have the freedom to dive deeper and longer into topics, enabling a more detailed and authentic discussions between the co-hosts or their interview partners. Public radio, in their effort to reach the “general audience”, may more often than not simplify complex issues, whereas podcasts usually cater to informed listeners who appreciate peer-to-peer communication and in-depth analysis.

The strict separation of editorial content and commentary in broadcast can make the presentation of controversial subjects sometimes quite lifeless or even dishonest (like when one position is clearly, factually or at least arguably wrong, but broadcasting tends to allow equal representation for “both sides” of the story in order to avoid offending listeners and future interview partners), whereas podcast hosts generally do not shy away from having an opinion and a debate in good faith. A good podcast strikes a balance between personal passion for a topic and maintaining an open, thoughtful dialogue. By incorporating listener feedback—often posted as public comments on previous episodes—podcast hosts can stay connected to their audience, ensuring they remain grounded and avoid veering too far into one, singular perspective.

Got any tips?

Please let me know if you would like to recommend a podcast that might be interesting to me. Thank you for your feedback!