A Year in Podcasts
You are what you consume — and this is my podcast diet for 2024.
Off the back of a couple of good posts from others (Doug Belshaw, Bryan Alexander, Alan Levine & Laura Hilliger), I thought I'd do a bit of a wrap-up of the year in podcasts. My devouring of podcasts was pretty substantial this year. They've been a core part of my media diet for a few years, but this year especially as I've tried to be more active and do more chores around the house - podcasts have been a great companion along the way.
Let's start with the heavy hitters and the regulars from my subscribed list:
- Darknet Diaries
I stumbled into this series right at the beginning of the year and consumed the entire catalogue over the first few months of the year. The series has given me a much deeper understanding of cyber security and threats through the stories told and a lot more affection for the work involved in not only breaking in, but keeping people out. - Behind the Bastards
Long time fan, and this year I caught up on the back catalogue and am now up to date. I'm a huge fan of Robert Evans and his style, and I appreciate the care he brings to the topics he tackles. This isn't a read of Wikipedia highlights; these are deep dives into the lives and deeds of some of history's biggest bastards! Recommend: The Kissenger episodes with the Dollop. - Pivot
I've been listening to Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway since the beginning and them as a duo works for me in a way that their solo podcasts don't. I like the vibe and personalities clashing a little. This year though it's got a bit harder to listen to as the bubble of wealth starts to show more and more and you can see a real disconnect between the hosts and the everyday lives of everyone else. I still find the discussion interesting and is the closest I will come to any real 'business' reporting. - The Dollop
Another backlog catchup is complete! I do love the Dollop and the simple premise of the podcast - one comedian reads the story, the other improvises off it. The stories are really good and interesting - although I cannot do any more baseball ones. Recommend: The Reagan episodes with Patton Oswald. - Better Offline
A new podcast with Ed Zitron, in which he goes hard at technology, Ed's critique of tech is pretty no-holds-barred, and I appreciate the honesty and passion. We need more people in this realm attacking the bullshit that represents tech reporting in the media. - Tech Won't Save Us
More critical tech, but Paris Marx leads the charge with a slew of invited guests sharing their expertise. Recommend: Big Tech Won’t Revitalize Indigenous Languages with Keoni Mahelona. - Hard Fork
This is a good example of the 'tech reporting in the media' mentioned above. Casey Newton and Kevin Roose represent the mainstream in this space, with most of the news fuelled by press releases and interviews with whoever needs to get in front of the microphone to schill. I respect them - but their over-positive role in the hype machine is a little concerning. - Search Engine
I've enjoyed P.J. Voight's solo project and the stories he tells. I like that the topic and format is pretty broad and unexpected (I really didn't think I needed to know about getting into an exclusive German dance club) and I've also enjoyed some of the deeper 'less fun' episodes. - If You're Listening
Matt Bevan's If You're Listening has changed over time and for much of this year has been a weekly new update that takes an in-depth look at a specific conflict or issue in the news. We also had a special America's Last Election series within the season. Recommend: I haven't watched the YouTube channel - but it is worth it for the punchy editing and visual layers it brings, like this footage from Iran. - Hemispheric Views
This is the only "guys having a chat" podcast in my feed. I really enjoy the dynamic of these guys and the community they've built around them. Recommend: The Battle of the Defaults and the App Defaults craze it created is a great place to start.
This year, there were also some fabulous series I found incredibly engaging:
- The Outlaw Ocean
This podcast opened up an entire world to me - every episode opened my eyes to something new that did, was and is happening out in international waters. Recommend: All of it! All seven episodes. - If Books Could Kill
So technically, this is more episodic, but I found the whole series to be worth the investment in time. Michael Hobbes and Peter Shamshiri have a great dynamic, and the process of deconstructing these 'airport best sellers' is fantastic as it plays down the hype and finds the nugget of truth (if there is one) - and I don't have to go and read these stupid books. Recommend: Given the hype around teens and social media -The Anxious Generation. - SNAFU
Two great series on some hidden stories that exist out there. ABLE ARCHER 83 – The NATO military exercise that almost started a real nuclear war and Medburg – The story of a daring heist that exposed a colossal FBI SNAFU. - Scene On Radio
Another long-running series. I only got through a couple of seasons this year as I find them challenging and deep. These are deep explorations of cultural phenomena, and they challenge beliefs and understanding. Recommend: This year, I tackled Men and Seeing White - I 100% recommend them both. - Long Shadow
This year, Long Shadow covered In Guns We Trust, which was a deep dive into guns and gun culture in America. I still don't entirely understand it, but this series really does try to explain it. As an outsider looking in on America, guns are something I cannot get my head around and this series probably does more to confirm my beliefs than challenge them. - Expanse
I've been reading the books the sci-fi Expanse series, but this is not that. This is just well crafted and made storytelling. Bringing tales from Australia to the forefront and telling them really well. Recommend: The From the Dead season is my favourite - had never heard the story before and it was gripping. - The Coming Storm
Coming into the 2024 US election, Gabriel Gatehouse dives into the Deep State conspiracyland and the absolute craziness that now inhabits the Whitehouse now that Trump is moving in. Be prepared America - it's going to be wild. - Ultra
These two seasons from Rachel Maddow are intense and scary. I had no idea how embedded fascism had become in post-WW2 America, but my god, it was scary, and it never went away. Really engaging storytelling and some truly amazing stories that need to be told. - Things Fell Apart
Season 2 of Jon Ronson's Things Fell Apart is another season of stories from the culture wars. Rather than retell or dive into the current maelstrom, Ronson goes back in time to try and find the original source - the pebble thrown into the pond and caused the ripples we experience today. - Fur and Loathing
I had no idea that one of the largest chemical weapon attacks in US was set off at a Furry convention, hospitalised 19 people and remains unsolved. This is an interesting dive into the world of furry sub-culture and what happened when it was attacked.