Greenburgh Public Library Blog

What is a Podcast?

Have you recently heard your friends or family talk about listening to Podcasts? Maybe you've heard Brian Lehrer on WNYC talk about all of the great podcasts that you can access from National Public Radio, or have seen our staff mention one here on this blog. Like many people, you may be wondering "What is a Podcast anyway?" The simple answer is that it's a digital way-- the 21st century way!!-- to hear audio content.

The ancestry of the podcast goes back nearly a century, with the birth of the radio ....Technology developments over the last 100 years have had a tremendous impact on how we consume information and media, but especially audio, like music and radio. Broadcast radio came on the scene in the 1920's and spread widely as the most popular form of entertainment and news, with the airing of boxing matches and shows like Mercury Theater on the Air, which broadcast Orson Well's War of the Worlds. By mid-century, radio was further democratized with the development of the highly portable transistor radio, which allowed people to listen to music and audio productions just about anywhere. 

Growing up, I too had a beloved portable radio that I used to listen to holiday music on cassette tape (a year-round nighttime ritual until I was probably five). I was also a frequent fan of the syndicated morning radio show Bob & Sheri, while driving to my early-bird classes in high school. I've always found that kind of like a book, hearing music, stories, and listening to others talk about interesting topics, can spark my imagination, critical thought, and transport me to a new way of thinking about the world.

Now, rather than listen to the radio waves I frequently listen to podcasts. Podcasts are like radio shows, but they have been digitally pre-recorded (never miss a show!), and are frequently available for free on the internet from applications like iTune or WNYC's. Podcasts can be downloaded to your smart phone or iPod, and played on the go, although with an internet connection you can often stream them too. I like to download my favorites and play them on long car trips using my smart phone, or over my Bluetooth speaker while I cook.

Podcasts come in an endless number of subjects, from the history of cooking to the science of the stars, and from the history of ancient civilizations to the birth of the United States...There are even podcasts on what it's like to find that special someone in the age of apps and online dating. There really is a podcast out there for everyone! 

My favorites are varied, and include: 

1. More Perfect: This podcast explores the history of the Supreme Court and delves into how old and forgotten decisions still impact the country today.
2. Star Talk Radio: Hosted by Director of the Hayden Planetarium and author, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Star Talk Radio has a slate of famous guests who explore the cross sections of astronomy and pop culture. 
3. RadioLab: This podcasts explores the cutting edges of science, particularly the unusual, and will keep you up to date and on the edge of your seat.
4. Stuff You Should Know: Hosts Josh and Chuck break down every possible topic you can imagine, from elephants to particle physics to political movements, they're here to help you understand complex stuff.
5. Terrible, Thanks for Asking: Hosted by widow Nora McInerny, this podcast is for anyone who has had to carry around the weight immense grief, and the reality of that existence in a world that doesn't always understand.
6. Planet Money: This podcast is all about the economy and personal finance, made extremely compelling by the contemporary topics and great personalities that host it.
7. The Sporkful: A foodie podcast from Cooking Channel host Dan Pashman.

How do you find the right podcast for you, and how do you get one so that you can actually listen to it? Stay tuned for my next post in April, which will tell you the best way to find the perfect podcast for you, and different ways you can listen!