Let’s substitute David for Em McGowan from the Verbal Diorama podcast and Emma Turner from whynow Media. What these two women accomplished, with the assistance of others, is to take on the large podcast networks and the entire podcasting industry and create the British Independent Awards. The awards, now in their fourth year, seek to celebrate the truly independent talent of UK- based podcasters that don’t have the financial backing of brands to support them. The categories include True Crime, Sport, Music, and Film and TV, among others, and an Overall Podcast of the Year, which is chosen from the winners of each category.

Emma Turner related in Content Is Queen in 2025: “I was working at whynow as a freelancer, but the CEO [Gabriel Jagger] wanted to start an events division, so my remit was to create some events from scratch. I went to him with a couple of proposals, one being the Independent Podcast Awards, and he actually said, first, “why would you do that?” — I’m being very honest here — and I was like, “whynow is all about celebrating independent talent, arts, and cultural talent that probably wouldn’t get covered anywhere else.” Naturally, the Independent Podcast Awards fit in really well with that. As with most events there was a big discussion about the practicalities before I was given the go-ahead, but we got there!”

Emma, head of events & publicity at whynow, added: “Creating this event has been a joy. Uncovering so many amazing indie podcasts has been incredible, and I hope that everyone will go and listen to our wonderful nominees and winners and find their new favorite podcast among them.”

Ear Worthy sat down with Emma Turner, who was gracious enough to give us time in between her hectic schedule.

Q. Can you tell me about your background? Growing up? What did you want to be when you grew up?

A. I grew up in a village in Northamptonshire, called Middleton Cheney, which was great. Lots of fields to run around and build dens in, and played out in the streets until the sun started to set. Exactly like
you imagine a countryside childhood to be like in the UK. Like most children, I went through various stages of what I wanted to be when I grew up, including a vet, a doctor, and, most randomly, a set designer for theatre and films. As I got older, this evolved into having no clue what I wanted to do, so I went to university to buy myself some time. I studied English Literature with Media and Cultural Studies, so you could say I’m doing something vaguely related to my degree now.

Q. Can you detail your experience in podcasting?

A. Like most people, my first experience with podcasting started with Serial. I used to run a lot, and have completed a few marathons, which means getting loads of training miles in your legs. I turned to podcasts and audiobooks to get me through, and the case of Hae Min Lee and Adnan Syed was the distraction I needed.

Podcasts drifted out of my life for a while, but they became a focus again when I started at whynow and Film Stories. Simon Brew’s multi-award-winning Film Stories podcast was a gateway into rediscovering the medium, and I got involved in helping to launch the excellent Film Quiz Podcast. The latter gave me a great insight into how much work goes into making a podcast, and how hard it is to keep one going. The premise was exactly as it sounds: it was a film quiz hosted by the comedian Nick Helm, with comedians as the contestants. It was heaps of fun, but so hard to get the diaries to align, and so after one amazing series, we had to put an end to it.

Q. How did you meet and connect with Em McGowan of Verbal Diorama?

A. Em used to write a column about podcasting for Film Stories magazine each month, and one day, when talking to Simon, she mentioned that it was so hard for indie creators to get nominated for them. From the outside looking in, it felt like it was only the shows with big-name talent that were getting nominations and winning, and wouldn’t it be nice to launch an awards process that celebrates the little guys?

I’d just started working with Simon at whynow, and he brought the idea to me. I met Em, and we realized she was onto something. I did some research, presented the idea internally, and we got the backing we needed to go and give it a go.

We’re now in our fourth year of the awards, so it’s fair to say that Em’s idea was definitely a good one!

Q. What are the objectives of the Independent Podcast Awards? Were people initially skeptical?

A. The objectives have always been to celebrate those podcasts made by real people, not fronted by celebrities and without big brands or budgets to back them. We’re looking for those grassroots podcasters making content in their bedrooms and kitchens, that may not always be perfect, but you can hear the passion shining through.

There was definitely some skepticism in the industry when we launched, especially around whether anyone needed another podcast award show, as the British Podcast Awards were already well established.

I genuinely believe there’s space for all of us. The British Podcast Awards are great; they get people talking about the industry that we all love. Our awards are for those who might be at the other end
of the spectrum and just starting out, but may be future winners of the BPAs.

We also have other great awards like the International Women’s Podcast Awards, which I’m a huge fan of, as I’m all about supporting other women. And it would be wrong of me not to mention the Golden Lobes, not least because of their incredible name, but also because Giles Gear and his team are helping to bring comedy podcasts into more people’s lives. The world is a pretty dark place at the moment, so who wouldn’t want something funny in their ears to help them escape just for a little while?

Q. What do you see as the role that indie podcasts play in the industry?

A. Indie podcasts prove you don’t need a huge budget to create something compelling that speaks to people and builds communities. Indies make up a huge percentage of the shows in the market, and
they keep the industry thriving. It means we get such a massive variety in the topics covered, and there’s a show for everyone, whatever their niche interest or background is. Whether that’s shows like The Scars that talks to people that have visible scars and how they’ve affected their lives, to Screamers a women’s football podcast, you can hear the passion coming through all the hosts.

Q. How could the industry be more receptive, supportive, and inclusive of indie podcasts and podcasters?

A. I think that there’s a lot of love out there for indies, particularly in the UK. We’ve had a lot of support from some of the big players, such as Acast, Adelicious (now Audioboom), Apple, Captivate, and Spotify, not just with the event itself, but also supporting the winners after the event.

There could perhaps be more of a spotlight shone on indies on streaming platforms, and more help in getting their shows discovered. It’s so hard for someone just starting out to go up against a celebrity on the same subject, since the celebrity has a ready-made audience. Alongside that, making it easier to make money from your show would be great, but that’s a universal issue, not just indies - unless you can get a big brand on board to help fund it.

Q. What are the award plans for 2026?

A. The awards are always evolving slightly from year to year, with new categories and new formats being celebrated. This year, we’ve introduced a category for Best Limited Series, as some stories are
best told in just a few episodes.

One thing that has struck me since I started working in the podcast world is just how lovely people are, and I think that’s even more so within the indie community. Everyone is incredibly supportive, and I’m always blown away by the energy in the room on the night of the awards. People say they love being around other indie creators who are going through the same trials and tribulations as they are.
We’re now looking at ways to keep that love going year-round, whether that’s other events or other ways to keep bringing the community together.

Q. You have a great podcast voice (from our conversation). Have you thought of hosting a show?

A. That’s very kind of you to say, but I’m much more of a behind-the-scenes person. I’ve guested on a few podcasts, which was pretty nerve-wracking, but kind of enjoyable. I don’t know how good they were, though, as I haven’t been able to listen back to myself. So if anyone is looking for a guest for their show with no particular area of expertise, who definitely won’t listen back, then I’m available
for bookings!

Q. If you feel you want to share, are you married, or do you have children? Your three favorite podcasts? How can indie podcasters submit?

A. I live with my boyfriend in North East London. I’m a huge fan of outdoor swimming, and I’m very lucky to live near an old reservoir that has been turned into a watersports center where I swim alongside herons and swans as often as I can! I’m also an Arsenal fan for my sins, I can’t wait to see them throw the season away in the next couple of games…

It would be too hard to choose my three favorite podcasts, but some I’ve been enjoying recently include: 40ish; Elements: Breaking Down Classic Albums (the MF Doom episode is particularly amazing); Weird In the Wade; The Magnus Archives; and in the celebrity world, The Romesh Ranganathan Show and Everybody Has A Secret never fail to make me smile. And of course, the Film Stories and Verbal Diorama podcasts!

The Independent Podcast Awards are still open for entry. You can get all the details about how to submit at independentpodcastawards.com

It’s an understatement to say that Jeff Zacharia knows about wine. It’s more accurate to state that Jeff may know more about wine than most people around the world. After all, Jeff Zacharia is a third-generation wine merchant and the former longtime Chief Executive Officer of Zachys Wine & Liquor, one of the world’s leading fine wine merchants and auction houses. Jeff served as the President of Zachys for over three decades and as the CEO from 2000 until 2023.

After joining the family business (originally founded by his grandfather, Zachy, in 1944) in 1983, Jeff Zacharia helped launch the company’s highly successful auction arm in 2002. He grew Zachys into a major international operation with offices in New York, London, and Hong Kong. Currently, he serves on the Board and as a Senior Advisor for Zachys.

In his “retirement,” Jeff became the creator/host of the Uncorking What’s Next podcast, exploring the future of the fine wine industry.

The show features in-depth conversations with visionary winemakers, collectors, and scientists shaping fine wine. The podcast’s inaugural lineup features notable figures exploring various corners of the wine world including:

• Dr. Laura Catena: A physician and fourth-generation winemaker who breaks down the science behind the headlines regarding wine and health.

• Vitalie Taittinger: President of Champagne Taittinger, who discusses the balance of heritage, evolving traditions, and the value of visiting Champagne.

• Omri Ram: Estate manager of Château Lafleur, who discusses old vines and the philosophy of “elegant power” in Bordeaux

As Jeff says: “Learning about wine should be just as much fun as drinking it.”

In fact, one of Jeff’s key mantras during the podcast is Wine has always been more than what’s in the glass.

I must say that Jeff Zacharia did all the right things to start a podcast. No shortcuts, well-thought-out, and masterfully implemented.

Jeff has carefully assembled all the pieces necessary for a successful podcast. Consider that Jeff, while CEO for over 30 years at the world’s leading fine wine merchants and auction houses, developed the podcast on his own. He’s insistent that the company is not financing or helping with the podcast. It’s his baby.

Jeff has also assembled a solid team, consisting mostly of his family, with special recognition for Hannah Tobias for her musical contributions to the show, which are far above your average podcast musical score. Sound design is superb, especially with on-location interviews.

Moreover, Jeff has worked hard to become an excellent interviewer. He asks probing questions, listens well, and keeps the conversation lively. It certainly helps that Jeff is an acknowledged expert in the field of fine wines.

I love that Jeff exudes that love of wine and easily spreads it to his listeners. He’s a natural as a podcast host and makes the entire sonic experience enjoyable and informative.

One of my favorite episodes so far is Uncorking One of Napa’s Most Historic Vineyards. On the show, Jeff interviews Alex and Graeme MacDonald, who are fourth-generation farmers on one of the most storied pieces of ground in American wine — 15 rocky acres in the heart of To Kalon in Oakville, planted by great-grandparents who didn’t even want to buy the land. Their family grapes were the backbone of Mondavi’s finest wines going back to 1966 — the Reserve, the To Kalon label, early Opus One — all on a handshake. The family didn’t even know.

Jeff explains in the episode: “The brothers released their first vintage in 2010–92 cases — and sold the entire vintage in 25 minutes. Today it’s still just the two of them. No employees. And they’re waging a five-year battle, without lawyers, to protect the very concept of place in American wine.”

I also applaud Jeff for his podcast title. Uncorking What’s Next not only defines the show and its subject but also alludes to the educational aspect of the show, specifically learning more about wines. “Uncorking” is an image that listeners can visualize and relate to.

In addition, Jeff has crafted a solid format, with the show beginning with an interview clip to give listeners a sip of what’s to come, then Jeff tells listeners who he is, what the show is about, introduces the guests, and does the interview, all while that delightful music from Ms. Tobias is playing.

Finally, Jeff, being an astute businessman, had already lined up sponsors for the show. More importantly, the sponsors are related to the podcast’s topic. Wine Market Journal, La Tête d’Or, The French-American steakhouse from legendary chef Daniel Boulud in Manhattan’s Flatiron District, and The Durand Corkscrew.

Jeff’s business bona fides are on full display when he states at the end of every episode: “If you enjoyed the episode, please rate and review the show — it means the world and helps new Uncorkers find us.”

Jeff has already involved his listeners in a community and given them an identity — Uncorkers!”

Jeff is sponsoring a giveaway program, urging listeners to write in and tell him, “What made you fall in love with wine over the summer?”

The winner receives a Durand Corkscrew, which is a specialized, patented wine-opening device specifically designed to remove older, fragile, or compromised corks whole and intact.

Uncorking What’s Next is a superb new wine podcast. The show is not restricted to people who love fine wines but includes people who love to drink wine or what to learn more about wine. Jeff Zacharia has two qualities that have made Uncorking What’s Next so ear worthy and ultimately successful. First, like most indie podcasters, Jeff has a passion for the subject. His life has been about wine. Second, Jeff is an astute businessman who made the strategic moves that put his show on solid footing right away.

In a podcast genre full of terrific wine podcasts, such The Wine Pair Podcast and The Best 5 Minute Wine Podcast, I know you will enjoy Uncorking What’s Next. When you listen, you’ll be on cloud wine. Sorry, I couldn’t resist.

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The Blessings Of Liberty Podcast Premieres: Conversations On The Constitution

There are probably few people who can say that, when the chips were down, they protected the U.S. Constitution despite the peril such an act would bring.

Acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen fiercely pushed back against Jeffrey Clark’s attempts to use the Justice Department to overturn the 2020 election. When Clark tried to bypass Rosen to have President Trump install him as the new Acting Attorney General, Rosen—backed by other DOJ leaders—threatened to resign, effectively blocking Clark’s promotion. Without that act, it is entirely possible that for the first time in U.S. history, a presidential election would have been invalidated, subverting the wishes of America’s Founding Fathers.

Last week, Jeffrey Rosen, the CEO emeritus of the National Constitution Center, began hosting a new podcast, The Blessings of Liberty. Mr. Rosen’s first guest last week was Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, who is an expert on subverting the U.S. Constitution.

Jeffrey Rosen, a best-selling author and one of America’s foremost historians and legal analysts, has joined the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression as a senior fellow and launched this new podcast.

Presented by FIRE, Rosen’s new weekly podcast, The Blessings of Liberty: Conversations on the Constitution, History, and the American Idea, brings together authors, historians, legal scholars, judges, journalists, and public intellectuals from across the political spectrum for thoughtful conversations about the constitutional and historical questions at the center of American life.

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to defending and sustaining the individual rights of all Americans to free speech and free thought — the most essential qualities of liberty. FIRE educates Americans about the importance of these inalienable rights, promotes a culture of respect for these rights, and provides the means to preserve them.

The podcast’s debut episode featured Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch. The two discussed the radicalism of the American Revolution, the virtue needed to maintain a constitutional republic, and stories from Gorsuch’s new children’s book, Heroes of 1776: The Story of the Declaration of Independence.

“I’m honored to be joining FIRE as a senior fellow and have long admired its inspiring mission to defend free speech from a nonpartisan perspective,” Rosen said. “Unique among American institutions, FIRE understands that defending free speech and thought requires us to defend ‘not free thought for those who agree with us,’ as Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes said, ‘but freedom for the thought that we hate.’”

“FIRE is America’s leading organization for inspiring Americans to learn about and defend their own liberties, as James Madison hoped, by creating a culture of respect for opposing points of view to preserve, protect, and defend the First Amendment,” Rosen continued. “I’m looking forward to bringing together liberal and conservative Americans from different perspectives to model that kind of civil dialogue.”

Rosen also will serve as a moderator for at least one session of FIRE’s Soapbox, its inaugural free speech conference, which will be held in Philadelphia from November 4–6, 2026. The conference will celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday in true American fashion through free expression, fearless debate, and civil dialogue.

“For decades, Jeffrey Rosen has been one of the nation’s most prominent — and most indispensable — champions of civil liberties and the American experiment,” FIRE President and CEO Greg Lukianoff said. “Adding his expertise to the FIRE team is a force-multiplier in our mission to educate Americans about the importance of constitutional rights, free speech, and engaging in civil dialogue.”

Prior to joining FIRE, Rosen was president and CEO of the National Constitution Center for 12 years before becoming its CEO emeritus in January 2026. He is also a professor of law at the George Washington University Law School and a contributing editor of The Atlantic. Previously, he was the legal affairs editor of The New Republic and a staff writer for the New Yorker.

Rosen is the author of the New York Times bestsellers The Pursuit of Happiness and Conversations with RBG. His new book is The Pursuit of Liberty: How Hamilton vs. Jefferson Ignited the Lasting Battle Over Power in America.

Rosen is a graduate of Harvard College; Oxford University, where he was a Marshall Scholar; and Yale Law School. He is an elected member of the American Philosophical Society and the American Law Institute. In 2024, the French government recognized him as a Chevalier in the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.

Check out The Blessings of Liberty. With the U.S. Constitution under assault through the abrogation of the sanctity of the three branches of government, an overly compliant Supreme Court, and threats to the First Amendment, it’s critical to understand the document that is foundational for the United States.

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Deadline for The Independent Podcast Awards Extended

The Independent Podcast Awards have announced that the entry deadline has been extended. The original closing date was this coming Monday, 8th June. Due to popular demand, entries will now close on Monday, 22nd June.

This is the fourth edition of the awards, which were co-founded by Verbal Diorama and whynow in 2023 to celebrate those podcasts made in backrooms, in their creator’s spare time, and without the pressures of upsetting sponsors along the way.

Since then, the awards have attracted more than 1400 entries, shortlisted 500+ podcasts, and celebrated 75 winners.

Once all the entries have been submitted, there is the huge job of judging them, and, as always, the team is on the hunt for people to get involved. You can register your interest by completing this short form.

As always, events like this couldn’t take place without the support of the industry, and already signed up to this year’s event are: Acast, Advertising Week Europe, AudioUK, Kings Place, Podnews, Rusty Quill, and TrueFans.

This year’s event will take place on Wednesday, 4th November at Kings Place in Kings Cross, London. All the details about the show will be released nearer the time.

For more information and to enter the awards, go to: independentpodcastawards.com

Right from that trailer, it’s clear this podcast is not a “scratch the surface” history show. As citizens, we think we know history, but we don’t. After listening to numerous episodes of this superb podcast, I realize that history is more than a set of facts.

Will and Lyndsay explain: “So many people don’t have the time or energy to dig into a complicated historical topic, even if they are genuinely interested in learning more. We felt that a podcast is a great way for people to consume reasonable amounts of information and possibly gain a better understanding of their own experiences. If they want to see where our information comes from or to learn more, we always include our resources in the episode transcripts on our website.”

American History Remix is a podcast that explores America’s past. Moving chronologically through U.S. history, each episode draws from the best scholarship in the field. The show explores often-overlooked subjects and offers different interpretations of well-known ones. The show covers social, environmental, and political history.

Will notes: “We wanted to take academic history and present it in a way that a general audience can follow. We try to walk the line between rigorous scholarship and accessibility.”

An example of an ear-worthy episode is from July 29, 2025: “The Great Depression & Dust Bowl.” The show spends almost an hour reviewing the tragedy of both events. Then the podcast offers a B-Side bonus episode on the same topic. This time, Will and Lyndsay are discussing what they skipped or left out.

The co-hosts work well together with an easy-breezy chemistry between them. Let’s take a look at the hosts.

Will Schneider earned his MA in history from Portland State University in 2017. He specializes in the social and intellectual history of the United States.

His research interests include the American West, American religious history, the nineteenth century, and music history. In his free time, he enjoys biking, playing music, and spending time with his wife, daughters, and dog.

About the show, Will observes: “Podcasting has a lot of little moving pieces that were not obvious to us at first. We enlist professionals to at least give us a foundation when something completely outside our experience pops up, and we ask friends who know better, but we ultimately are left to figure things out as we go. It would be so much easier if we could just create the content and let other people take care of the rest!”

Lyndsay Smith enjoys researching and presenting history in a way that anyone can find value in and enjoy. She encourages listeners to ask questions and dig into their own research, regardless of their educational backgrounds.

She earned her MA in history from Portland State University in 2018, specializing in environmental history and public history. Her research interests include American urban environmental history, food and beverage history, the Gilded Age- Progressive Era, and cool history stuff in general. In her free time, she enjoys watching professional wrestling, listening to podcasts, and spending quality time with her husband and three cats.

Lyndsay and Will are the only full-time members who contribute to the podcast. Recently, Cathy Saks, the 2020 Oregon History Teacher of the Year, has joined the team and helps create curriculum based on the podcast episodes, so teachers can use the material in the classroom.

Cathy Saks taught U.S. History in a public high school for 31 years. She earned her BA in history from the University of Oregon and both her Master’s in Teaching and MA in history from Portland State University. She is currently enjoying retired life and spends her time gardening, reading, and serving on the board for the On the Move Community Integration Program.

Lyndsay and Will met in Grad school at Portland State. They were in the same cohort in the MA program. Lyndsay ran the history department’s podcast called Beyond Footnotes for a couple of semesters. Their first-ever collaboration was when she interviewed Will for the show. One of her specialties is public history, which brings history to a general audience outside of academia.

Will knew less about public history, but he did go to school for audio engineering and spent a year in New York working at a recording studio before deciding to return to school to study history. His music production skills have come in handy on the podcast.

Lyndsay explains: “After grad school, we stayed in contact and eventually decided to collaborate on a project. It took us over a year of discussions, suggesting and rejecting ideas, and playing around with the form before we settled on the current format.”

For Lyndsay, especially once the COVID pandemic hit, the podcast was what allowed her to stay connected to public history after grad school. From the beginning, we gave the project the same level of care and attention we would give to any hired position. Only, we get to have more fun with it since we have complete control over the content we create.

Discussing the premise of the podcast, Will says: “Each episode takes a topic that is either generally unknown or takes a familiar subject and examines it from a fresh/unique angle. It’s important to us to cover a variety of historical sub-fields. We have episodes about war, music, public health, beer, religion, and economics. We hope the listeners enjoy this collage of stories that span American history from the colonial era to the 20th century.”

“The research comes from each of us,” the hosts explain. The subjects of each episode dictate who does what research. There is give-and-take, but Will is the main writer. He drafts a script, then Lyndsay edits it.

Will says: “Lyndsay is a very good editor. She finds the flaws in the scripts. Then Will does another draft, and she edits it again. This goes on for 6 or 7 rounds and will sometimes include an outside reviewer.”

When asked where they record the podcast, the hosts admit: “Will records the podcast in his spare room. He and Lyndsay select the takes and do an initial edit before outsourcing the audio to a professional to do a final polish. Lyndsay records in her parts in her closet.”

Lyndsay explains the format of the show: “Will is the host. We are both heard on the special episodes, like the Q&As and the B-Sides. Having Will as the primary narrator for the podcast helps maintain consistent sound quality. Plus, he’s just good at it. Over three seasons, he’s honed his radio voice.”

On the show’s website, the hosts offer: “HEY TEACHERS! Want to use American History Remix in the classroom? We’ve got you covered. We offer a variety of teaching materials for each and every episode, including study guides, note-catchers, vocab lists, and more. Help your students learn about American history in a fresh way.”

American History Remix is one of the best History podcasts in the industry. It’s an indie podcast with extremely talented people who work not just to help listeners learn about history, but also to make them love it.

The show is easy for listeners to connect with because all the components fit together seamlessly. The music, narration, tone, co-hosts, and topics all blend into an easy-to-consume product that should appeal to anyone interested in history.

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Moonburn Season Three Premieres: Exploring Themes Of Chosen Family, Identity, and Belonging

Created by Robbie Hyne (DC’s Stargirl, Haunted: The Van Buren Manor, (Un)Likeminded), the serialized queer YA audio drama Moonburn follows Lucas, an eighteen-year-old searching for a fresh start in New York City. Guided by a collection of old diary cassette tapes left behind by former residents, Lucas navigates friendship, love, heartbreak, and the messy process of discovering who he wants to become.

Season Three finds Lucas at a crossroads. As construction forces major changes at the boarding home he’s come to call home, Lucas struggles to balance the expectations he’s placed on himself with the reality of moving forward. Alongside his chosen family, he must confront uncertainty, embrace change, and discover that growth rarely arrives on a perfect timeline… or without complications.

Blending heartfelt drama, romance, humor, and mystery, MOONBURN explores themes of chosen family, identity, and belonging through an authentically queer lens. The series has been described by listeners as “one of the best podcast stories I’ve heard” and “a must listen.”

Robbie Hyne has released Moonburn under his banner August Year Round Productions. The company’s motto is “Words Unleashed.”

Season Three features returning cast members Anthony Keyvan (XO, Kitty; Love, Victor), Kevin McHale (Glee), Alexandra Daniels (What If...?), Teala Dunn (Good Trouble), Anthony Turpel (Love, Victor; That ‘90s Show), and Kelly Lamor Wilson (A Man Called Otto), alongside new additions Charlie Besso (Fallout), Briggon Snow (The Bright Sessions), and Jordan Doww (The Way Home).

Since launching in 2024, August Year Round has released multiple fiction podcasts including the sci-fi short story anthology (Un)Likeminded, the supernatural satire Haunted: The Van Buren Manor, and Moonburn, the company’s flagship coming-of-age series.

Moonburn was the winner of Hollyshorts Film Festival’s Best Podcast 2025.

With June being Gay Pride Month, and Moonburn being an example of superb LGBTQ audio drama, let me share a caveat from the Book Riot Podcast/Newsletter.

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“Five years of unrelenting censorship have brought queer books and the authors to a breaking point. Authors, agents, publishers: every part of the industry is seeing the strain. Agents are reporting that for the first time in a decade, publishers are explicitly telling them that they’re avoiding acquiring LGBTQ books because they’re difficult to place in stores. Small publishers focusing on diverse books have seen their sales to libraries and schools drop by 50%. Queer authors are seeing royalties drop by 70%, and their titles go out of print after 10+ years of success. LGBTQ book deal announcements have declined, and publishers are using coded language to hide queer representation.”

Here are 60+ small tasks you can do to defend the freedom to read.

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The Podroll Atlas: A Map of Podcasts

by Recommending Podcasts

Check out this article by Arielle Nissenblatt.

Trapped History has a distinct take on history, explaining that “History is how we think about the past. It’s how we speak of it. And the way we speak of it today will be different from the way people spoke of it a century ago and from the way people will speak of it in a hundred years’ time. History is not about long-gone people and ideas — it’s about you and me, all of us, right here, right now. It’s about how we manage the past, how we explain it to better understand the present and prepare for the future.”

The podcast is an independent show, professionally produced, and acts as a reminder that history is not simply “what was,” but more often the way things are now.

On June first, the award-winning Trapped History podcast returned for its seventh season, with special guests broadcaster Charlene White, astrophysicist Dame Jocelyn Bell-Burnell, chef Claire ‘5oclockapron’ Thomson, journalist Alex Renton, pop culture commentator Mark O’Donnell, writer Joe Dunthorne, and World Cup-winning Red Rose Rachael Burford.

Episodes will drop as follows:

01/06/2026 How Windrush Made a Nation: Charlene White on war, family and community

15/06/2026 The Woman Who Taught a Nation to Cook: Claire “Five O’Clock Apron” Thomson on Marguerite Patten

29/06/2026 My Great-Grandfather Made Chemical Weapons for the Nazis: how Joe Dunthorne rewrote his family history

13/07/2026 The Women Ignored by Nobel: Jocelyn Bell-Burnell on pulsars, dark matter, and imposter syndrome

27/07/2026 The Name’s Bond. Queer Bond: Mark O’Connell on 007’s gay past

10/08/2026 My Family Owned Slaves: Alex Renton discovers how slavery powered Britain

24/08/2026 The Women Who Changed the Face of Sport: Rachael Burford on rugby’s heroines.

Co-hosts Oswin Baker and Carla O’Shaughnessy explain: “We’re going big this season — our opening episode with broadcaster Charlene White starts with a small story of love and hope on the Empire Windrush and ends with a huge panorama of modern
British life. We then enjoy some wartime recipes with 5 o’Clock Apron as we take in the logistics of feeding the nation in World War II, before diving into one family’s disturbing history of Nazi
collaboration as told in Joe Dunthorne’s Children of Radium. Working with the Nazis is one thing. But owning slaves? That’s centuries of family history that have been warped out of shape. So join Alex Renton as he tries to unpick and unpack what it means to rethink everything you thought you knew about your past.”

Trapped History has an interesting and unique origin story.

“Trapped History’s starting point — and our very name — comes from something the great writer and activist James Baldwin wrote: ‘People are trapped in history and history is trapped in them.’ We want to break people free from those stories,” says co-host Carla O’Shaughnessy.

Carla continues: “That’s why Oswin started up the successful @trappedhistory Instagram account during lockdown. It now has an established and dedicated following, and it soon became clear that people really want to hear about these forgotten people. And that’s when the Trapped History podcast was born — it launched in December 2022.”

The co-hosts are Oswin Baker, the founder of Trapped History and Carla O’Shaughnessy, with engineer MK Lee. The show focuses on the interstices of history. The stories you don’t know and aren’t told. At times, this podcast presents heroes as villains and villains as heroes. Unlike the current whitewashing of history in the United States, this podcast doesn’t align history with political ideology.

The show has won such international awards as the Lovies and Signals last autumn, Trapped History has recently been recognized at the Webbys and in Ear Worthy’s list of the Best Indie Podcasts 2026.

Carla says with pride: “We’ve also broken into the top 1% of podcasts by downloads — not just history podcasts, not just British podcasts, but all podcasts worldwide. With over 50,000 listeners, 50,000 Instagram followers and 10,000 newsletter subscribers, Trapped History is truly one of the ‘podcasts to watch’ in the history sector.”

The co-hosts are Oswin Baker, who studied history at the University of Edinburgh, where he researched post-war British politics. He has spent the last 30 years gathering and hearing the stories of people who have been forgotten and ignored by society, firstly at the Institute for the Study of Drug Dependence, then at the homelessness charity Crisis before working at the pollsters Ipsos MORI.

Oswin has headed up research departments in the NHS and at Dr Foster, a healthcare data agency, and for the last decade he has run his own social research agency, Rockpool Research, where he has worked with charities, social enterprises, government departments and local authorities. Throughout, Oswin has sought to understand and bring to the fore the lived experiences of people who are all too easily written out of history.

Carla is an audio producer, voice actor and PR consultant based in Bristol, UK. She formerly worked as a freelance producer on BBC Radio 2’s Jeremy Vine show (the most listened-to current affairs radio programme in the UK) and is now part of the team producing John Darvall’s morning show at BBC Radio Bristol.

As a voice actor, Carla works across narration, commercials and characters and has voiced projects for brands including Airbus, LEGO, Hasbro, Barclays, PwC, Bupa, Astra Zeneca and Nurofen. Prior to working in audio, Carla worked in PR for brands across financial services, retail, leisure and entertainment.

Carla has co-presented the Trapped History podcast with Oswin Baker since its inception and loves discovering and telling the stories of amazing unsung heroes, particularly incredible women whose stories deserve to be told.

Along with engineer MK Lee, this team brings the gravitas necessary to narrate these tales of history either forgotten, never known, or neglected. The show also “chapters” its episode interviews, using music to segment the interview, which enables listeners to catch a breath and absorb the tenor of the show. It’s almost always a smart strategy for interview podcasts, and isn’t used enough as a narrative tool.

Oswin Baker, Trapped History’s founder, explains:”The one thing we know about our listeners is that they’re curious about the world. And that’s what Trapped History is for — to tell stories which you won’t find anywhere else, which will make you think and which you’ll want to share with your friends.”

Mr. Baker continues: “They’re often ‘small’ stories — like that of Alford Gardner, who sailed from Jamaica to join the RAF in the war and then afterward came back to Britain on the Windrush. Alford was ‘just a guy.’ He didn’t save a baby from a burning building, discover the secrets of the universe or write the greatest love song. But Alford’s story is our story — that most human of stories, of how a community is forged. That is what Trapped History is for — to find the heroic in the ordinary.”

Trapped History tells the stories of the forgotten — of people who have been ignored by the history we’ve been taught in school. Each stand-alone episode lasts around 40 minutes and tells one
hidden story. The co-hosts don’t just interview guests about history; they work collectively to bring that hidden history to life.

The hosts also have the guest nominate a person for the Trapped History Hall of Fame. That person is someone we don’t know anything about, but should. My favorite so far has been the Hall of Fame nomination for the women of the death camps. Hilde Grunbaum’s life is a truly emotional one, as both she and dozens of other female musicians would make up the Women’s Orchestra of Auschwitz. It was a lifeline in the midst of horror.

What makes Trapped History unique and so ear worthy is that the co-hosts ask a devastatingly simple question that appears to evade the consciousness of entire nations: Does history teach us anything? Looking around the world today, can we say that we have learnt from the past?

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The Girls Bathroom Podcast: Girl Chat, Gossip, Fun!

One long-standing meme is that women use bathroom visits to chat. That meme becomes the foundation of a “girls” podcast that is fun, chatty, and almost like listening in on their conversation. It’s a wonderful metaphor for building their audio empire.

Here’s what the creators/hosts say: “Welcome to The Girls Bathroom! We’re Sophia and Cinzia, life-long besties who share a YouTube channel. The Girls Bathroom is a place we all know to be full of girl chat and gossip, and the place we often confide in girls we’ve never even met before! In this podcast, we want to help you with your dilemmas by trying to make sense of these boys wasting our time, the girls trying to make our lives difficult, and all the things in between. So come join us for a fun but real chat in the girls’ bathroom! Disclaimer: we can’t promise we’ll stay on topic!!”

The Girls Bathroom is a popular, chart-topping U.K. podcast hosted by best friends Sophia Tuxford and Cinzia Baylis-Zullo, focusing on relatable “girl talk,” relationships, and listener dilemmas. Aimed at young women, it features “Girl Talk” and “Boy Talk” segments that offer advice on friendships and dating, originating from their successful YouTube series.

Hosts, Sophia and Cinzia, are life-long friends and content creators. The show centers on navigating relationships, friendship drama, and sharing embarrassing or funny listener-submitted stories. The show features weekly episodes, often split into discussions about “girl talk” (female friendships/issues) and “boy talk” (dating dilemmas).

To their credit, the hosts have built a strong community, with over 10 million all-time listens as of 2021 and a dedicated Patreon for extra content. The podcast grew out of popular “boy talk” and “girl talk” videos on their shared YouTube channel

The podcast officially launched in May 2019, and the show has released more than 350 episodes. Part of the Acast Creator Network, the show has just hit 10 million all-time listens.

Some notable episodes include:

X-RATED is BACK, and “we’re diving headfirst into our sexual awakenings… because apparently when Shrek turns human in Shrek 2, that did something to Sophia! From dolphins allegedly plotting kidnappings, to Blue Therapy debates, to the most unhinged confessions (yes, we’re talking peeing, unexpected kinks, and questionable bedtime behaviour … this episode is all over the place in the best way. It’s chaotic and honestly? We might need help. P.S. Gerald, if you’re listening… please don’t kidnap us.”

Another wild ride is, “ Men using the stairmaster, men on scooters, eating apples and microfiber cloths… niche pet peeves have officially hit an all-time high here at TGB HQ. This week we’re debating prom dress regrets (spoiler: we have none, and we stand by our choices), before diving into a truly unhinged dilemma involving a saboteur...and yes, it’s Sarah’s own mum. Plus, we’ve got a special one-off star of the week to restore our faith in girlhood!”

In the video version, you have the option to turn off the video, which is convenient if you’re engaged in a task while listening. The studio for the podcast is nicely decorated with oversized, comfy chairs, neutral colors, fuzzy blankets, a white dog, and a nicely crafted cabinet with the podcast's name prominently displayed. I am more comfortable when the camera maintains its wider view with both hosts in the frame. When the camera shot isolates each host and switches to each host as they talk, I feel like I’m on a Disney World ride.

The girls' bathroom is great fun. The hosts approximate IRL conversations with bullseye accuracy.

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Indie Podcasters Tania Mohammad & Matt Gilhooly Win Awards

Tania Mohammad announced on LinkedIn: “Absolutely humbled and honored to have received the first-ever AIR (Association of Independents in Radio) Everywhere Award this last Thursday!”

“The Annual Gala is a time to celebrate and connect with folks in an organization that means a ton to me personally and professionally, so this was like WHOA? WHAT?! Thank you! AIR (Association of Independents in Radio) IS everywhere: from Story Fund support for Karachi Nights, to Sound Path, mentor sessions, virtual water coolers, advocacy, and amplification.”

Matt Gilhooly is the creator/host of The Life Shift podcast, an award-winning indie podcast. Like many indie podcasters, that passion doesn’t pay the bills, so “real” jobs are necessary. We learned today that Matt excels not only in podcasting but also in his other job.

Matt said, “Two years ago, I made the leap from 15 years in higher education into mortgage tech. I didn't come with industry experience, but I did come with other things: a deep belief in the power of storytelling, years of podcast production experience, and a genuine curiosity about how content can connect people to ideas that matter. The people at Optimal Blue trusted me to bring all of that to something new. And together, we built something I'm really proud of.”

Congratulations to Tania and Matt.

"Excellence is never an accident. It is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, and intelligent execution." — Aristotle

These two podcasts both belong to small, boutique podcast networks that have a specific premise and appeal to a highly targeted audience.

The American West podcast has been developed by long-time western author Dan Flores. The Ancients is another brilliant History show by a network that focuses exclusively on history.

The American West

Longtime Western author Dan Flores presents a big-picture history of the American West that listeners have most likely never encountered. Covering a vast time span in western America, whose landscapes and wild animals drew people from around the world, this podcast tells a new story of our most fascinating region.

The American West is produced by MeatEater, an outdoor lifestyle company founded by writer and TV personality Steven Rinella. Host of the Netflix show MeatEater and The MeatEater Podcast, Rinella has gained wide popularity with hunters and non-hunters alike through his passion for outdoor adventure and wild foods, as well as his strong commitment to conservation. Founded with the belief that a deeper understanding of the natural world enriches all of our lives, MeatEater brings together leading influencers in the outdoor space to create premium content experiences and unique apparel and equipment. MeatEater, Inc. is based in Bozeman, MT.

Flores is a terrific audio guide to the history of the American West. The podcast, which began in April 2025, started with an episode about a major expedition that history has neglected.

Despite Lewis and Clark’s singular fame, Thomas Jefferson never intended their expedition to be the sole U.S. scientific exploration into the country’s new Louisiana Purchase. Just as compelling to him was a second major expedition into the southern reaches of Louisiana, for which he chose two leaders — Thomas Freeman and Peter Custis — who had a similar opportunity to become famous early American explorers into the West.

Dispatched up the Red River of the South in 1806 with a bigger party and twice the congressional appropriation of Lewis and Clark, Freeman and Custis suffered a very different fate, one that assigned them to the dustbin of American history and made Jefferson’s “Grand Expedition” a forgotten western story.

One of my favorite shows was the episode on the buffalo. As Flores says, “America’s national mammal possesses a troubling story in Western history. For a century, writers have presented the fate of the buffalo as brought down by a federal conspiracy that plotted the animal’s demise to undermine Native cultures. With an animal this important to American and western history, understanding the more realistic and accurate version of its 19th and 20th century story seems a critical step as we figure out how to go forward in returning America’s most iconic mammal to the modern West.”

If you are a fan of U.S. History, check out The American West. Finally, the show is sponsored by Velvet Buck, a bold California red blend designed for outdoor, “field-to-table” pairing with game meats like venison, duck, and salmon. Launching in August 2025, it is an official partner of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA), with proceeds supporting public land conservation.

I love a podcast sponsor that is closely linked to the podcast genre and is committed to the Public Good.

The Ancients Podcast

History Hit podcasts are a popular network of history-focused audio shows founded by historian Dan Snow, offering a wide range of expert-led, in-depth, and engaging historical content. Featuring shows like Dan Snow’s History Hit, The Ancients, and Gone Medieval, these podcasts, which you can listen to on Spotify, deliver interviews with historians and explore diverse topics.

The Ancients is one of its best podcasts. The Ancients is dedicated to discussing our distant past. Featuring interviews with historians and archaeologists, each episode covers a specific theme from antiquity. From Neolithic Britain to the Fall of Rome. Hosted by Tristan Hughes.

The show explores distant human history and examines specific themes, figures, and events in antiquity, such as Alexander the Great, gladiators, and ancient civilizations.

The show is closing in on almost 700 episodes. An example of the show is a recent episode about Rome’s Empire. In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Jeremy Armstrong to explore the origins of Rome’s empire. From the conquest of rival cities and the trauma of invasion to the development of Roman warfare, politics, and identity, this episode reveals how these early crises set the stage for Rome’s rise to dominance along the Tiber and beyond.

Another episode of note delves into this important question: What can ancient DNA tell us about the first Homo sapiens to arrive in Arabia over 50,000 years ago?

In the show, host Tristan Hughes is joined by Professor Pierre Zalloua to delve into the groundbreaking advances in ancient DNA research that illuminate the complex journeys of these early human populations.

They discuss the challenges of extracting ancient DNA in harsh desert environments, the role of climate in human migration, and the archeological evidence of early human presence, which shows continuous population movements over millennia.

Tristan Hughes is a brilliant host, and the show’s lush sound design enhances the trips back into history.

The Ancients has scholarly intentions, but are readily accessible to all of us, regardless of education level. If you love ancient history (and let’s face it, who doesn’t?), this show is for you.

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Indie Podcaster Steve Cooper on late-night TV

New Jersey-based long-time podcaster Steve Cooper has two successful podcasts — The Coop Tank and CooperTalk. Recently, Steve appeared as a guest on Mike Jerrick’s late-night show, MIKE, on FOX 29 Philadelphia. During the episode, Cooper shared a hilarious behind-the-scenes story about how former Philadelphia Eagles kicker Tom Dempsey taught him how to properly wash his hair. To wrap up his appearance, Cooper also joined Mike and his co-host Vince DeFruscio for a game of "Marshmallow Madness."

Steve is a legend in Philly / South Jersey podcasting. On his CooperTalk show, he always starts with, “I’m only as hip as my guests.” He hosts comedians, actors, and musicians, and spends an hour with them for some organic chat.

If you have not heard or read about the dangers of AI, then you are either in a sweat lodge or an actual AI. We are going to remedy that right now.

Agoric Media and Wondermind have just released Season Two of Suspicious Minds: AI AND THE APOCALYPSE, which premiered on May 20. You can start with the trailer at the Suspicious Minds feed. Suspicious Minds is a two-time Webby Award-nominated podcast.

In Season one, Suspicious Minds revealed the lived truths behind AI psychosis, taking an empathetic approach — and a deeply-researched one as well. Co-hosted by brother academic luminaries Drs. Joel and Ian Gold, PhD (who coined the term “The Truman Show delusion”) and creator/director Sean King O’Grady, Suspicious Minds looked into the psychology and history of technology-induced psychosis dating back centuries.

In Season two, Suspicious Minds: AI and the Apocalypse, creator/director/host Sean King O’Grady guides listeners through conversations with experts across different fields: Joel and Ian Gold return from Season One to ask the question that bridges the two seasons: Is civilizational AI dread a form of collective psychosis, or something categorically different?

Dorian Lynskey provides the historical and cultural frame. James Cussen and Judith Wolfe introduce the philosophical and theological void underneath the contemporary conversation.

This limited series tells the story of what we are all facing right now in the intersection between AI and the apocalypse, and how apocalyptic thinking has affected the human mind since the dawn of civilization, over the course of eight episodes total.

From the United States using Anthropic’s AI Claude in its attacks on Iran to a decades-old true conspiracy about bunkers, Suspicious Minds: AI and the Apocalypse unveils the worlds of technology, politics, psychology, theology, history, and humanity in ways unexplored in media until now.

“Humans have been thinking about a catastrophic end to our species since we first started throwing paint on the walls of caves,” said host Sean King O’Grady. “Each generation believes it might be the last. But I keep wondering — in an era of compounding existential threats, environmental, nuclear, biological, now technological — if this time we might be right. What does it mean to be living through such a moment? And how do we face our own deaths while holding the prospect of the end of all human life? These are the questions we are asking this season — of philosophers, psychiatrists, historians, and the people actually building the technology that may one day harness the power to solve death, or kill us all.”

Suspicious Minds doesn’t content itself with simple solutions like technology is bad. Instead, it searches for the right balance between technology serving us and technology harming us. Social media and cell phone obsessions are two technologies that haven’t delivered on the promise of making society any better.

Season One of Suspicious Minds examined what happens when AI fractures individual minds. Season Two asks a harder question: what happens when it shatters our collective sense of the future?

This season is a meditation on life, death, and what it means to be alive in an age when humanity is creating something that those building it believes has the power to either end all life on Earth or turn our world into a utopia.

Check out Suspicious Minds. Are we delusional for trusting AI technology? Or has AI already warped our thinking patterns? Listen and get some answers.

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Secret Life Of Books: Exploring The Hidden Stories Behind Iconic Works

Book review podcasts can be compared to wines. Each has its own individual taste, but they are all essentially wines. Book review podcasts, well, review books, but every such podcast offers a twist on that familiar format. Or, at least, the good ones do.

Secret Life of Books is a good one indeed. It’s a weekly podcast hosted by Princeton English professor Sophie Gee and former BBC arts director Jonty Claypole, focusing on the hidden, often scandalous backstories of classic literature. It explores the “hidden stories” behind iconic works—including their creators’ motives and cultural contexts—to make classic books relevant to modern audiences.
The show highlights the clandestine motives, undeclared stakes, and scandalous backstories of books that people think they already know.

The secret sauce of the show is its conversations between Sophie Gee (a literary expert) and Jonty Claypole (a media creative), mixing high-quality research with humor. Don’t think stuffy and pedantic. Instead, think witty banter, clever insights, and opinions percolating for years.

The podcast covers a wide range of literature, such as analyzing the influences on Jane Austen or the archives of Toni Morrison. Bonus content includes special “crammer” episodes for students and romantic critiques of literary characters. Occasionally, the hosts perform live, in-person shows at bookstores and festivals.

Sophie Gee is an English professor (formerly at Princeton University) and author, known for her work on literary criticism. “Every book tells a story. One it tells, and one it hides,” Gee explains.

Jonty Claypole is a former Director of Arts at the BBC and current CEO of Red Room Poetry.

The podcast was a recent winner at The NYC Podcast Awards and was chosen as the Audience Choice Winner. On LinkedIn, the hosts responded with: “The award is because of you, so a huge thank you to everyone who voted for us.”

One of my favorite episodes is The Other Bronte Girl: Anne Bronte’s Tenant of Wildfell Hall from February 24, 2025. The hosts tell us: “With all the fuss and fanfare around Wuthering Heights, we’re worried Emily Bronte is getting more than her fair share of attention. So today we shift the SLOB-light to her younger sister Anne, author of the remarkable The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, published in 1848. Anne wrote it in a whirlwind after the successes of Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre, determined to prove herself a Bronte in talent and spirit.”

The hosts continue: “And though Anne is now the least celebrated of the Bronte trio, Tenant at the time of its publication, it was considered the most shocking in the Bronte collective oeuvre. Anne had fearlessly pulled back the veil on marital infidelity, domestic violence, alcoholism, and the systemic torments of Victorian masculinity and marriage laws.”

In the By George (Eliot) She’s Done It! The road to Middlemarch episode, the hosts exclaim that: “George Eliot’s Middlemarch is the Mount Everest of Victorian fiction. A book so brilliant and monumental that it’s taken us a year of planning to take it on. But as we close out 2025, we’ve established our Middlemarch base camp and started the climb.

“To put it another way, we’ve recorded an episode in which we treat listeners to the story behind the story of the greatness that is Mary Ann Evans, the woman who became George Eliot. Middlemarch is, in many people’s opinions, the greatest novel in English. To help understand why it’s so amazing, how Eliot learned to write like this, and her life as a reader, writer, daughter, and lover (plus, the story behind her pen name), we give you this primer episode.”

The podcast also began new subscriber-only episodes every two weeks about Middlemarch itself, going book by book through this magnificent classic. This is how Eliot meant Middlemarch to be read - through eight stages. One for each of the serialized volumes that ran through 1871 and 1872 before the book was published as a whole in 1874.

Secret Life of Books isn’t for every reader. Austen, Bronte, George Eliot -- not for everyone. What I enjoy about the show is that you can snack on incisive perceptions, startling conclusions, counterintuitive angles, with a side of attitude.

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This week’s Forbes article deals with three influential thought leaders in podcasting who also happen to be Podcast Hall of Fame inductees — James Cridland, Arielle Nissenblatt, and Tom Webster.

Visionaries Audio Drama is a five-episode sci-fi podcast series created by Richard Seneque on Spotify, focusing on themes of privilege, conspiracy, and betrayal in a dystopian setting. The story follows two brothers as they navigate a world of slavery and rebellion. It is part of the Leviathan Universe.

The World of Leviathan is the world in which the Leviathan series is set. It is an alternate history story, which means that what happened in the real world is not necessarily what has happened or will happen in the world of Leviathan.

The Visionaries Audio Drama explores a dystopian 2185 in which humanity has evolved into two classes: superior “Visionaries” with superpowered eyes and enslaved “Dead-eyes”. It is a full-cast, serialized story covering themes of rebellion, privilege, and betrayal.

The series centers on a revolt by the enslaved “Dead-eyes” against their “Visionary” masters, focusing on a conflict between privileged brothers with opposing views.

This audio drama has a lot going for it. It was recently nominated for the NYC Podcast Awards. The sound design is stunning, with an audioverse where you feel like you’re there.

The center of any audio drama is its script, voice acting, and sound design. Visionaries Audio Drama excels at all three components. The audio drama was recorded in New York City, created, written, and produced by Richard Seneque.

One word of caution here. Like too many podcasts today, there are multiple shows with the same name. Putting in “audio drama” in the search box will bring up this show.

The concept of sight as a signpost of privilege isn’t exclusive to this show. See, the Jason Momoa Apple TV show graphically staged the battle between those who can see and the bulk of the people who cannot. Yet, Visionaries swims in the waters of eugenics, survival of the fittest, racial stereotyping, and the illusory superiority of the nobility.

Visionaries Audio Drama is a feast for sci-fi fans and for those who bathe in the spectacle of audio. The audio drama ran in 2023 with the promise of a second season. After listening to the episodes (about 30 minutes in length), I think you’ll agree that a second season is warranted.

Submissions Accepted by the International Women’s Podcast Awards

Submissions for the International Women’s Podcast Awards will open today, May 20th, 2026. Entries will be open through July 31st, 2026.

There will be 10 returning categories that include “Moment of Compelling Storytelling,” “Moment of Podcasting Panache in a Language other than English,” “Moment of Behind-the-Scenes Brilliance,” and “Moment of Comedy Gold,” as well as a new one: “Moment of Artistry in Advertising” that recognizes podcast ads from paid sponsors and also cross promotions, like promo swaps and feed swaps. “Creating cool, entertaining, and effective audio ads is a lost art,” said Lauren Passell, founder of Tink Media. “We want to remind people that ads have the potential to be all of those things, and encourage people to start going in bolder directions with how they do host-reads.”

The International Women’s Podcast Awards (IWPAs) are a global audio celebration that honors women and non-binary individuals working across all aspects of the podcasting industry. Unlike traditional podcast competitions, the IWPAs focus on recognizing specific, impactful “moments” of audio brilliance rather than entire shows.

Tink Media will also continue the tradition started in past years with the IWPA Scholarship Program to help underfunded, marginalized independent creators submit to the awards, when financial constraints may make applying a difficult decision. The IWPA Scholarship Program will cover entry fees for the awards and tickets to attend the event in person in Toronto for anyone worldwide who would not otherwise be able to participate.

The Buzz — BuzzWorthy Radio Receives Silver People’s Telly Award for Shrinking Cast Feature

The Buzz — BuzzWorthy Radio, hosted by entertainment journalist and interviewer NaVell J. Lee, has received a Silver People’s Telly Award for its featured interview episode spotlighting the cast of the acclaimed Apple TV comedy-drama series Shrinking.

The award-winning episode featured conversations with cast members Christa Miller, Ted McGinley, and Michael Urie, offering audiences an in-depth look into the emotional storytelling, humor, and heart behind the series. The recognition reflects the strong connection the episode made with audiences and supporters of the platform.

Established in 1979, The Telly Awards honor excellence in video and television across all screens and are judged by leaders from television, streaming, production, and digital media. The People’s Telly Award specifically recognizes work that resonates directly with audiences.

“This recognition means a tremendous amount because it reflects genuine audience connection,” said NaVell J. Lee, creator and host of The Buzz — BuzzWorthy Radio. “I’m incredibly grateful to the cast of Shrinking and the publicity team for the opportunity to create conversations that resonated with viewers and listeners in such a meaningful way.”

The Buzz — BuzzWorthy Radio continues to expand its presence within the entertainment media industry through celebrity interviews, television and film coverage, festival coverage, and industry conversations. Mr. Lee is a member of the Television Critics Association and also holds accreditation through the Motion Picture Association.

The Buzz — BuzzWorthy Radio is an entertainment media platform featuring celebrity interviews, television and film coverage, industry conversations, and pop culture commentary. The platform has featured conversations with acclaimed actors, filmmakers, musicians, and creatives across television, film, streaming, and entertainment.

The “Fourth Estate” is a term for the press or journalistic profession, acting as an unofficial fourth branch of government that checks the power of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. It signifies the media’s vital watchdog role in a democracy, exposing corruption and holding leaders accountable It is often attributed to Edmund Burke, who reportedly said, “…in the Reporters’ Gallery yonder, there sat a Fourth Estate more important far than they all”. It refers to all news media, including reporters, journalists, and broadcasters, recognized for their influence on political and social affairs.

The concept stems from European tradition, dividing society into three estates (Nobility, Clergy, Commoners). The “Fourth Estate” was coined to describe the influential role of the press.

The Guardian is a prominent British daily newspaper and global digital news organization known for its independent, liberal-leaning journalism. Founded in 1821, it is owned by the Scott Trust, which protects its editorial freedom from commercial or political influence. It has a major online presence, including Guardian US and Guardian Australia. The paper is owned by the Scott Trust, established in 1936 to ensure editorial independence and secure the paper’s financial future, with profits reinvested into journalism rather than shareholders.

Founded in Manchester by John Edward Taylor in 1821, it was originally called The Manchester Guardian. It changed its name to The Guardian in 1959. The Guardian is one of the world’s largest English-speaking quality news websites, with a significant global audience.

The Guardian has just revealed new details about its upcoming U.S. video podcast, Stateside with Kai and Carter. Hosted by Peabody Award-winning host and journalist Kai Wright and Emmy-nominated Guardian journalist and author Carter Sherman, Stateside with Kai and Carter premieres on May 13, 2026. With new episodes three times a week, the interview-led show will bring the Guardian’s global perspective and unique lens on America to life through lively conversations about the rise of authoritarianism, inequality and racial injustice, climate change and corporate power — alongside soccer, wellness, lifestyle, and more.

At a time when other podcasts from news organizations are adapting to video, Stateside with Kai and Carter will launch as a video-first podcast that slows down fast-moving stories, bringing the viewing and listening audience analysis that helps make sense of the news. Stateside will be available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms, and will also have a robust social presence across Instagram and TikTok.

Together, Kai and Carter bring a wealth of journalism experience to Stateside with Kai and Carter in their role as co-hosts. Kai was most recently a host and managing editor at WNYC, the largest public radio station in the U.S., where he was at the helm of Notes From America with Kai Wright and a number of limited series podcasts focused on social justice themes. Until recently, Carter was the reproductive health and justice reporter at the Guardian, and is also the author of The Second Coming: Sex and the Next Generation’s Fight Over Its Future.

Stateside with Kai and Carter is executive produced by acclaimed journalist and podcast veteran Jonathan Menjivar, who is tapping into his extensive experience in narrative audio storytelling to shape the unique vision for the podcast. In addition to his work on shows including This American Life and Fresh Air, Jonathan was previously a senior producer at Pineapple Street Studios, and also created and hosted Classy with Jonathan Menjivar, which was named one of TIME’s 100 Best Podcasts of All Time. The show’s deputy executive producer is Rachel Humphreys, a Pulitzer Prize finalist who was most recently with the Wall Street Journal’s daily news podcast The Journal and a senior producer on their award-winning series Camp Swamp Road. She was also a host and producer on the team that launched the Guardian’s flagship UK podcast, Today in Focus.

Rounding out the production team are Anabel Bacon, senior audio producer joining from The New York Times with prior work at WNYC and Audible; Tiara Chiaramonte, senior video producer with experience at CNN, Today, 60 Minutes, and more; Suzanne Gaber, audio producer joining from This American Life; Mónica Espitia, video producer from the Wall Street Journal Opinion; Ivan Kuraev, show engineer, who joins from Lemonada Media; and Russel Kogan, a social media producer with experience making content for Brut America, PBS, and The Dodo.

Stateside with Kai and Carter is a key element of the Guardian’s latest growth in the U.S. and represents a major step in expanding the newsroom’s audio and video journalism, bringing its independent, global perspective to American audiences in a fresh format.

The show builds off the success of the Guardian’s award-winning podcasts in the UK, including The Birth Keepers — a six-part narrative series investigating the Free Birth Society, which reached #1 on the Apple Podcasts Top Series and Documentary charts — and Off Duty, a gripping investigative podcast examining Chicago’s notorious criminal legal system. The Guardian’s U.S. staff now exceeds 200 people for the first time in its history, with substantially larger teams covering U.S. politics, media, sports, culture, breaking news, AI, political movements, and more.

Carter Sherman, co-host and creative director of Stateside with Kai and Carter, said: “I have been constantly astounded and impressed by my colleagues’ incisive reporting over my years at the Guardian, so it is a delight to help bring our newsroom’s work to a new format and new audiences. At this critical moment in U.S. history, too much of our media is dominated by celebrity-driven content, political surrogates making partisan arguments, and journalists who pretend not to have an identity or perspective. At Stateside, we’ll ask the questions we actually have and say what we actually think — but do so backed by the Guardian’s unique brand of global, forward-thinking journalism.”

Kai Wright, co-host and creative director of Stateside with Kai and Carter, said: “I’ve been making podcasts for a decade, and it’s incredibly exciting to create something that feels genuinely fresh, in our always-evolving medium. But for me, the journalistic mission remains the same. The United States is at a pivotal juncture, one in which we will either embrace multiracial democracy or return fully to the apartheid state in which my parents were raised. We want to facilitate a conversation about how the nation can progress rather than devolve, and we hope to build community around the Guardian’s world-class journalism.”

Check out Stateside on May 13th, and after that. American journalism needs The Guardian right now. With Stephen Colbert being taken off the air, Jimmy Kimmel being threatened by the administration and its cronies constantly, and reporters being investigated and threatened for publishing stories critical of administration officials, the First Amendment is under attack.

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TrueFans Announces Claire Waite Brown As Head Of Community

Let’s face facts about podcast apps. They are all designed to market the podcasts with the most downloads, social media buzz, and the largest bucket of cash to pay for sponsored results on user searches. It’s a perfect feedback loop so that the podcasts with the greatest notoriety are sustained by these apps’ algorithms.

That’s what makes TrueFans so unique. It’s an app specifically designed for independent creators -- artists, podcasters, musicians -- so that they can grow, monetize, and expand in an ecosystem customized for their specific needs.

TrueFans is an app, an entire ecosystem, and a podcast that accompanies it.

There are times when you discover a podcast and organization that almost completely encapsulates the thematic premise for your activity / passion. That’s the case with Creators by TrueFans. The show is co-hosted by two pros -- Claire Waite Brown and Sam Sethi. Since they’re from England, here’s my analogy. That’s like having Mohamed Salah and Cole Palmer on the same EPL team (That’s soccer or football).

At Ear Worthy, one of our prime directives (Star Trek reference!) is to help independent podcasts with discoverability and create more visibility for them, so monetization becomes an easier lift.

Creators by TrueFans is a podcast from TrueFans.fm that spotlights independent podcast creators and music artists, offering them increased visibility and a platform to connect with their fans. Hosted by Sam Sethi and Claire Waite Brown, the weekly show features a new creator, discusses platform updates for monetization and discovery, and explores trends in the podcasting and music industries. Listeners can support the podcast through micropayments called SATs, leave feedback via SuperComments, and engage with hosts on social media.

Each episode highlights a different independent podcast or music artist. (NOTE: TrueFans is a major supporter of indie music artists, also) It provides information on new features within TrueFans.fm, focusing on discovery, interactivity, and monetization opportunities for creators. The hosts discuss broader trends in the “podosphere” and the future of creator monetization.

TrueFans.fm aims to solve the discoverability challenge for independent creators, and the podcast serves as a mechanism for this. Episodes are available on the truefans.fm website and potentially other podcast platforms. Listeners use the “SuperComments” feature or leave comments directly on episode pages to suggest creators to feature.

The show, which began in late April, has been a breakthrough for indie podcasters by offering tools to raise visibility, create a community, and adopt strategies for monetization.

The hosts of Creators by TrueFans are Claire Waite Brown and Sam Sethi, who are two brilliant podcasting pros whose discrete skills make for a superb show and groundbreaking support system for indie podcasters.

Claire Waite Brown is a podcaster, podcast advisor, and audio editor who hosts the podcast Creativity Found, which features interviews with adults who have rediscovered their creativity. She also founded the Creativity Found directory of creative activities. Claire is also the host/co-host and producer of Podcasting 2.0 in Practice. Claire also offers a Podcast Startup Sanity Check - an hour’s chat to clarify and simplify the process of starting your own podcast, AND Podcasting 2.0 Clarity Call - a one-hour chat to establish which Podcasting 2.0 features podcasters can use with your podcast to improve discovery, interactivity, and monetization potential.

Claire recently announced that she is now officially the Head of Community at TrueFans.fm., a welcome enhancement indeed.

“Sam and I are working on a new home page arrangement which puts indie podcasters front and center,” says Claire. “The new lineup will feature your pinned playlist (if you have one) followed by the Keep Listening and New For You lists if you already use the app and are a fan of certain shows. “

Sam Sethi is the technical and strategic genius behind TrueFans.fm. He is the CEO of TrueFans.fm, and the host/producer of Podnews Weekly Review with James Cridland.

This is how Podcasting Tech Creator/Host introduced Sam when he was a guest on his show. “Sam Sethi, an innovative entrepreneur in the podcasting industry, embarked on a journey to forge his own path. Fueled by passion and a vision for the future, he founded a pioneering platform that now stands as the leading entity supporting the majority of Podcasting 2.0 tags. Driven by a belief in the boundless potential of podcasting, Sam continually pushes the boundaries of the medium. By operating at the cutting edge of the industry, he is not only advancing podcasting technology but also setting a pace that allows others to catch up, all while enjoying the exhilarating ride on the forefront of innovation.”

Let me tell you my experience with TrueFans. I signed up and was immediately able to donate via the platform to indie podcasts I wished to support. The issue I almost always have with Patreon is that making a donation to an indie podcast is more like a subscription than a donation. I can’t speak for you, dear readers, but I like the freedom to direct my funds to go to indie podcasters when and where I want.

The TrueFans ecosystem also rewards members for comments on podcasters. In addition, the website and app allows members to set up playlists, receive notifications when their favorite podcasts drop a new episode, and manages micropayments.

TrueFans.fm has also been developing a new hosting platform. Unlike hosting services from some large companies, indie creators maintain more control.

To summarize, Creators by TrueFans is a podcast series and a broader platform that spotlights and supports independent podcast and music creators. The podcast features interviews with creators, discusses industry trends, and promotes TrueFans.fm’s features for creator discovery, interactivity, and monetization.

I recommend checking out Creators by TrueFans, the podcast, and TrueFans the website or app. It’s an ecosystem built for podcasters, podcast fans, and musical creators by the very people who understand how all can benefit from creating and listening to podcasts and music.

At Ear Worthy, one of our prime directives (Star Trek reference!) is to help independent podcasts with discoverability and create more visibility for them, so monetization becomes an easier lift. We’ve adapted our logo to include our support for TrueFans.

Creators by TrueFans is a podcast from TrueFans.fm that spotlights independent podcast creators and music artists, offering them increased visibility and a platform to connect with their fans. Hosted by Sam Sethi and Claire Waite Brown, the weekly show features a new creator, discusses platform updates for monetization and discovery, and explores trends in the podcasting and music industries. Listeners can support the podcast through micropayments called SATs, leave feedback via SuperComments, and engage with hosts on social media.

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Podcast Discovery For You

Zaq Qureshi from whichpodcast announces smart podcast discovery, personalized for you. Find your next podcast obsession.

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Podcast Marketing Glossary from Arielle Nissenblatt

Arielle: “Terms, phrases, and jargon that’ll help you set up marketing campaigns to grow your show.” Read more HERE.

Music podcasts can be varied, as there are combinations of musical notes that make up a song. Slate’s Hit Parade concentrates on the charts. Switched On Pop focuses on the mechanics of pop music. A Breath of Fresh Air focuses on 60s and 70s pop artists and their recollections.

One Song is a music podcast featuring Diallo Riddle (actor/writer) and Blake “LUXXURY” Robin (music producer) that breaks down iconic songs from the pop music canon. Each episode provides a deep, humorous, and technical analysis of a single track’s production, history, and cultural impact.

The format involves a deep, sometimes humorous, analysis of a single, often iconic, track per episode. The show dives into the “stems” (isolated tracks) and production techniques, exploring the story behind the music.
Coverage: It covers a wide range of genres and artists, including 2Pac, Michael Jackson, and Mariah Carey.

The podcast includes extensive show notes listing the songs discussed, which illustrate the care these co-hosts have for their listeners.

Let’s look at one episode — What makes “Billie Jean” one of the most timeless pop songs ever? In this show, Diallo Riddle and LUXXURY dive into Michael Jackson’s masterpiece, unpacking its iconic (and borrowed) bassline, the innovative engineering that shaped its unmistakable sound, and how the song transformed Jackson from superstar into a singular cultural force.

Songs Discussed:
“Billie Jean” — Michael Jackson (01:17)
“C Is For Cookie (Funky Version)” — Cookie Monster (04:05)
“Take On Me” — a-ha (06:34)
“Pass the Dutchie” — Musical Youth (07:20)
“Nightline” — Pointer Sisters (12:03)
“Nightline” — Ellen Foley (12:10)
“Should I Stay or Should I Go” — The Clash (12:40)
“The Lady In My Life” — Michael Jackson (13:45)
“The Girl Is Mine” — Michael Jackson & Paul McCartney (14:54)
“Say Say Say” — Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson (15:13)
“Hey Lover” — LL Cool J feat. Boyz II Men (15:57)
“Wake Up” — Bill Wolfer (21:08)
“State Of Independence” — Jon & Vangelis (25:52)
“State Of Independence” — Donna Summer (28:01)
“Only You” — Steve Monite (57:42)
“Desperate Journalist In Ongoing Meaningful Review Situation” — The Cure (58:37)

Clearly, despite the casual nature of the show, there are scholarly musical intentions here. That’s not surprising once you understand the depth of the co-hosts’ talent.

Diallo Riddle is an American writer, producer, actor, showrunner, and DJ. Riddle is best known for his co-starring role as Stevie in the NBC sitcom Marlon and for co-creating several television series. In 2011, Riddle was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Series through his work on Late Night.

He won an NAACP Image Award for his directing on South Side.

Luxxury (birth name Blake Robin) is a Los Angeles-based producer, DJ, and songwriter known for his nu-disco/funk music and viral musical analysis.

He is recognized for his “interpolation” videos on social media and for creating disco-tinged edits/remixes. He also produces dance music with funky bass lines, often featuring a 70s/80s aesthetic.

He is a touring DJ as well as an in-demand producer, remixer, and songwriter, and has co-written songs for artists including Vanessa Daou and Little Boots.

In the Diana Ross Upside Down episode, ask “How did Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards flip disco on its head with Diana Ross’ chart-topping solo hit Upside Down”?

Diallo Riddle and LUXXURY explore the Chic production, groove-driven arrangement, and rare outtakes from Diana Ross herself. In this episode, the hosts disagree over whether this song is disco. They do agree on the genius of the Chic arrangement. In fact, in the episode, the co-hosts explain that Motown decided to revise the arrangement before the record’s release, angering Rodgers and Edwards.

What the co-hosts do so well is break down a song into its component parts. In Upside Down, for example, they hone in on Edwards’ bass lines and how it intentionally tones down and smooths out his bass part to better complement the song. The episode traced Ross’s journey to find the right technique for singing the tune and revealed how Hopkins remixed the strings to achieve the specific sound he wanted.

The hosts have welcomed guests on the show with solid results. For example, when discussing an instant classic: Doja Cat’s 2023 hit, Paint the Town Red, the hosts were joined by Laci Mosely, billed as the Scam Goddess herself. In the episode, the trio breaks down Dojo’s journey from Mooo! to her critically acclaimed album, Scarlet.

My favorite guest so far has been singer/songwriter Sam Sanders, who joined the duo to review Fleetwood Mac’s Dreams. Sanders blended seamlessly with the co-hosts, with wit, wisdom, and winsomeness flowing throughout the show.

The hosts mesh well together and bring their extensive musical knowledge to the show, along with entertaining banter and good-natured humor. The show began in June 2023 and is part of the Hartbeat network. Episodes run about an hour. The co-hosts also ask about the legacy of each song they cover and the songwriting credits, then extol the virtues of a recommended song.

One Song is one of the best music podcasts in the industry. The hosts explore iconic music across several generations, a task that is highly challenging. This podcast wouldn’t be the same without these co-hosts, because they share their knowledge of music composition, music theory, instrumentation, musical arrangement, songwriting, singing, and mastering in every episode.

If you love music and are fascinated by how it’s made, this show is for you.

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Spotify Streams Drive 1.5x More Consumption Time Than YouTube for Podcasts

Podstock, a leading multi-platform analytics and management solution, has just released new benchmarking data showing that a single Spotify stream generates, on average, 1.5x more consumption time than a YouTube view of the same podcast episode. The same analysis also shows that as episodes are exposed to broader, unfamiliar audiences, the average time spent per view or stream decreases.

Podstock analyzed thousands of episodes that were released in video on both Spotify and YouTube for an apples-to-apples comparison. The results were strikingly consistent- in 95% of episodes, Spotify audiences spent more time with content than viewers on YouTube for the same episode. This demonstrates that, on average, a Spotify stream is a stronger signal of audience engagement than a YouTube view- and likely more valuable to advertisers.

READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE AT: https://podcastreports.blogspot.com/2026/05/spotify-streams-drive-15x-more.html

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Future Around & Find Out Wins A Webby Award

Future Around & Find Out (FAFO), an independent podcast empowering builders to think clearly about AI and emerging technology, has won the Webby Award for Best Technology Podcast of 2026. It is the fourth consecutive year the show has been recognized by the academy — and its first outright win, after three consecutive years as a Webby honoree. Future Around & Find Out competed against major media operations for one of podcasting’s most prestigious honors.

“Host Dan Blumberg isn’t just shaping the Internet—he’s redefining it,” said Nick Borenstein, General Manager of The Webby Awards. “This honor celebrates the fearless creativity and sharp execution that make his work an unmistakable force online.”

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Beneath The Law Podcast Co-Hosts Win Prestigious Award In Canada

Stephen Thiele and Gavin Tighe have been named co-winners of the Mondaq Spring 2026 Thought Leadership Awards in the Media, Telecoms, IT, and Entertainment sector in Canada for their Beneath the Law podcast, “He Shoots, He’s Charged?

How Far Is Too Far In Contact Sports”. Awarded biannually, the awards recognize leading authors and co-authors based on total readership over the preceding six months, celebrating those whose insights have significantly shaped industry dialogue and analysis.

Ear Worthy reviewed this show just last week. Read more about this superb podcast here.

Tracing The Path: The Connected 20th Century is a history podcast hosted by Dan R Morris that explores surprising, hidden connections between 20th-century events, pop culture, and inventions. It features monthly, in-depth storytelling focusing on how, for example, the 1967 Space Treaty links to modern events.

Do you remember when the Beatles made their U.S. debut on The Ed Sullivan Show and became a phenomenon overnight? Ever wonder why that was so impactful?

Did you know that Twinkle Twinkle Little Star was once rearranged and became a Grammy-winning #1 Hit on the Pop Charts?

Tracing the Path uncovers the meaning behind the most famous people, places, products, and events of the 20th Century. According to the show’s host, “Every episode leaves you with that wow, I had no idea feeling.”

Speaking of the host, Dan R. Morris, he draws inspiration from prominent 20th-century storytellers like Paul Harvey and Charles Kuralt. I admire Mr. Morris because he has chosen his heroes well and has incorporated the best of those two legends into his narrative style.

Mr. Morris says, “We would love to help you tell the world the true role that historical connections have played in today’s culture. We would love to help you tell the story that everyone deserves to know.”

Tracing The Path explores connections, such as how World War II would have been different without the East Texas Wildcatters. Or the Civil Rights Movement would have been different without Lloyd’s of London. Did you know that without the Post Office, U.S. Westward Expansion might have stopped at the Appalachians?

The show masterfully links world wars, political movements, cultural revolutions, and iconic products to show how they shaped the present.
The show is an exhaustively researched, narrative-driven show, with Dan R. Morris capably steering the ship.

My favorite episode is, by far, How the Hostess Twinkie Survived Death (Twice)

There’s a Twinkie in Maine that’s 30 years old. Morris asks how a brand outlasts its owners and defies all odds to succeed.

Tracing The Path is one of the best History podcasts in the industry. Even better, it’s an independent podcast, demonstrating once again that, as Carly Simon once crooned in a James Bond theme song, “Nobody Does It Better.”

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Best Independent Podcasts In 2026 -- Updated

At Ear Worthy, we believe that independent podcasts are the core of podcasting, as they are creative, fresh, unique, and experimental. At Ear Worthy, we define independent “indie” podcasts as those produced by an individual without support from large podcast networks, such as Spotify, iHeart, Wondery, SiriusXM, or major production studios like Sony, Tenderfoot TV, or Warner Music. Indie podcasts can belong to a small podcast network, be developed by a non-profit organization, a museum, or a quasi-governmental agency.

To support independent (indie) podcasters, we have compiled a comprehensive list of the Best Independent Podcasts 2026. This list was developed based on our previous reviews, recommendations from other indie podcasters, and readers like yourself.

There will be an updated entry for new indie podcasts that deserve a listen, and for any on the list that have milestones in content, structural changes, and achievements.

THIS IS AN UPDATE TO THIS LIST, DATED MAY 7, 2026

BEST TRUE-CRIME PODCASTS

The Murder Sheet podcast has released over 700 episodes and won several awards, including the Ear Worthy Award in 2024 for Best True-Crime Podcast. The co-hosts, Áine Cain and Kevin Greenlee, are true investigators, not commentators and pundits. Check out the Burger King murder episodes.

Familicide is a one-hour weekly true-crime podcast that features the epidemic horror: murder within the family. The show’s co-hosts, Sam Mettler and Amy Chesler, don’t sensationalize; they contextualize. Check out the episodes on Chesler’s mother being murdered by her brother.

The First Degree, hosted by Alexis Linkletter and Jac Vanek, takes audiences beyond the headlines and into the lives of people directly impacted by crime, the friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers forever changed. The show delivers sharp reporting, first-person storytelling, and candid conversations that expose both the shocking details and the lasting ripple effects of violence. It’s a true-crime podcast that is several degrees better than most.

BEST SPORTS PODCASTS

Keep the Flame Alive isn’t just an Olympics recap show. It’s a deep dive into the athletes, sports, and spectacle of the movement. While others focus solely on medal counts, Jill and Alison explore the cultural mechanics of the Games, from the physics of the luge track to the complexities of host city infrastructure.

What’s The Call? covers major tennis and sporting events across the world from a female perspective often missing in mainstream media, the show is hosted by Theodora Petalas, a London-based sports and entertainment strategy consultant, and Andrea Jimenez, who is completing her PhD in psychology. The show brings together two life-long sports fans with industry expertise, psychological insight, and authentic enthusiasm for one of the most watched sports.

Sportly, with host Kavitha A. Davidson, asks the question: When is a sports podcast not a sports podcast? When the podcast doesn’t cover what’s happening when and where the sport is played, but focuses on how the sport began, gained popularity, and its impact on our society and culture. Check out the episode on the family that invented pickleball. Now you know who to blame for that incessant THWACK sound.

Ross Tucker Football Podcast — broadcasts throughout the year with reviews of the NFL draft by position, forecasts about the upcoming season, and guest interviews that sparkle. Tucker’s ace in the hole is ESPN’s NFL Matchup producer and analyst Greg Cosell, who excels at teaching listeners/viewers the Xs and Os of football. Do yoy know what a 13 formation is? Find it on this show.

The Right Time with Bomani Jones — Jones, known for his insightful commentary, blends sharp, humorous, and critical analysis of sports, pop culture, and social issues, with current events, cultural trends, and sports news. It’s refreshing to have a sports host who can connect the sports world to the real world with insight and clarity.

BEST POLITICAL PODCASTS

Congressional Dish is a podcast that, since 2012, has been aiming to draw attention to where the American people truly have power: Congress. From the perspective of a fed-up taxpayer with no allegiance to any political party, Jennifer Briney will fill you in on the must-know information about what our representatives do AFTER the elections and how their actions can and do affect our day-to-day lives.

The Purple Principle is a podcast seeking political middle ground in the U.S. The podcast interviews media experts, political scientists, neuro and social psychologists, social media experts, comedians, artists, and legislators to get a broad perspective on how we got so partisan in the U.S. and what can possibly be done to help. Host Robert Pease asks, “If our red and blue factions can blend into a healthier shade of purple?”

Left Right & Center is billed as a “civilized yet provocative antidote to the self-contained opinion bubbles that dominate political debate.” The show’s format is devilishly simple. The moderator is the moderate, or center. There is a conservative voice and a progressive voice. They typically discuss three topics. Get out of your echo chamber and try this show!

Open To Debate is a platform for intellectually curious and open-minded people to engage with others holding opposing views on complex issues. Open to Debate addresses a fundamental problem in America, the extreme polarization of our nation and our politics. No yelling, no lying, just a debate with rules.

Face-Off, hosted by Jane Perlez, is the award-winning podcast about the relationship between China and the U.S., giving listeners an inside look at the turbulent relationship between the world’s two superpowers, the two men in charge, and the vital issues that affect us all. Check out an underreported story on sports diplomacy; Chinese warships in a fight on the high seas; why an American influencer is going viral in China, and the power broker playing both sides of the AI revolution.

Shifting Terrain, with host Rachel Rybaczuk, can be explained this way: “We explore race and class in politics, beyond the simplistic stereotypes in the news, and between election cycles.” The show dares to question whether the admin assistant from Manhattan and the dollar store retail clerk in rural Iowa are both working class. The sign of a great podcast is that it’s more interested in asking the right questions than finding oversimplified answers.

BEST BUSINESS PODCASTS

Honey & Hustle is a video podcast from Angela Holowell sharing stories from North Carolina’s creators, entrepreneurs, nonprofit founders, and startups. This show is about how to create a sustainable business, while the prevailing narrative around successful entrepreneurship tells you to scale fast, raise money, and plan for an exit. There’s a better way to build businesses, create meaningful work, and have a positive impact in your community.

The Not Boring, Boring Bookkeeping and Small Business Podcast explores the human side of bookkeeping and business. The show’s creator/host, Paul Rosenblum, is a New York-based bookkeeper with over 30 years of experience and decades teaching QuickBooks. This podcast is for bookkeepers and small business owners who know business is about more than just numbers.

Organized Money, with co-hosts Matt Stoller and David Dayen, is a podcast about how the business world really works, and how corporate consolidation and monopolies are dominating every sector of our economy. Want to know how Big Business and the Elites are screwing the average citizen? Go here.

The Scientista Podcast, hosted by Dr. Sweta Chakraborty and Monica Medina, spotlights women (and allies!) reshaping business, politics, and culture. This show offers candid conversations with changemakers and thought leaders from around the world, focusing on successful women in science who serve as role models for women just entering STEM programs.

High Notes, from creator/host voice actor and BRAVA CEO Melissa Thom, features conversations on the art and business of voice. From Mongolian throat singing to vocal health, accents, gaming, and more, the show uncovers the craft behind the business, and a show about voiceover acting on an audio podcast is the perfect fit. Check out the episode on how voice actors are cast for Pixar films.

Beef, hosted by Bridget Todd, serves up the juiciest rivalries you’ve never heard of.” Beef is an example of how blending genres (business + pop culture) can offer listeners a banquet of business cautionary tales and a pop culture brew of humor, wit, and wisdom. Check out the episode on the Playboy / Penthouse rivalry.

BEST HUMOR PODCASTS

Austen After Dark is the literary sex history comedy podcast that asks: What were Jane Austen characters like in bed? From Pride And Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility to Northanger Abbey, we go between the sheets with Dr. Alice Nagle and a host of celebrity guests to uncover more.

No Such Thing As A Fish proves that there is still a receptive audience for narrative, informational, and hilariously funny indie podcasts. Each week, the four co-hosts share their favorite facts, often bizarre or obscure, that they’ve encountered during their research. It’s one of those rare shows where you can learn something and have a blast while you’re doing that.

Another F*cking Horror Podcast combines true crime and paranormal stories with comedy to create a unique listening experience. Each week, co-hosts Monique Sanchez and Amy Traydon deliver a fun and expletive-filled spin on lesser-known true tales of murder, mayhem, and things that will leave you saying, “what the actual f*ck?”

Nobody Listens To Paula Poundstone?, with Paula Poundstone, Bonnie Burns, Adam Felber, and Toni Anita Hull, invites listeners into the audience of this absolutely ludicrous variety show, “if they can follow along…or not.” It’s a podcast that captures the fun of a late-night show, the wit of a public radio show, and the knowledge of guest experts, all while cranking the volume to max.

Dead and Kind of Famous, by creators and co-hosts Courtney Blomquist and Marissa Rivera, has merged fame with anonymity and unshackled celebrity from legacy. The podcast features two friends who dive into the life stories of dead folks who enjoyed a touch of fame in their time and now reside permanently in Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Check out the episodes on Baron Clement von Franckenstein and Toto the Dog.

BEST HEALTH & WELLNESS PODCASTS

A Zen Mind Guided Meditations (AZM), hosted by Jo Rose, is a podcast offering gentle, accessible guided meditations to help listeners find peace, clarity, and self-compassion.

Everyone Gets a Juice Box: For Parents of Neurodivergent Kids is a relatively new podcast that began in December 2025. The show features conversations with parents, educators, doctors, and specialists to provide support and actionable advice. The goal is to help parents feel seen, supported, and less alone by fostering a community that shares “the tea” (the struggles) and “the juice” (the joys and wins).

Salad With a Side of Fries, a podcast hosted by Jenn Trepeck, can best be described as wellness without the weirdness. The show clears up myths, misinformation, bad science, and slick marketing surrounding our nutrition knowledge and the food/diet industry, and lives up to its promise to answer real-life questions about wellness and weight loss, including drinking, eating out, and skipping the grocery store. Check out the short Nutrition Nugget episodes.

Ditch The Labcoat breaks down medical myths with real stories, challenges, and triumphs from leading experts. Whether you’re passionate about cancer research podcasts, best research podcasts, or want to hear from insiders in an accessible way, host Dr. Mark Bonta fosters a deeper connection between medical professionals and listeners. Dr. Bonta takes the time and intellectual energy to consider various sides of a medical issue.

Getting Personal With Plant Medicine, by creator/host Diana-Ashley Krach, discusses the science of using plants medicinally in our daily health regimen and helps listeners discover the remarkable healing power of earth and plant medicine.

Mayo Clinic On Nutrition Podcast, hosted by Lead Mayo Clinic Dietitian Tara Schmidt, helps listeners unravel the complexities of modern diets, offers evidence-based nutritional advice, and debunks common myths about what we eat. Explore topics like weight management and innovative nutritional therapies, and learn how to make the best, most informed nutrition choices. Check out the show about being a vegan, where questions such as: Is veganism automatically healthier just because it’s plant-based? What do people need to know before they make the whole food switch?

An Arm and a Leg, from creator/host Dan Weissmann, can make you a more informed consumer of health care, provide you with tools to battle bottom-line-centric health care insurance companies, and help you understand the complexities of trying to stay both healthy and financially secure in a system where the two are often exclusive of one another. The show asks: Why is health care expensive? So far, no one has a satisfactory answer.

BEST HISTORY PODCASTS

Pastmaster stretches its historical thematic hypothesis to its breaking point, making for a rousing, informative, whimsical, sometimes absurd, and often bizarre show that blends AI with game theory, historical context, and the banality of modern humanity. We are asked to join our hosts Ryan, Tan, and Keon in PastMaster — the time-travelling, history-bending, role-playing show.

America: A History stands alone as the only show that connects the U.S.’s past, present, and future, helping listeners make sense of the nation’s complex and compelling story. Because creator/host Liam Hefferna is a Brit, that distance gives the show more objectivity, bludgeoning U.S. historical propaganda. You’ll love the brazenly patriotic music, the cheeky tone, and the historical research.

Trapped History, with co-hosts Carla O’Shaughnessy and Oswin Baker, has a distinct take on history, explaining that “History is how we think about the past. It’s how we speak of it. And the way we speak of it today will be different from the way people spoke of it a century ago and from the way people will speak of it in a hundred years’ time.” Check out the episode about Grete and Milena in the Ravensbrück concentration Camp.

Echoes in the First Person, by creator/host Michael Washington Brown, reclaims history’s unspoken truths — through vivid soundscapes, careful storytelling, and voices once pushed to the margins. What we share is drawn from lived experience, cultural memory, and historical research, shaped by empathy and artistic license. The echoes are real, even when the dialogue is imagined.

What’s Ray Saying, by creator/host Ray Christian, takes a deeper view into Black life in America by examining the intersection of history, narrative, and experience. Check out the episode on “Black American Naming Practices,” when Ray explains how Africans brought over on slave ships were given English names and expected to use them despite not knowing the language. When railroads dominated transportation, Black porters in Pullman cars were all called George, a sobriquet for George Pullman, the company’s owner.

Byte Sized Biographies, by creator/host Philip Gibbons, has a complete title, which is “Some Very Famous People You’ve Never Really Heard of, the Famous, the Infamous and the Quirky in Less Than An Hour.” Check out the episodes on Alexander Hamilton, Edgar Allan Poe, and Amelia Earhart.

’Tis But A Scratch: Fact and Fiction About the Middle Ages, from Richard Abels, who is a highly capable tour guide with 35 years of teaching knowledge and experience stored in his brain that is fighting to reach out to his listeners. Check out the episode about the historical basis for the legend of Robin Hood.

Tracing The Path: The Connected 20th Century is a history podcast hosted by Dan R Morris that explores surprising, hidden connections between 20th-century events, pop culture, and inventions. It features monthly, in-depth storytelling focusing on how, for example, the 1967 Space Treaty links to modern events.

BEST SCIENCE PODCASTS

Nice Genes! host Dr. Kaylee Byers guides listeners through fascinating conversations about the what, the why, and the how of genomics. The show is surprisingly fun, as opposed to dryly academic and tediously pedantic. The topics are also relevant to everyday life, and not microscopic minutiae.

Science Magazine Podcast -- Each week on the Science Podcast, host Sarah Crespi delves into the latest scientific discoveries with researchers and news writers from around the globe. The podcast is designed like a print magazine, with each episode containing several distinct stories.

The Quantum Kid can be best described by this quote: “My name is Katia Moskvitch, MPhil, and I’m a science communicator and a theoretical physicist. I host the podcast, The Quantum Kid, with my nine-year-old son, Kai.” Mother and son make for a fascinating hosting team; the topic of quantum computing, while seemingly arcane, is discussed in a way a child could comprehend its principles, and the interviews with academics are lively and fun.

TIL Climate, hosted by Laur Hesse Fisher and produced by M.I.T., positions itself perfectly, breaking down the science, technologies, and policies behind climate change, its impact on us, and what we can do about it. Each quick episode gives you the what, why, and how on climate change — from real scientists — to help us make informed decisions for our future. check out the episode on the benefits of nuclear power, and a conclusion that a power management system should incorporate a combination of renewable and nuclear power.

A Matter Of Degrees, hosted by Dr. Leah Stokes and Dr. Katharine Wilkinson, takes a unique viewpoint: “To take meaningful action on climate change, we need to reckon with our emotions — guilt, fear, anger, whatever they may be. We think it’s most important to work for policy and political progress. Let’s focus on collectively achieving structural change.” Dr. Stokes and Dr. Wilkinson are not wonky science types who speak in code like they’re giving a lecture. Instead, these two academics speak from the heart and target their message toward the “climate curious.” Their goal is not to convince those nine percent of climate deniers.

Normal Curves, by Professors Regina Nuzzo and Kristin Sainani, is a podcast about sexy science & serious statistics. Statistical topics in the show include the reproducibility crisis in psychology, sample size, selection bias, winner’s curse, Cohen’s d standardized effect size, adversarial collaboration, meta-analysis, preregistration, publication bias, and statistical moderators.

Big Picture Science, with hosts Seth Shostak and Molly Bentley, exposes junk science, highlights new scientific discoveries, and finds the science in everyday life. It is produced by the SETI Institute. Check out the episode, “For The Birds,” where we hear about migratory birds that travel thousands of miles in a display of endurance that would make an Olympic athlete gasp.

Taboo Science, by creator/host Ashley Hamer, is a podcast that answers the questions you’re not allowed to ask. Every episode dives into a different societal taboo to understand the science that makes it tick, the reasons we don’t talk about it, and its impact on society at large. Check out the show’s miniseries on the weird and colorful world of kinks and fetishes.

The Rest Is Science is a science podcast hosted by mathematician Professor Hannah Fry and YouTuber Michael Stevens (Vsauce) that falls into that second, more amorous category. The show, produced by Goalhanger, explores big scientific questions twice a week, with a main episode diving deep into a single topic and a second “Field Notes” episode focusing on a single object’s journey through scientific ideas. Yet the superb co-hosts aren’t immune to injecting humor into the proceedings.

BEST INTERVIEW PODCASTS

Stories and Strategies is the podcast for public relations and communications professionals who want substance, not slogans. It is a podcast that breaks down what’s actually shaping modern Public Relations (PR), the changing media landscape, measurement that goes beyond dashboards, leadership realities, behavioral science, and the ethical principles that keep persuasion honest.

Masala Podcast smashes convention, the patriarchy, women’s roles in society, and is unafraid of dissolving the tropes we live by. This multi-award-winning South Asian feminist podcast is all about cultural taboos. Everything from sex, sexuality, periods, menopause, porn, mental health, shame, sexual harassment, and more.

5 Random Questions podcast with creator/host Danny Brown uses a random question generator to come up with five unpredictable, thought-provoking, and sometimes downright hilarious questions for the episode’s guest. No topic is off-limits as Danny and his guests dive into their answers, sparking lively discussions filled with laughter, surprises, and occasional deep insights.

Better Call Daddy is a podcast for people who love stories. In each episode, creator/host Reena Friedman Watts interviews a person of interest, and her father will chime in with his words of wisdom, re-kindling the importance of family in our society as a cohesive force. Watts is the consummate interviewer.

The Art of Kindness bills itself as “A positively star-studded podcast that converses with and celebrates artists from all areas of the entertainment industry (Film, TV, Broadway, etc.) who use their platform to make the world a better place. In every episode, creator/host Robert Peterpaul elicits tales from Broadway people and celebrities about how they sprinkle kindness throughout their world. Peterpaul always asks each guest, “What does kindness mean to you?”

Relationscapes with creator/host Blair Hodges is a journey through the terrain of human identity and connection. Each episode features an interview with a best-selling author whose work helps us understand family, friendship, gender, sexuality, race, and more. The show has tackled issues that include being in a cult, being a transsexual as a Mormon, finding happiness in single life, busting myths about only children, and interracial adoption.

Kelly Corrigan Wonders, creator/host Kelly Corrigan, is a show for people who like to laugh while they think and who find it helpful to look closely at ourselves and our weird ways in the hopes that knowing more and feeling more will help us do more and be better. Check out the five-part Rupture and Repair series.

CooperTalk, with creator/ host Steve Cooper, has welcomed hundreds of actors and musicians over his 1,000+ episodes, Penelope Ann Miller, who played Nancy Reagan in the recently released film, Reagan, Greg Grunberg from Felicity, Heroes, and Star Wars, Tom Arnold from True Lies, Anson Williams from Happy Days, Jill Whelan from The Love Boat, Tommy Chong from Cheech & Chong, and David Duchovny from The X Files.

BEST LIFE LESSONS PODCASTS

Grief and Light podcast explores grief, loss, and life in the “after” openly, authentically. Creator/host Nina Rodriguez says: “Our mission is to foster a grief-informed world, give a voice to the nuanced human experience of grief, and light the way for other grievers to feel hope as they navigate this reality.” When the loss is profound, grief is not an emotion that easily fades away. It can remain for months, years, or a lifetime. Nina Rodriguez can help.

The Life Shift podcast, with creator/host Matt Gilhooly, highlights life-altering moments and humanizes the struggles and triumphs that come with them. Matt Gilhooly usurps our sense of helplessness and hopelessness every episode, narrating tales of people who have battled humanity’s worst demons, the worst cards that life could deal us, and the dire circumstances not under their control. This award-winning podcast can act as a cautionary tale, an inspirational narrative, and a pathway to growth.

Multispective, by creator/host Jennica Sadhwani, is a podcast that shares stories of triumph through tribulations. Guests from all over the world share their life experiences, providing their perspective on society and culture today. The show prides itself on the premise that “No story is one-sided, no two journeys are the same, and people’s lives are never as they seem.” The show has dealt with surviving a high school shooting, dealing with bipolar disorder, being a cult survivor, and a woman who suffered female genital mutilation at six years old.

Walk And Roll Live — Disability Stories, from creator/host Doug Vincent with co-host Addie Rich, is dedicated to amplifying the voices of the disability community by sharing real, raw, and inspiring stories of resilience, advocacy, and independence. Our mission is to educate, empower, and connect individuals of all abilities by fostering a deeper understanding of the challenges and triumphs within the disability experience. Check out the show about Shawn Fluke, who went from winter athlete to quadriplegic after a snowmobiling accident.

The Road to Rediscovery is hosted by creator Aubrey Johnson, who aims to inspire listeners struggling through dark times — letting them know they’re not alone. Johnson hopes listeners will hear something relatable in his guests’ insights, something that resonates with them and their current struggles. If you need inspiration, motivation, or direction, check out this show.

The Secret Life Of T.K. Dutes is a fascinating journey into our inner voice, our self-critic, our biased assumptions, and our secrets. The show blurs the line between personal essay and sound documentary. The show combines memoir, journalism, and experimental audio for an intimate listening experience.

Arielle and Ned’s Daily Tips That May Or May Not Help You, from Arielle Nissenblatt and Ned Donovan, covers various aspects of life to make it easier and more fun, from personal hygiene and car maintenance to uncovering the best music gems and mastering the art of waking up early. Every morning before school or work, you can get a daily dose of tips, laughter, and unexpected discoveries.

Root to Resilience is an award-winning podcast by Anupa Devi, where she nurtures listeners’ roots and helps them grow into their strongest self. This podcast dives into practical tips, insightful conversations, and personal stories designed to empower listeners to find balance and resilience in today’s fast-paced world.

BEST MOVIE PODCASTS

Verbal Diorama, from creator/host Em, is more of a film-history show than a movie review. Em notes: “I’m here to celebrate movies. Their history and legacy, and why they remain so special to so many of us.” Some of her best shows include Hidden Figures, The Wizard of Oz, and Raiders Of The Lost Ark. Em also finds a way to connect actor Keanu Reeves, her man crush, to the movie covered in every episode. Em has also co-created the Independent Podcast Awards in the U.K., something still not accomplished in the U.S.

Always On Film is the warm, conversational podcast for film lovers you’ve been looking for. Hosted by three friends – Immi, Kitty, and Lou – in their early twenties, you’ll hear their take on a full spectrum of films: from classic to contemporary cinema, indie gems to major studio productions, hidden treasures to the latest studio releases.

SpyHards is a weekly film podcast decoding classic spy cinema, Hosts Scott Hardy and Cam Smith assume the roles of Agent Scott & Cam the Provocateur. These agents (Hosts) regularly tackle iconic espionage titles, unearthing the hidden gems, forgotten flops and secret connections between the biggest names in spy cinema. High-profile episodes include Denise Richards, Shane Black, Jacqueline Bisset, Phil Alden Robinson, and Julian Glover.

Review It Yourself (often shortened to RIY) is a U.K.-based show hosted by Sean and Sarah that offers film and TV reviews, usually with a focus on being “eternally unimpressed,” featuring witty banter, deep dives into pop culture, and themed episodes, including special series like Defend It Yourself with guest podcasters.

From Beneath The Hollywood Sign is a superb entertainment podcast that features splendid film analysis and criticism, riveting biographies of movie stars, and carefully researched narratives. Co-hosts and creators Steve Cubine and Nan McNamara serve up stories about classic movie stars and recommendations for classic films you’ve probably not seen. The show is an alluring narrative of a Hollywood now gone but not to be forgotten. Check out the episode on Eleanor Parker, one of the greatest classic actors you’ve probably never heard of.

Every Single Sci-Fi Film Ever, with creator/host Ayesha Khan, is an award-winning show that looks back on more than a century of science fiction films, from 1902 to the future. Each episode focuses on a film, director, or theme and brings in experts to discuss its history, politics, and influences. Each episode situates the film within the context of its time, society, and people. Check out the episodes on Invasion of the Body Snatchers and The Thing From Outer Space.

Dillon On Film showcases film analysis and criticism, which is where Simon Dillon separates himself from the rest of the sled dogs. Cursory observations about the film and overgeneralizations don’t sit well with Simon Dillon. His film reviews are comprehensive, compelling, and complete. There’s no film criticism boiled down into a score for Simon Dillon. The host of the podcast is the brilliant Michael Kenny, who Dillon insists “ensures I don’t waffle too much and keeps me on a leash.”

Stars of the Golden Age, with creator/host Erin Carlson, highlights the lives of legends from film, music, and the birth of television during Hollywood’s Golden Age and the years that followed. Carlson focuses more on the star’s personal life than their acting career. Check out the show about Robert Mitchum, who was decidedly one of the unlikeliest people to become a movie star. During Women’s History Month, Carlson shared superb tales of three trailblazing women — Mary Pickford, Ida Lupino, and Lucille Ball.

What Went Wrong, by creator/hosts Lizzie Bassett and Chris Winterbauer, is a podcast that explores the behind-the-scenes of Hollywood’s most disastrous movie productions. Each episode, the hosts examine a new film to explore the reasons why making a movie is nearly impossible. Check out their episodes on Aliens, Jaws, and The Princess Bride.

BEST MUSIC PODCASTS

The Groove Radio, created and hosted by radio DJ Suzy Chase, focuses on curating soul, R&B, and yacht rock playlists, offering themed mixtapes and deeper dives into music that scores life’s moments, featuring guest artists and personal stories, aiming to provide good soul music often missed on mainstream radio. Don’t miss TGR Unplugged, celebrating the show’s 20th anniversary, a limited series of nine songs/nine stories that looks back at how music found us before the algorithm, before listening became something optimized rather than felt.

Soundtrack Your Life, with co-hosts Nicole Barlow and Ryan Pak, takes a look at a specific soundtrack each episode. Whether it be a song, a band, or a connection to a specific scene, they discuss personal connections to the soundtrack with a guest. The co-hosts excel at dissecting these movie soundtracks, interviewing guests, and deriving cultural insights from the soundtrack music. Check out the Guardians Of The Galaxy episode.

The Secret Life Of Songs features creator/host Anthony Jackson’s unique style, deftly weaving fine-grained musical analysis, historical context, and philosophical reflection with his own impassioned recreations of the music to produce embodied, thoroughly grounded, and deeply personal insights into these wonderful songs. Check out the episodes on ABBA and Sly & The Family Stone.

A History Of Rock Music In 500 Songs, with creator/host Andrew Hickey, reviews popular music from 1938 until 1999. If you want a thumbnail sketch of popular music, its iconic songs and influential artists, this podcast is not for you. Hickey immerses you in each song and the artist who recorded the tune. Episodes can run for longer than two hours. Hickey doesn’t skim; he dives deep, and it shows. Check out Good Vibrations by the Beach Boys, Respect by Aretha Franklin, and For What It’s Worth by Buffalo Springfield.

Behind The Song, hosted by Chicago DJ Janda Lane, digs deep into the lyrics of classic rock songs and the storytellers who created them. Lane is an exceptional narrator, infusing her tale with drama, pathos, and a respect for the creative process. Check out the episode about Mr. Blue Sky by ELO.

Sticky Notes, from creator/host Joshua Weilerstein, is a classical music podcast for everyone. Whether you are a beginner just looking to get into classical music but don’t know where to start, or a seasoned musician interested in the lives and ideas of your fellow artists, this podcast is for you. The podcast features interviews with today’s top artists, in-depth looks at specific pieces from the repertoire, deep dives into each era of classical music, and much more. Cue the violins!

BEST FOOD & BEVERAGE PODCASTS

The Wine Pair Podcast is a husband-and-wife show that makes wine approachable, funny, and honest. Each week, Joe and Carmela taste and rate two to three wines around a theme and share what they learn in plain language. They buy every bottle themselves and accept no sponsorships, keeping their reviews completely unbiased, honest, and entertaining. The show blends wine assessment with a hint of marital bliss and notes of whimsy and fun.

The Best 5 Minute Wine Podcast, with creator/host Forrest Kelly, takes you on a whirlwind journey through the world’s most enchanting wineries. The show’s structure revolves around interviews with wineries, wine business professionals, and sommeliers from around the world. Kelly has interviewed people from wineries as far away as Rome and as close as Virginia.

The “Fine” Dining podcast, by creator/host Michael Ornelas, has a fascinating premise. “The search for the most mediocre chain restaurant in America.” Ornelas hits popular spots like IHOP, Texas Roadhouse, & Chili’s to find the perfectly average 5-out-of-10 fine dining experience. You can play this one straight like a New York Times food critic or for laughs. Ornelas plays it for the comedy and irony. Check out the episode on California Pizza Kitchen.

BEST LIFESTYLE PODCASTS

Crow’s Feet: Life As We Age is one of the best podcasts about aging in the audioverse. The show produces two episodes each month, with topics ranging from elder scams to research on the impact of longer lives on civil society. The show conveys that being old does not mean being irrelevant.

Speaking of Psychology, with host Kim Mills, highlights the latest, most important, and most relevant psychological research being conducted today. Produced by the American Psychological Association, these episodes aim to help listeners apply the science of psychology to their everyday lives. Check out the episode on raising grateful kids.

Big Brains is an award-winning podcast that features stories about the pioneering research and pivotal breakthroughs by scholars at the University of Chicago and leading universities across the country. Recent episodes to sample include the benefits of music, the health costs of air pollution, addressing societal and economic inequality, the importance of gut health, and how home ownership shaped race in America.

Something You Should Know, by creator/host Mike Carruthers, tackles psychological topics almost every week, including regret, the unconscious mind, the psychology of crowds, and solitude versus loneliness. Each episode discusses two topics, usually with authors marketing their latest book. Topics of note this year include why humility is a superpower, how our brains experience taste, the two keys to your happiness, and human biases that shape our thinking.

Hidden Brain, by Creator/host Shankar Vedantam, may be the gold standard for excellence in podcasts on psychology. Some aspects of the hidden brain involve mental shortcuts or heuristics; others involve errors in how memory and attention work. Some deal with social dynamics and relationships. Episodes that stand out include the benefits of mixed emotions, befriending our inner voice, the curious science of cravings, and where feelings come from.

BEST ANIMAL/NATURE PODCASTS

Plant Connection Podcast can be described: “I’m your host, Lisa Cutshaw, a landscape architect and erstwhile plant ecologist — nature lover, farmer, hiker, seeker — and if you’re interested in exploring ways to deepen your relationship with nature and explore the many benefits that come with it, you are in the right place.” Lisa explores how plants, trees, and nature’s wisdom can help you restore a sense of peace and connection.

6 Degrees of Cats, with creator/host Amanda B, AKA Captain Kitty, is the internet’s only cat-themed culture, history, and science podcast. A genre-blending podcast that explores the hidden connections between cats and human culture. Each nine-episode season, this award-winning podcast weaves together science, history, and storytelling — always with a feline twist. Check out the episodes with Egyptologist Dr. Salima Ikram, and International Spy Museum historian and curator Dr. Andrew Hammond.

Underfoot is an investigative podcast from the Brooklyn nonprofit Flatbush Cats, uncovering how New York City’s cat overpopulation crisis became a symptom of larger urban failures — in housing, affordability, and access to care. Hosted by Flatbush Cats founder Will Zweigart and producer Virginia Marshall, the show blends field reporting and narrative storytelling — offering an intimate look at how one of the city’s smallest residents reveals so much about its biggest cracks.

Tails And Tassels creator/host Gemma Smith describes her show like this: “Hello, kitty cats! Welcome to Tails and Tassels. In this podcast, you’ll dive into the world of burlesque and nightlife performers — their craft, their cats, and how these two worlds collide.” Even if you do not like cats, have never watched Dancing With The Stars, and do not know about burlesque, this podcast is still ear-worthy for one reason — Gemma Smith, the host, is an uncut gem. She’s terrific squared.

That’s Just Wild. Each week, the hosts — Steve Backshall, Lizzie Daly, and Sarah Roberts — share their extensive knowledge of the animal kingdom, gathered through their superlative first-hand stories — from surviving in the Arctic to diving the bluest seas — offering an irresistible sense of wonder. The show brilliantly celebrates the raw power and sheer absurdity of the natural world. It is first-hand storytelling and packed with awe, laughs, and discovery.

BEST PODCASTING PODCASTS

Podnews Weekly Review, hosted by James Cridland and Sam Sethi, reviews the week’s top stories from Podnews and interviews some of the biggest names making the news from across the podcast industry. These two men are the braintrust of the podcasting industry. Podnews Daily is the daily news source that is pre-eminent in the industry.

Creators by TrueFans is a podcast from TrueFans.fm that spotlights independent podcast creators and music artists, offering them increased visibility and a platform to connect with their fans. Hosted by Sam Sethi and Claire Waite Brown, the weekly show features a new creator, discusses platform updates for monetization and discovery, and explores trends in the podcasting and music industries.

Podcast Network Insights: Understanding the Business of Podcast Networks is a podcast by Greg Wasserman that explores how, why, and in what ways podcast networks operate. Launched in March 2026, it features interviews with founders and operators about monetization, strategy, and industry changes.

Your Mic with creator/host Freddy Cruz offers insights, tactics, and mindset strategies. Each episode features practical advice to help listeners build and grow a top 1% podcast. Check out the episode with Michael Osborne of the Famous & Gravy podcast as he recounts how his indie podcast caught the attention of podcast giant Wondery and is now safely ensconced inside the Amazon umbrella.

Podcasting Tech, by creator/host Mathew Passy, can be a valuable tool for both aspirational and experienced podcasters looking to upgrade their shows. If you’re a podcast listener, the show has value because of Passy’s intuitive sense of podcast content and podcasting tech trends.

Into The Podverse, by creator/host Tony Onwuchekw, delves into the latest releases, industry news, and emerging trends, also offering a comprehensive view of the podcasting world from a Nigerian and African standpoint.

One Minute Podcast Tips is designed for people who want to be better podcasters. Creator/Host Danny Brown makes good on his promise to help people “be a better podcaster in just a minute a week.” Brown’s brief discussions range from the best audio editing software for beginners to topics for experienced podcasters, such as using a shock mount for your microphone.

BEST LIMITED SERIES PODCASTS

Abandoned:All-American Ruins is a fantastical multimedia travelog in which creator/host Blake Pfeil recounts his experiences exploring abandoned spaces through multimodal storytelling. In effect, this show explores abandoned spaces across the United States.

Promenade is one of the most creatively vibrant, audio-intensive, and narratively brilliant shows generated by an independent podcast. It is a constellation of memories, bringing listeners on a journey around the world to share in the simple, poignant and remarkable recollections we gather throughout our lives; from a modern-day rooftop in New York to 1930s Budapest, each episode serves as a musing on nostalgia, beauty and the bittersweetness of the everyday.

Palestinians in Paraguay is a four-part investigative documentary podcast uncovering one of the most extraordinary, and until now, largely buried, chapters in Palestinian history: Israel’s documented 1969 plan to secretly transfer 60,000 Palestinians from Gaza to Paraguay. Follow along as he talks to the only living deportee willing to speak publicly.

The Obit Project is a new podcast from Jad Abumrad (founder of Radiolab and creator of Dolly Parton’s America and Fela Kuti: Fear No Man) and University of Montana Journalism Professor Jule Banville (An Absurd Result podcast), who teamed up to help journalists make a new kind of obituary (obit), through sound.

Alone: A Love Story is an award-winning CBC podcast and audio memoir by Michelle Parise that chronicles the breakdown of her marriage due to an affair, subsequent divorce, and navigating life as a 40-year-old single mother. Known for its candid, intimate storytelling, it explores loneliness, heartbreak, and dating.

Everybody Knows But Me unpacks family secrets and the messy, emotional truth of who the people you love really are. When she was just 17, Holly Brown’s father was dying of cancer. It looked like life couldn’t get more traumatic, until her dad dropped a bombshell….or two bombshells, really: twin brothers that her entire family kept secret. She was the only one who didn’t know they existed. Holly was left with more questions than answers and wasn’t ready to meet the two boys who never knew their father… until now.

Floating Space by Katie Stokes has won numerous awards for this six-episode show (coupled with live shows) and rightfully so. Katie’s work explores mental health, social relationships, and identity, and as such, she begins the podcast by asking, “Do you know what a third place is?” Katie then posits that we are meant to have three places in our lives. Home, work, and a third place where you belong. In the show, Katie asks, “What happens when the place you live becomes the place where you work?” This existential travelogue is endemic of the isolated work created by independent podcasters.

Desi Dreamers, with creator/host Nikhita Nachiappan, is a six-part podcast that transports listeners into the aspirational mindscapes of British South Asian trailblazers and visionaries. From photographers and DJs to beauty creators and cultural producers, each episode explores identity, creativity, and the complex realities of navigating life as a young South Asian in the UK. It’s not just a podcast about culture — it’s about the power of dreaming boldly, despite systems that often expect silence or assimilation.

The Shadow Of Hope podcast, by creator/host Karen Ann Coburn, explores the history of a religious cult — the People of Hope, a Catholic Covenant Community. At its peak in the 1980s, the People of Hope would take over a parish, clash with the residents of Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, and build the suburban equivalent of a compound.

CRAMPED, by creator/host Kate Helen Downey, is one nerd’s quest to Understand Period Pain. It pulls back the curtain on one of the medical world’s most dismissed mysteries: why do we know so little about period pain? In 10 episodes, Downey goes on a deeply personal, often hilarious, and hopeful quest to uncover why period pain has been dismissed for so long — and what it will take to fix it.

Un(con)Trolled, by creator/host Kimberly Reneee, is a raw, gripping, award-winning tale of social media influencer, Kenah, who has mastered the art of uncovering her Internet trolls’ darkest secrets and exacting her own brand of karmic justice. As her journey twists between unsettling encounters and mental manipulation, the line between control and chaos blurs, raising one chilling question: who is really in control?

UnReality presents short anthology documentaries about truth, lies, facts, fiction, and the unknown. Creator/host Talia Augustidis manipulates sound with tape hiss, plaintive voices from the past, and the mystery of her mother’s tragic death from a fall from a cliff while on a business trip in Majorca.

BEST AUDIO FICTION PODCASTS

Liminal -- The premise is simple, deceptively so. When their brother is trapped in a terrifying dreamscape, Dominic and Caleb risk their minds and their lives to pull him back. The show blends elements of dreams, alternate reality, paranormal forces, and brotherly love into a nightmarish hellscape where nothing seems real, but the stakes are all too real.

Beth’s Spooky Story Time combines psychological terror, supernatural elements, and immersive sound design to create a truly unsettling listening experience. The podcast’s format features self-contained ten-minute, first-person stories. From creepy ghost stories to true tales, these are the perfect scary bedtime stories for grown-ups. Fall asleep to creepy tales narrated by Beth. DO NOT LISTEN to the episode about Cabin 7 if you expect to sleep again!

The Inn At The End Of Things, with creator/host T. Luna Alexander, is designed to help listeners find rest and guide them gently to their dream spaces. Hosted by the Inn’s Keeper, each listener is guided through simple meditations, adventures, and soundscapes. You’ll meet the other residents and guests of the Inn, who share tales gathered from around the world. The show acts as a sonic portal to that half-world between consciousness and sleep.

Metropolis, by Daniel Koch, is a murder mystery in a neon utopia. Here’s the plot summary: While ace reporter Nan Kanally and the rest of the world struggle through post-war poverty, Metropolis has assembled a neon utopia on an icy, distant island. It’s an electronic heaven made possible by a fleet of astonishing autonomous robots.

Silvertongues, by creators Josie Eli Herman and Michael Alan Herman, is a sci-fi audio opera that crackles with action, conflict, questioning reality, time-shifting, and a ferocious battle with linear thinking. What follows is an increasingly twisted investigation as he discovers a brainwashed island.

Josie’s Lonely Hearts Club, from Rachel Music and Maximilian Clark, is a semi-improvised audio drama set in the studio of New Mexico’s third-best romantic advice call-in show. This show is a rule-breaker, a genre mash-up of epic proportions, a half-scripted, half-improv Jekyll-and-Hyde creation, and 30 minutes of all-out fun, genius, humanity exposed, and outrageous exploits in humanity.

BEST ARTS PODCASTS

The Book Imprint podcast, hosted by Rebecca Thandi Norman, explores books that profoundly impacted guests before the age of 25, discussing how these formative reads shaped their lives and perspectives, with recent seasons covering topics from The Copenhagen Trilogy to The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.

Yellow Shelf shares thoughtful short interviews with global authors, and podcast hosts. Its goal is to connect readers, listeners, and storytellers. They’re a creative hub for collaborations and partnerships with global creators.”A “yellow shelf” usually refers to a section in a grocery store with yellow tags, meaning items are on sale, clearance, or nearing expiration, signaling a discount for shoppers.

The Howdy Beans Podcast, hosted by Luke the Human (or “the Elder Bean”), is a pop-culture, nostalgia-driven show exploring movies, TV shows, video games, and books. It focuses on nerdy content, offering in-depth reviews and discussions designed to bring listeners a “nostalgic high.”

Geopats Abroad is a society and culture podcast hosted by long-term serial expat Stephanie Fuccio, featuring candid conversations with international residents about the nuances of daily life, culture, and identity while living abroad. It explores the practical and emotional challenges of living outside one’s home.

Nota Bene co-hosts Benjamin Godsill and Nate Freeman provide entertaining banter and humorous commentary on art world news. If you’re an art world fan, be sure to check them out. If you’re not, enjoy learning about that community, and revel in the biting wit of the co-hosts.

If Books Could Kill focuses on “The airport bestsellers that captured our hearts and ruined our minds,” says co-hosts Peter Shamshiri (a lawyer) and Michael Hobbes (a journalist). The podcast expertly critiques bestselling nonfiction books of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Each episode is dedicated to the discussion of a single book, along with the book’s wider cultural influence. The hosts focus on flawed arguments, misuse of data, factual errors, and drawing unsound conclusions or overgeneralizations.

The Art Career podcast, with creator/host Emily McElwreath, is a space that breaks barriers, where listeners sit in on candid, straightforward conversations with leaders in visual arts, writing, music, theater, and film. Topics include self-development, career trajectories, mental health, social justice, and the artists that have changed our lives.

The Business with Kim Masters, by KCRW, has a format that embodies clean design. First, Masters speaks to “her partner in banter,” Matt Belloni, who is a founding partner of the digital media company Puck News. The second part of the podcast includes an interview with a prominent person (s) in the entertainment industry. Check out the interview with director Christopher Nolan.

Creativity Found, from creator/host Claire Waite Brown, focuses on individuals who have rediscovered or found their creativity as adults. The podcast explores how these individuals re-engaged with their creative passions and the impact it has on their lives. It features interviews with guests from diverse backgrounds who share their personal journeys of overcoming challenges and embracing their creative potential.

BEST CULTURE PODCASTS

1440 Explores is a “sonic encyclopedia for the insatiably curious” produced by the creators of the 1440 daily news digest in collaboration with Rhyme Media. Hosted by 1440 Editor-in-Chief Sony Kassam, the podcast delivers deep dives into fascinating, timely topics, combining history, science, and expert insights.

ReCurrent, hosted by Jaime Roque, explores how culture builds community. For example, in the African American community, the barbershop has long been the hub of communal interaction. The show reminds us of who we were, who we are, and who we should strive to be—masterfully produced by the Getty Museum.

Really?? is a new podcast about cultural memory — the icons and ideas we’ve mythologized and, in the process, might have misread or misunderstood. The first season focuses on the 60s musical group, The Doors. Host Naomi Fry convenes a multi-generational group of musicians, writers, and cultural figures in conversation to rediscover and reconsider The Doors’ cultural legacy in 2025.

The Rejection podcast is not about the experience of the few who slide effortlessly into success. Instead, it’s about the many who deal with rejection after rejection, and roadblocks that turn into mountains. The hosts, Sidney O’Reilly and Terry O’Reilly, highlight “rejections that turn into success, such as how The Supremes went from the “No-Hit Supremes” to the female group with the most #1 songs in history on the Billboard Hot 100.

The Sound Session, with creator/host Gareth Davies, delves into the creative and critical role sound plays in our lives. The show explores the impact of sound on us from both scientific and artistic perspectives. Gareth Davies, each episode features conversations with artists, audio professionals, and thinkers who are shaping the future of sound across media. Check out the first episode, which delves into the enchanting world of audio storytelling, exploring how sound can create emotional depth and immerse listeners, leaving visuals behind.

Impostrix Podcast, by creator/host Whitney Knox Lee, is a platform dedicated to validating and empowering professionals of color navigating imposter syndrome and workplace challenges. Through deep, authentic conversations, this award-winning podcast provides listeners with tools, insights, and affirmations to reclaim their confidence and success on their own terms.

BEST EDUCATION PODCASTS

Teaching through Emotions is an award-winning podcast created and hosted by Betsy Burris, a teacher educator and psychotherapist, and co-hosted by Joe Johnson, a veteran Spanish teacher. The show offers a psychodynamic perspective on education, helping teachers build resilience and find success by sharing real-life stories and practical insights.

ARTS EDUCATORS SAVE THE WORLD, with creator/Host Erica Rosenfeld Halverson, is a weekly podcast that brings successful artists together in conversation with their mentors. These conversations recenter listeners on the importance of creativity and art, acting and dancing, and music as forms of resistance, connection, and reflection. Check out the episode with Lin-Manuel Miranda.

BEST LGBTQIA PODCASTS

Queernecks, hosted by Dash and Beck, is a podcast created by two queer rednecks from Appalachia. Hosted with humor, heart, and cultural insight, the show explores what it means to be queer in rural spaces — and what those experiences can teach about resilience, adaptability, and community. The co-hosts don’t shy away from harsh realities, but we refuse to lose our joy. The show is as much self-care and community care as it is storytelling.

Rigour & Flow with Dr. Tamanda Walker and Aiwan Obinyan is the show where business meets love, and culture meets critique, where Aiwan and Tamanda explore work, identity, queerness, and creativity — with rigour and with flow. “We talk about big things — race, gender, class, power — but we try to do it with humor, honesty, heart, and humility.”

I’m Feeling Queer Today, hosted by Lily Mueller and Claire Florence, is produced by The Future Perfect Project and amplifies LGBTQIA+ youth voices through conversations about queerness at the intersection of disability, neurodivergence, gender, and geography. Topics include a disability justice scholar, a queer business owner adopting a ‘non-binary business model,’ and discussions of queer youth today through vulnerable conversations, interviews, autobiographical writing, original music, and more.

Since U.S. law seems to make no sense anymore, because the highest levels of government break it with impunity every day, I thought I’d learn about the law in Canada. Luckily for me, I stumbled on an indie podcast gem.

Beneath the Law is a Canadian legal podcast hosted by lawyers Stephen Thiele and Gavin Tighe from Gardiner Roberts LLP. It provides frank discussions on and analysis of contentious public legal cases, focusing on the intersection of law, politics, and the social contract.

I like these guys. They’re not Harvey Spector from Suits in attitude, but just as smart about the law.

The show analyzes how courts, politics, and social issues collide and covers diverse legal topics, including the use of the notwithstanding clause, judicial activism, constitutional rights, and high-profile cases such as the arrest of foreign leaders.

We’re told that the hosts, Stephen Thiele and Gavin Tighe, bring over 30 years of experience in the Canadian legal system. You don’t have to be interested exclusively in Canadian law to appreciate the show. The co-hosts provide an excellent primer on law in general. By the way, did you know that it’s against the law to paint any wooden ladders in Alberta?

One of my favorite episodes is the December 9th show about who owns your podcasting voice. In that episode, the attorneys/hosts dive headfirst into the legal gray zone of podcasting, exposing the tangled web of copyright, guest rights, AI risks, and international enforcement.

The hosts explain: “In a world where anyone with a mic and Wi-Fi can become a broadcaster, the legal framework hasn’t caught up…and that’s a problem. From defamation and moral rights to regulating cross-border content, this episode explores how the Wild West of digital media is clashing with legacy laws, and why even the simplest podcast might require a legal contract.”

It’s a sharp, witty, and timely discussion that will leave creators, lawyers, and listeners questioning: just who owns the content we consume and create?

Beneath the Law is well-produced, with excellent sound design, and the show’s producers timestamp the episode topics in the show notes, which is always helpful for listeners. There is no intro music, just the hosts conversing. Thankfully, their preamble is brief, and they jump into the show’s topic quickly. The two lawyers are comfortable in front of the mic and mesh well together. They minimize legal jargon when possible, and they even flash humor on occasion. Does the Canadian Bar Association know about that?

In addition, the episode length is ideal, averaging 30 minutes. Thank goodness, no filibustering on this show!

In another superb episode, the hosts take a social media meme moment and analyze it from a legal perspective. In Cold Play… Legal Hot Mess, the hosts ask: “What happens when a private moment becomes a global spectacle?”

In this episode, the hosts break down the infamous “Coldplay kiss cam” scandal that captivated the internet and derailed two high-profile careers. With sharp legal insight and a touch of dry humor, they explore the complex web of privacy rights, defamation claims, employment law, and the darker side of public voyeurism.

Photo by Tingey Injury Law Firm on Unsplash

Here’s what the hosts say on their website: “Law is at its core the expression of the fundamental framework of any organized society — it is the fine print of the social contract. Courts play a fundamental role in any democracy; getting underneath the surface and beneath the law requires an understanding of not only what courts are doing but why.”

That’s an excellent closing argument for me to recommend Beneath the Law.

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5 Reasons People Still Don’t Listen To Podcasts

In a Podcast Landscape study, with a sample of over 5,000 Americans, weighted to the US Census, 25 percent of adults 18 and older say they have never consumed a podcast in any way, shape, or form.

The same study found that 88 percent of respondents in the last quarter say they’re aware of the term “podcast.” Only 12 percent don’t know the word.

According to Tom Webster of Sounds Profitable, “That says nothing about their ability to access or consume podcasts. It says everything about the bubbles we live in. The number-one source of podcast discovery is word of mouth, and if you’re in an area where nobody else is consuming podcasts, the mouth has no word.”

Let’s start by establishing our Five Reasons People Don’t Listen To Podcasts –
1. Tech challenged
2. Too resistant to change
3. Social media addicts
4. Video centric
5. Busy, Busy, Busy

Read more on Forbes.

Everybody Knows But Me unpacks family secrets and the messy, emotional truth of whom the people you love really are. When she was just 17, Holly Brown’s father was dying of cancer. It looked like life couldn’t get more traumatic, until her dad dropped a bombshell….or two bombshells, really: twin brothers that her entire family kept secret. She was the only one who didn’t know they existed. Holly was left with more questions than answers and wasn’t ready to meet the two boys who never knew their father… until now.

She was the only one who didn’t know they existed. Holly was left with more questions than answers and wasn’t ready to meet the two boys who never knew their father… until now.

Everybody Knows But Me is a new dark comedy podcast about the secrets we inherit and the stories we tell to survive. It launched on April 22, 2026, and it’s from Next Chapter Podcasts and Companion.

In the podcast, Holly Anabel Brown is ready to confront the parts of her past she spent a lifetime avoiding. The first season of Everybody Knows But Me unpacks family secrets and the messy, emotional
truth of who the people you love really are.

The show reveals a unique format that combines narrative storytelling with sitcom-style segments. It is simultaneously an investigative pursuit and nostalgia that is unflinchingly personal. Brown is a singularly engrossing comedic voice, with a knack for the sardonic, a sharp eye for the peculiar, and a taste for the tragic.

Holly Brown (she/her) is a stand-up comedian, podcast marketer, and graphic designer from Los Angeles. She has helped launch an e-commerce company with a social impact initiative and has done graphic design and marketing work for award-winning restaurants, activist movements, and podcasts. Lately, you can find her passionately helping podcasts grow with Tink Media and hosting her long-running sold-out show at the Hollywood Improv. She also loves calling dogs good boys, Bob Dylan, disco, and a few hundred other things.

This is not your average narrative series. This sitcom-style telling of one family’s serious secret is not just for the sake of tickling those nostalgia-crazed nodes in our brains. It’s a way of grappling with the past using the comforting rhythms of a medium that was always there for us.

In a nod to Holly’s lifelong obsession with sitcoms, and her father’s career as a television set dresser whose credits include the hit series Frasier, each narrative episode will open with a real moment from Holly’s life, scripted and sound designed to appear as a scene from a subversive satirical reinterpretation of classic comedies from the 1990s like Step By Step and Full House.

Then, the episode transitions into Holly voicing a scripted narrative of the story of her life, interspersed with interviews with her family members and friends.

“This is not your average podcast! Holly’s story is beyond compelling,” says Next Chapter Podcasts’ CEO Jeremiah Tittle, “but it’s her rare combination of humor, humility, and vulnerability to let the world in on her family secrets, unsure of what she might uncover in her search for the truth, inspiring us by her courage to shine a light on the elephant in the room.”

Companion is a creator‑first studio and network built for meaningful storytelling across video, audio, and social platforms. They partner with artists, thinkers, and communities, elevating the cultural conversation through curiosity, humor, vulnerability, and depth. Their mission is simple: “make content that feels human and reminds you: You belong.” For more information, visit www.companionarts.com.

It’s Holly Brown’s persona, outside voice, and innate understanding of human foibles that makes the podcast so successful and seductively ear worthy.

Holly’s comedy is what you get when the girl next door has a little bite — mixing dark humor and millennial nostalgia with an honesty that makes you laugh and squirm. Named one of WhoHaHa’s Comedians of the Year in 2022, Holly has been featured on popular podcasts The Daily Zeitgeist and The Dork Forest. She has performed at SF Sketchfest, Big Pine, the SLO Comedy Festival, and more across the country. Her work has been featured in Funny or Die videos, and she previously produced and performed in her sold-out monthly show, Salty AF, at the Hollywood Improv. Holly headlines nationally and has featured for comedians Eddie Pepitone, Melissa Villaseñor, and Jose Barrientos.

Make no mistake, however, Everybody Knows But Me is not yuck-yuck comedy. Instead, it’s comedy mixed with tragedy, blending high-stakes, painful situations with humor, absurdity, and a lighthearted, sometimes happy, resolution. What Holly Brown aims for — and accomplishes — is to mirror the complexities of real life, where joy and sorrow often exist simultaneously.

As the American poet Robert Frost once wrote, “We dance round in a ring and suppose, but the secret sits in the middle and knows.”

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Tink Media to Co-Present International Women’s Podcast Awards with Naomi Mellor of Everybody Media

Tink Media has just announced it will be joining forces with Naomi Mellor of Everybody Media as co-presenters of the International Women’s Podcast Awards for 2026. Now entering an exciting new chapter, this year’s awards will continue their mission of uplifting and amplifying the voices of women in audio — while introducing one major change: the ceremony will take place in Toronto, Canada, later this year.

The International Women’s Podcast Awards (IWPAs) have become a cornerstone event celebrating the creativity, innovation, and impact of women in podcasting across genres and geographies. Proudly queer- and trans-inclusive, the IWPAs showcase creative excellence across multiple categories, recognizing the best in the business from around the world, from those who are self-taught and produce shows solo to those who are part of larger teams at established audio companies.

With Tink Media stepping in as co-presenter alongside founder Naomi Mellor, the event will expand its reach and visibility while staying true to its founding purpose of championing international women creators in audio, both behind the mic and behind the scenes, from podcast hosts and producers, to editors and writers.

“Lauren was one of the first people I spoke to last year when thinking about the possibility of hosting the IWPAs in North America and we’re both incredibly excited that we can now announce our collaboration for 2026,” said Naomi Mellor of Everybody Media, “Lauren and the team at Tink have been huge supporters of the awards since they started in 2021, and I know that they will nurture the IWPAs and the global community surrounding the event with the same degree of inclusivity, warmth and love that we have endeavored to make its trademark since the beginning.”

“Tink co-presenting this year’s awards feels so right,” said Lauren Passell, Tink Media’s Founder. “Everyone at Tink has supported the IWPAs in various ways over the years, and we share Naomi’s mission of making it accessible for women to gain recognition for the beautiful audio they are making. It’s an honor to be handed the baton, and we’re excited to carry on the show’s spirit while at the same time expanding it to a larger audience so it can gain more recognition in the industry at large.”

He replied, “That’s one of those squishy degrees.”

My reply was based on listening to episodes of Think Fast, Talk Smart: Communication Techniques. I said, “With your degree, you can communicate with other engineers. With my degree, I can communicate with everyone about everything.” He excused himself to raid the shrimp cocktail float.

Think Fast, Talk Smart: Communication Techniques is a weekly podcast hosted by lecturer Matt Abrahams. It provides actionable, research-backed advice to help professionals improve their communication skills, specifically focusing on spontaneity, reducing anxiety, and delivering clear, confident messages in high-stakes, real-world scenarios.

Host Matt Abrahams is a lecturer of Strategic Communication at Stanford Graduate School of Business, and on the show, he sits down with experts in the field to discuss real-world challenges. How do I send my message clearly when put on the spot? How do I write emails to get my point across?

The podcast specializes in “spontaneous speaking” — situations like Q&A sessions, impromptu presentations, and providing feedback. Episodes feature expert interviews covering topics such as managing public speaking anxiety, building rapport, and using technology. The goal of the podcast is simple: To help listeners become more authentic, engaging, and confident communicators.

As a host, Matt Abrahams embodies the soul of the show. He is an expert communicator — articulate, efficient, concise, insightful, an excellent listener, and with a strong sense of wit.

Abrahams has a book out — Think Faster, Talk Smarter: How to Speak Successfully When You’re Put on the Spot. The book provides actionable, science-based techniques to improve spontaneous communication. It focuses on managing anxiety and using structures to deliver calm, confident, and clear, impromptu responses in high-pressure, unprepared situations like meetings or Q&As.

Some recent episodes that exemplify the craft of the show include CNN’s Fareed Zakaria GPS, a Washington Post columnist, and author of Age of Revolutions, he says that he has found the key to navigating change and conflict. “The most important thing is being genuinely curious,” he says, “genuinely believing that everybody has a story to tell. Everybody has something to teach you. Everybody has a lesson you can learn.”

An episode with Nick Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic and former editor-in-chief of Wired, was both illuminating and teeth-gnashing. It was illuminating because Thompson is adept at “being unmistakably clear and unmistakably yourself.”

“Clear beats clever,” Thompson said on the episode, stressing that authenticity and specificity are what make messages land. “If you can get across what you’re really trying to say — if you can say it honestly, specifically, and ideally briefly — that’s good. And if you can say it in a way that feels like you, that’s great.”

Here’s the frustrating part. Beyond journalism, Thompson is an elite marathon runner, ranking among the top competitive runners in the world, an identity that, for him, isn’t separate from writing or leadership but deeply connected to it. “[Running] has taught me all kinds of habits of mind and discipline and pacing,” he says in the episode. “There are all kinds of lessons from the sport that apply to my business life.”

Not only is the guy a terrific writer, he is an elite marathon runner. For me, a so-so writer who can make a 10k run, this is too much power for one man to have!

The show’s topic goes to the deep end of the communications pool with such show titles as Complexity to Connection: Humanizing High-Stakes Communication, How to Navigate Conflict: Tools For Productive Communication, and How to Stop Performing and Start Communicating with Presence.

There’s a lot to like and admire in this show. Abrahams is a top-notch interviewer with the curiosity of a cat. He listens intently, adds insight carefully, instructs his listeners when he thinks it’s valuable, and draws the best from his guests. I also admire any podcast that designs a new episode logo for each show. It shows attention to detail. It’s very Steve Jobs-ian.

I highly recommend Think Fast, Talk Smart: Communication Techniques. In a world where social media, texting, political polarization, and email have transformed communications from an interpersonal art form into a blunt instrument used without forethought, this show can help us rewire those connections to one another.

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Indie News: Updates from the World of Independent Podcasting

First up is an article by Arielle Nissenblatt on LinkedIn. It’s called “The Sprint Model:” A New Playbook for Podcast Growth and Discovery from MOSH Audio. It’s a conversation with Sarah Hack on MOSH’s “sprint” model, feed-within-a-feed strategy, and their emphasis on a tighter editorial strategy.

Read the article here.

Second, Creator/host Andrew Moses explains his show this way: "I independently host my own weekly podcast, Everybody Pulls The Tarp, and have interviewed over 240+ Olympians, pro athletes, TV personalities, Broadway stars, Grammy winners, best-selling authors, & other high-performers about their success secrets and the power of leading by example."

He’s starting a new season. The first episode is a great one, featuring actor Ernest Harden Jr. from the hit HBO Max show The Pitt. Mr. Harden played Louie on the show.

Third, Cameron Stack published an article on LinkedIn: Podcast Awards Update: UK Launches, Ambies Six-Year Check & Third Coast Crisis. This issue covers new awards launches in the UK, a six-year look at The Podcast Academy, the uncertain future of Third Coast, a podcast documentary now at 30,000 feet, and what rewatch podcasts mean for the Signal Awards.

Finally, check out the On Nutrition podcast. On the March 24th episode, Jenn Trepeck from Salad With A Side Of Fries speaks with host Tara Schmidt about the topic, “How To Make Habits Stick.” Why are habits so hard to build — and even harder to break? And do they really have to be perfect to improve your health?

On that episode of On Nutrition, Mayo Clinic dietitian Tara Schmidt sits down with health coach Jenn Trepeck to explore the science of habits and how small, realistic changes can lead to lasting results. From decision fatigue to mindset shifts, they break down why so many health goals stall — and what actually helps them stick. They also discuss the role of health coaching, how habits evolve over time, and why flexibility — not perfection — may be the key to long-term success.

Forget Joe Rogan, Theo Von, and Alex Cooper! This episode is a masterclass in how a host conducts an interview, and a guest brings her A-game to the episode!

Finally, for all those indie podcasters who question their impact from time to time, here’s a comment I received from a reader (Happy Writer) on Medium about my article, The Best Independent Podcasts of 2026, which I’ll be updating this month.

“This list nails something a lot of the best podcast roundups completely miss: independent podcasts aren’t just smaller—they’re freer. When a show isn’t backed by Spotify, Wondery, or a major studio, it can afford to be weird, niche, and deeply personal—and that’s exactly why indie podcasts often feel more alive.”

I’ll add: “Independent podcasts make a difference in a way that Spotify, SiriusXM, iHeart, or Amazon podcasts never can.”

Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

In the early days of podcasting, some enterprising print magazines, such as PC Magazine and Bloomberg Businessweek, produced podcasts that lent legitimacy to the fledgling industry.

As podcasting has grown, the print magazine industry has been co-opted by its digital counterparts, and struggles mightily in a world where the smartphone has become the interface for information transfer.

That’s why I love Science Magazine and Science Magazine Podcast.

Each week on the Science Podcast, host Sarah Crespi delves into the latest scientific discoveries with researchers and news writers from around the globe.

The podcast is designed like a print magazine, with each episode containing several distinct stories.

The publisher of Science Magazine is The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), which publishes the Science family of journals, including Science, Science Signaling, Science Translational Medicine, Science Advances, Science Immunology, and Science Robotics.

AAAS is an international organization serving 262 affiliated societies and academies of science, representing over 10 million individuals.

The organization focuses on promoting scientific freedom, enhancing science education, conducting science policy analysis, fostering international collaboration, and building trust in scientific information.

Let’s face it, that is desperately needed in the U.S. now.

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is the world’s largest multidisciplinary scientific society, dedicated to advancing science, engineering, and innovation for the benefit of all people. Founded in 1848, it is a non-profit organization that publishes the renowned peer-reviewed journal Science and advocates for science policy, education, and international cooperation.

The host of the podcast, Sarah Crespi, has been interviewing scientists and science writers weekly since 2011.

She has a BA in biology from Reed College and a master’s in journalism from the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism at Michigan State University. Among her many roles at Science, she has also served as director of multimedia, leading video and audio projects for the magazine.

Her previous jobs include: zookeeper, clinical cytogenetics lab technician, and barista. In her spare time, she mediates cat fights, walks her dog, and ferries her young daughter to various activities.

The show has produced well over 600 episodes and is a well-oiled machine. The show has an NPR vibe to it, and that’s a good thing, in case you were wondering. Crespi is a terrific host who may have a scientific brain but also displays a wry wit and self-deprecating humor. In the episode that included a segment on football helmet technology, Sarah Crespi and Staff Writer Adrian Cho talked football, with Crespi admitting her knowledge of football is severely limited by, well, interest!

But the episode told a fascinating story of how new technology is improving the football helmet. Adrian Cho explained that NFL concussions are down significantly from their high point in 2017, with new helmets a major factor. New 3D-printed materials for helmets, slots cut into helmets for more flex, and softer, more pliable materials have all improved head trauma safety for NFL and amateur players.

They conclude that better materials and testing have led to fewer concussions and chronic traumatic encephalopathy in players, with plenty of room for improvement. At one point, Cho explains that a drill run by football coaches was exposed as a major contributor to head trauma, and that drill has been eliminated in most programs.

An episode emblematic of the show is the October 20, 2025, show, where they discuss the mysterious fate of Europe’s Neolithic farmers. They arrived from Anatolia around 5500 B.C.E. and began farming fertile land across Europe. Five hundred years later, their buildings, cemeteries, and pottery stopped showing up in the archaeological record, and mass graves with headless bodies started to appear across the continent. Contributing Correspondent Andrew Curry talks with host Sarah Crespi about what this strange transition might mean.

In that same episode, and for a complete change of pace, Editor for Life Sciences Sacha Vignieri discussed recent dog research published in Science, including tracing the movement of dogs alongside ancient human populations, examining when dogs first diversified, and probing the relationship between modern dogs’ breeds and their dispositions.

To me, Science Magazine Podcast is a welcome throwback to the early days of podcasting. There are no celebrities, no fanfare, and no ads. Just well-researched science about a wide range of topics. If you enjoy science and haven’t bought into the RFK Jr. conspiracy theories, you will love this show.

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The Food Institute Acquires Heritage Radio Network’s Food & Beverage Podcast Assets

The Food Institute (FI) has announced the acquisition of a portfolio of food and beverage–focused podcast assets from Heritage Radio Network (HRN), marking a strategic expansion of The Food Institute’s multimedia platform and strengthening its position as the leading source of insights, analysis, and storytelling across the global food and beverage industry.

The transaction includes over 30 established podcast properties covering topics ranging from food entrepreneurship and culinary innovation to CPG product insights, hospitality trends, and the evolving consumer landscape. These programs will be integrated into The Food Institute’s growing portfolio of content and media assets, reaching executives, operators, investors, innovators, and F&B enthusiasts across the food and beverage ecosystem.

“This acquisition accelerates our mission to inform and connect the food and beverage industry through high-quality journalism, data-driven insights, thought-provoking conversations, and compelling storytelling,” said Brian Choi, Managing Partner & CEO of The Food Institute.

“Podcasting has become a critical channel for industry leaders and insiders who want deeper context behind the headlines. By bringing these respected shows into The Food Institute’s platform, we are expanding our ability to deliver valuable conversations that matter to decision-makers across food and beverage.”

Founded in 2009, Heritage Radio Network built a reputation as a leading podcast platform dedicated to food culture, culinary entrepreneurship, agriculture, and hospitality. The selected shows within the transaction focus specifically on the business of food and beverage and have built loyal audiences of industry professionals and enthusiasts.

Under The Food Institute’s ownership, the podcast portfolio will benefit from expanded editorial resources, broader distribution, and deeper integration with the organization’s news, research, events, and digital media channels. The Food Institute plans to invest in new programming, enhanced production capabilities, and cross-platform storytelling designed to reach established industry executives, emerging innovators, investors, and also B2C audiences.

“Heritage Radio Network has always been committed to elevating conversations about the people and ideas shaping food and the culinary arts,” said Ronald C. Pruett, Jr., former Chair of the Board of Heritage Radio Network. “We’re pleased that these deeply focused and meaningful shows will continue to grow under The Food Institute’s leadership and reach an even wider audience within the industry.”

The acquisition reflects The Food Institute’s continued investment in multimedia journalism and industry intelligence as demand grows for accessible, on-demand analysis of the trends shaping the global food and beverage industry.

Podcast programming will continue uninterrupted, with future episodes distributed through The Food Institute’s digital platforms as well as major podcast streaming services.

Ear Worthy published this story — we typically do not write about acquisitions — for several reasons. We admire and support the objectives of the Heritage Radio Network (HRN). HRN Chairman of the Board Ronald Pruett, Jr, says: “HRN’s mission is to build a more sustainable world by shifting how we think about food. Through storytelling, we amplify voices, spotlight solutions, and inspire change that helps foster equity and environmental stewardship for all.”

We are 100% behind that goal. The Food Institute is a leading multimedia company founded in 1928 that provides food industry professionals with timely news, data, and trends. Based in NJ, it acts as a “single source” for insights on mergers, regulations, and market changes via daily newsletters, reports, and podcasts, serving industry leaders, manufacturers, and retailers. We are always supportive of open and honest communications. In addition, The Food Institute covers topics such as food safety, consumer trends, mergers, acquisitions, and food policy. With the present administration’s focus on deregulation, there’s no doubt that food safety is imperiled in the U.S.

Food safety is facing significant challenges due to federal funding cuts to monitoring agencies (FDA, USDA, CDC), increasing foodborne illness outbreaks, and complex global supply chains

Experts warn that reduced inspections, coupled with rising cases of contamination (e.g., Listeria, Salmonella), raise questions about the safety of the food supply.

Pick A Disc is a music podcast that goes deep indeed. If you’re someone like me, who likes to hear new music, then you’ll love this show. Here’s how the show works.

Pick A Disc is a music podcast hosted by Matt Latham, where guests select a specific album — either an all-time favorite or one they simply want to discuss — for an in-depth chat.

. Entering its seventh year, the show features diverse musical genres, guest artists, and, as the host notes, some bad jokes.

Recent episodes have covered artists and albums like They Might Be Giants’ Lincoln, Bloc Party’s Silent Alarm, and Jack’s Mannequin’s Everything in Transit. The podcast frequently releases “Best Of” bonus episodes, such as a 2025 year-end series.

At the beginning of every episode, Matt Latham says, “Welcome to Pick A Disc, where someone picks a disc to talk about for any reason I want to.”

In fact, Matt tells us: “The majority of the episodes are all guest-led. They pick them for whatever reason they want to. Most of the time, it’s because they really love the artist/album. Sometimes it’s symbolic of a time in their life. If the guest is a musician, they can use it as an opportunity to not talk about themselves or do the PR spin. There’s at least one episode where the guest picked the album because he wanted to make sure it wasn’t a weird fear dream he’d thought up!

Matt Latham is a self-described Gig-goer, slow-runner, telly-watcher, self-deprecator and podcast-hoster. He likes to listen to an album or two occasionally. He has also been involved with the Ask Us About Loom podcast and has appeared as a guest on other shows, such as The TARDIS Crew.

Pick A Disc is part of the We Dig Podcasts network, which is a UK-based music podcast network featuring shows like “We Dig Music” and “Free With This Month’s Issue,” produced by music enthusiasts from the West Midlands.

For those not familiar with English geography, the Midlands is a central region of England, bordered by Wales to the west, Northern England to the north, and Southern England/East Anglia to the south and east. It acts as a bridge between the north and south, serving major cities such as Birmingham (the largest), Coventry, Leicester, Nottingham, and Derby.

As a host, Matt Latham is the definition of “laid-back,” yet conversely, his guests come on his show wildly passionate about their musical choice. For example, in the October 13, 2025 episode, Matt talks about Kacey Musgraves’ album, The Deeper Well, with Americana artist Pien. She and Matt talk about the influence of the album on her own music, alongside how complex the country genre can be.

Pick A Disc has released over 225 episodes, with regular episodes running over an hour. As always, I like that Matt takes the time to create a new design for every episode. It’s a small step, like comprehensive show notes, that demonstrates that the indie podcasters are dedicated to the craft. Matt also does shorter Best Of the Year editions, which summarize music in the calendar year nicely.

If you’re a casual music fan whose Spotify playlist has the same seven songs on it, then Pick A Disc is not for you. However, if you love the discovery of music you’ve most likely not heard, then Pick A Disc is a music podcast you dare not miss.

Creator/host Matt Latham has designed a music podcast that defines independent podcasting. Pick A Disc is not for everyone, but the people who are the target audience absolutely adore it. Unlike celebrity podcasts that try to appeal to the widest range of people, Pick A Disc wants to appeal to an elite group of music lovers. It’s an elite group I’d like to be part of!

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Why The Podcast Miniseries Is The Worst Kept Secret In The Industry

The latest Forbes article addresses yet another discoverability issue with podcasting. There’s no doubt that some of the finest work done in podcasting resides in the miniseries. Indie miniseries podcasts mentioned in the article include Un (con) Trolled, Cuti, and The Nightingale Of Iran.

If you want to watch a documentary on Netflix, you can go to their tiles aligned by genre, even subgenre. Where do you go in podcasting for such shows? Apple has a Documentary tab in its ecosystem, but most of those shows are documentary in nature and can run for many seasons, more like a conventional podcast.

As podcast consultant David Carver explains, “It’s the decentralized nature of podcasting that hurts compiling a comprehensive catalog of these superb miniseries or limited series podcasts. Discoverability remains a significant issue in podcasting. Yet, these limited-series podcasts that tackle critical issues, from the skyrocketing cost of health care in the U.S. to the Armenian Genocide of 1915, need continued exposure to the sunlight of easy access by interested podcast consumers.”

Read more at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/frankracioppi/2026/04/20/why-the-podcast-miniseries-is-the-worst-kept-secret-in-the-industry/

We can thank Apple for creating a dedicated focus for podcast miniseries and serialized, narrative-driven audio within the Apple Podcasts app. As of October 2024, Apple Podcasts introduced “Series Essentials,” a curated collection designed to highlight top-tier serialized, long-form podcast stories. The app now features a specific category and top chart dedicated to serialized podcasts to improve discoverability for these types of shows. Apple Podcasts editors select and feature standout limited series to highlight them for listeners

It is such an important topic in our culture that we revived it from our own archives. Here goes.

I attended Catholic elementary and high school and still attend Roman Catholic mass, although not every week anymore. Yet when I do attend, I make two observations. First, a majority of the attendees are over 65 years old. That begs the question: Who will attend when they’re gone? Second, there are fewer people at church. That begs the question: How long can a church survive with a dwindling attendance?

So when I heard from Mateo Schimpf, an editor/producer at Colorado Public Radio, that they had recently released a four-part documentary series about U.S. church closures called The Final Service, I was intrigued.

The show is reported and produced by Mateo alongside co-host Ray Suarez, and is distributed by PRX.

This is the state of religion in the U.S. that the show records. In 2024, about 30% of U.S. adults attended religious services weekly, and an additional 9% attended almost every week. This means approximately 39% of Americans attended religious services at least twice a month. However, church attendance is declining, especially among younger generations.

Catholics continue to lose more members than they gain, though the retention rate for Hispanic Catholics (68%) is somewhat higher than for white Catholics (62%).

Less than 5% of Americans identify as members of non-Christian religions, which is unchanged since 2013, including Jewish Americans (2%), Muslims (1%), Buddhists (1%), Hindus (<1%), and Unitarian Universalists (<1%). White mainline/non-evangelical Protestants also continue losing more members than they replace, and at higher rates than other Protestants.

Even the number of evangelicals, a loud voice in politics and culture wars these days, has declined.

Mateo says: “Pretty early on in the reporting process, we realized we were going to have an audience problem. Church membership had fallen off a cliff in the U.S., and congregations were closing down left and right… And a lot of Americans were happy about it.”

Mateo asks: “How could we convince people to care about a radioactive topic in so many parts of this country?”

Mateo concludes: “Our basic criteria for story selection were that the personal stakes for each character must rise above religion and the fate of a single building. That meant spending a lot of time making phone calls and mapping out each episode in pre-production. For example, how would Julian DeShazier’s feelings about race in America shape a story about his church on Chicago’s South Side? The result is a series of four, distinct episodes that deal with love, loss, and identity much more than they do God.”

Thanks to Mateo and co-host Ray Suarez, the four episodes of The Final Service crackle with questions about the reasons for religion’s decline. To its credit, the show doesn’t simplify the reasons for this shift. Instead, it expands on the confluence of demographic trends, economic growth, political polarization, and church malfeasance as a constellation of reasons for the decline.

The Final Service co-host Ray Suarez, is currently the host of the PBS series “Wisdom Keepers” premiered on the public network in June 2025. He was a visiting professor at NYU Shanghai in 2022, and was previously the John J. McCloy Visiting professor of American Studies at Amherst College. For seven years from 2018–2025, Suarez hosted a radio program and several podcast series: On Shifting Ground for KQED-FM, Going for Broke for the Economic Hardship Reporting Project, and “The Things I Thought About When My Body Was Trying to Kill Me” on cancer and recovery for Evergreen Podcasts.

His latest book, on modern American immigration to the US, “We Are Home: Becoming American in the 21st Century,” was published by Little, Brown in 2024. Suarez joined the PBS NewsHour in 1999 and was a senior correspondent until 2013. He hosted the National Public Radio program Talk of the Nation from 1993 to 1999. In his more than 40-year career in the news business, he has also worked as a radio reporter in London and Rome, as a Los Angeles correspondent for CNN, and as a reporter for the NBC-owned station WMAQ-TV in Chicago. From 2020–2022, he was one of the US correspondents for Euronews.

Mateo Schimpf has been working in multimedia production since 2017. Mateo spent the early years of his career working on film docs in Latin America before making the full leap to audio journalism in 2020.

He was a reporter, producer, and editor for an international news program on KQED-FM in San Francisco before joining Colorado Public Radio.

Here are the summaries of the four episodes:

# 1 — The Mayordomos — This is the first chapter in a four-part series about church closures in America.Lorraine Pacheco is the caretaker for a tiny church in an even tinier town in the eastern plains of New Mexico. As she gets older and her congregation shrinks, she starts to wonder if it will survive after she’s gone.

# 2 — Little Lithuania — Christian Allyn is proud to be Lithuanian. So when he learned that the archbishop would close his Lithuanian church in Waterbury, Connecticut, he decided to step in. Can his appeal save St. Joseph’s Church?

# 3 — Chicago — Julian Deshazier is a rapper and a pastor. That sounds like it would appeal to kids from his old neighborhood on the South Side. But getting them to show up to church on Sundays isn’t easy.

# 4 — Stigma — A church in decline tries to reinvent itself, and its young members struggle with how to talk about Christianity.

I strongly recommend The Final Service. The show travels the nation from Connecticut to New Mexico, interviews people of different religions, and starkly depicts the problems endemic to decline. Thanks to Mateo Schimpf and Ray Suárez, listeners feel the pain, anguish, and sadness of the people directly affected by this decline. After all, what do you do with an empty church?

Why are there so many movie review podcasts? As I’ve said before, there are no certifications needed, movies tend to provoke stimulating conversation, and the hosts don’t even need expertise. There’s the perception that anyone can do it.

Of course, we know that’s wrong. There are plenty of excellent movie review podcasts such as Filmspotting, Verbal Diorama, and Every Single Sci-Fi Film Ever.

I am happy to report that these three movie review podcasts are a credit to their genre.

The Filmographers Podcast

The Filmographers podcast is an academic yet entertaining show where hosts Michael Moreci and Keir Graff analyze a director’s entire career, one film at a time, within the context of the Hollywood landscape of that era. Focusing on in-depth, thematic, and historical analysis, the show has covered directors like Steven Soderbergh and Billy Wilder.

The show meticulously breaks down the filmography of legendary directors to understand their creative evolution, as seen with their focus on Steven Soderbergh in season one and Billy Wilder in season two.

Episodes explore why films succeeded or failed, focusing on the cultural and industry context surrounding their release.

The podcast is hosted by screenwriter/director Michael Moreci and author/editor Keir Graff, who bring a professional perspective to the discussions.

The show dives deep into subtext, thematic meaning, and the historical context of classic film. If you’re a true cinephile, then The Filmographers is for you.

The Plot Thickens

The Plot Thickens is an award-winning documentary podcast from Turner Classic Movies (TCM) that explores in-depth stories about cinema, focusing on iconic filmmakers, actors, and tumultuous movie productions.

Hosted by Ben Mankiewicz, the show features archival interviews and personal stories to reveal the human side of Hollywood history.

The season six premiere episode tells the saga of Cleopatra. From 1960 through 1962, 20th Century Fox paid Elizabeth Taylor a record-breaking salary to play Cleopatra, then tried to save money by filming the movie in England. That turned out to be a disastrous decision. The weather doesn’t agree with Liz, who suffers one health problem after another, delaying production for months. Fox then faces the question: pull the plug on this movie… or fire the director and find someone new to save the picture?

If you like this show, I also recommend From Beneath The Hollywood Sign and Stars Of The Golden Age.

Watch It If You Can

Watch It If You Can is a weekly TV and film podcast hosted by Dave and Liam. The hosts break down selected movies and television shows, often building “boxsets” of their favorite, recommended, or discussed media, featuring spoilers in their discussions.

Hosts Liverpool natives Dave McGurk and Liam Hailwood have a carefully curated chemistry and keep it casual and listener-friendly.

In the last three years the pair has reviewed films such as Moneyball, When Harry Met Sally, Sense And Sensibility, and TV shows such as Friends and Modern Family.

If you’re looking for more movie review podcasts, check out Ear Worthy’s Five Best Movie Podcasts Of 2024. It turns out that these movie podcasts are still the best in 2026!

When you think of actors, you think of actors going from one acting role to another. Acting seems like a constant revolving door. As soon as you find one job, it’s finished, and you have to look for another one. It’s like being on Indeed 24/7 365!

What happens, however, when an acting job spans over 20 years? That’s the question answered by documentarian Cory Choy in the new documentary podcast, My Phantom Memory.

My Phantom Memory is a documentary-style podcast from Silver Sound Studios that documents the final days of Broadway’s The Phantom of the Opera. It focuses on Scott Mikita, a swing actor who performed in the show for over 20 years, exploring his personal experience of the show’s closure and what comes next after a long-term role.

The closure of the longest-running Broadway show, The Phantom of the Opera, from the perspective of a veteran cast member.

The documentary offers an intimate, immersive look at the emotions, memories, and anxiety involved in the show’s end. The central character in the documentary, Scott Mikita, has played Raoul and The Phantom in three other versions of Phantom. Tours: Hal Prince’s Show Boat, Into the Woods, Martin Guerre. Regional: She Loves Me, Company, Christmas Carol (Goodman), Midsummer Night’s Dream (Steppenwolf), Great White Hope, Lend Me a Tenor, Crazy for You. Northwestern graduate. Love to Hannah and Lily.

Mikita tells us right away in the first episode that over the 20 years the show played on Broadway, he has performed no fewer than 10 roles.

For context, The Phantom of the Opera was Broadway’s longest-running show (1988–2023), continues in 2026 with a new North American tour that started in November 2025 and major stops including the Hollywood Pantages (June–Aug 2026). The iconic musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, featuring “Music of the Night,” follows a disfigured genius haunting the Paris Opera.

The Phantom of the Opera celebrated its 10,000th performance on February 11, 2012, becoming the first Broadway production in history to do so. With total estimated worldwide gross receipts of over $6 billion and total Broadway gross of over $1 billion, The Phantom of the Opera was the most financially successful entertainment event until The Lion King surpassed it in 2014.

In the first episode, Mikita recounts a harrowing incident in which he forgets his lines while playing one of his ten roles. Not wanting silence to signal to the audience that he has indeed forgotten his lines, Mikita improvises until his brain finds its way back to the script and he recovers.

The genius behind My Phantom Memory is Cory Choy, who is the owner of Silver Sound, an Emmy Award-winning NYC-based boutique studio in the Flatironon District of Manhattan. His parents are musicians, and his mother is a writer. Storytelling has always been a part of his life, as has music.

Cory went to NYU for film in college and quickly found himself drawn to the sound and animation areas of filmmaking. After co-founding Silver Sound in 2006, in part to pursue his interests across the sonic storytelling spectrum, Cory truly fell in love with New York City as the world’s artistic capital.

Cory says: “From recording on-location for shows and documentaries around the world, to testing out experimental immersive technology, to video games, to voice over, to narrative feature films, to music videos, owning and engineering at a boutique studio in such an incredible place in the world gave me the opportunity to work for, with, and on some of the most creative people and projects in the world.”

Cory also wrote, produced, and directed Esme, My Love, a 2022 American psychological horror film, which delves into the complexities of a mother-daughter relationship strained by the specter of a terminal illness and a dark family secret. An indie-festival darling, Esme, My Love won the best thriller/suspense film, the best director for Choy, and best cinematographer for Fletcher Wolfe at the Cannes World Film Festival.

Cory explains his podcasting journey: “In 2008, I was introduced to the world of podcasting when a man named Christof Luputka walked into the studio and told us that he wanted us to bring cinematic sound quality to his podcast, The Leviathan Chronicles, as part of a ‘radio drama revival’ movement. I was immediately intrigued and then hooked. Over the years, our studio and I have gone on to work on many, many different podcast and audio-only projects, and it has been an exciting medium that has allowed us to truly appreciate and explore sonic storytelling.”

Cory just finished as Director of the NYC Podcast Awards in March. The NYC Podcast Awards proudly displays its independent streak, with its Director, Cory Choy, noting, “The NYC Podcast Awards recognize excellence in audio storytelling while championing voices that have been historically underrepresented. We believe exceptional podcasting knows no boundaries — whether geographic, cultural, or economic — and our awards reflect that commitment to accessibility and inclusivity.”

In episode three, Mikita comes face-to-face with the reality of the show closing. As that reality approaches, Mikita relives and narrates the death of his father, hockey great Stan Mikita of the Chicago Blackhawks. Ironically, Scott’s father played for the same NHL team for 22 years, just as Scott acted in Phantom for over 20 years. Tragically, possibly because of all the hits his father took during his career on the ice, Stan Mikita died in 2018 from what was described later on as Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) and Lewy body dementia.

Once the show is closed, Scott Mikita ruminates about how it is to be free to relax or go to bed around 9:00 PM, something he wasn’t able to do during his two decades in Phantom. Yet, like so many retirees from less glamorous jobs, Scott remembers the camaraderie, the collaboration, the teamwork, and the social cohesion that resulted from being in the phantom for so long.

At the end of the episode, we witness him auditioning for roles for the first time in over 20 years. As we witness that struggle, Scott Mikita is like an Everyman, suddenly jostled out of his comfort zone by life’s vagaries and doing his best to survive. Much like every factory worker who discovers the plant is closing, or a middle manager who learns of more downsizing, Scott Mikita treads water as the waves of change knock him down and try to keep him down.

My Phantom Memory is one of the best documentary podcasts of the year so far. First, because Cory Choy tells Scott Mikita’s tale of endings, finality, and loss with such pathos, narrative care, and emotional balance that the story lingers in your sense of loss. Second, because Choy manages the sound design like a virtuoso conductor, lovingly managing sounds, voices, and emissions as they fill our ears. Third, because Scott Mikita is, in a sense, Everyman, he is pushed to leave the long-term security of his life situation and is blind to what lies ahead.

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Beyond 6 Seconds Podcast: Advocating For Neurodivergent People

The American Enterprise Institute estimates that approximately 15% to 20% of the U.S. population is estimated to be neurodivergent. This represents a significant portion of Americans — potentially one in five — who identify with conditions such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, or other cognitive differences. Some studies specifically show that about 19% of Americans identify as neurodivergent. And, no, it’s not due to vaccines or Red Dye 4.

Beyond 6 Seconds is an award-winning podcast hosted by Carolyn Kiel that features candid, in-depth interviews with neurodivergent entrepreneurs, creatives, and advocates. It highlights their personal stories, challenges, and successes to shatter misconceptions and celebrate the diversity of the neurodivergent community.
It showcases the lives and stories of people with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other neurodivergent identities.

The podcast aims to break stigmas and showcase the “vibrance of neurodiversity.” Host Carolyn Kiel, an experienced instructional designer and advocate, hosts the show. The title refers to moving past the quick, 6-second first impressions (such as in job interviews) to really understand a person’s story.

Host Carolyn Kiel interviews neurodivergent entrepreneurs, creators, and advocates about their lives, identities, and passions. From around the world, more than 100 guests have shared their first-person experiences with autism, dyslexia, ADHD, Tourette Syndrome, Down Syndrome, schizophrenia, and more. Their stories shatter misconceptions, break stigma, and showcase the vibrancy of neurodiversity.

The podcast’s name, Beyond 6 Seconds, was inspired by a statistic Carolyn heard: recruiters only look at a resume for about 6 seconds to judge an applicant’s potential fit for a job. While that statistic may or may not be accurate, it inspired Carolyn to go beyond 6-second first impressions on her podcast to give people time and space to share their stories without judgment.

The show is a Signal Award Gold Winner (2023) and a winner of multiple Positive Change Podcast Awards (2022)and has released more than 200 episodes. Most recently, it was nominated for the 2026 NYC Podcast Awards and was a first-place winner at the 2025 Women Who Podcast Awards. Beyond 6 Seconds is a top 1.5% globally ranked podcast on Listen Notes and has been listened to in 50+ countries.

One of my favorite episodes is the March 23rd show with Sania Khimji, who is an accomplished artist, model, influencer, and international beauty pageant winner based in India who continues to redefine boundaries and inspire inclusivity in every space she enters. Living with Down syndrome, Sania celebrates her uniqueness as just one part of her powerful story that’s rooted in creativity, confidence, and courage.

Through her art, modeling, and advocacy, Sania continues to shine as a global voice for empowerment — showing the world that when you lead with passion, purpose, and pride, there are truly no limits to what you can achieve.

Host Carolyn Kiel started her podcast in 2018 as a general-interest interview show, but after receiving an autism diagnosis in 2022, she shifted her focus to neurodiversity. Carolyn finds joy and clarity in talking with other neurodivergent people and connecting deeply with the stories they share.

When she’s not podcasting, Carolyn is a full-time instructional designer with 10+ years of experience designing employee learning & development programs. She has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a master’s degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology. Before starting her podcast, Carolyn was also an a cappella singer who performed at venues across the New York City metro area. Her a cappella group actually helped introduce her to podcasts when her friend shared a podcast episode with her about one of the songs they liked to sing (the “Hallelujah” episode of Revisionist History).

National Autism Acceptance Month, celebrated throughout April, promotes awareness, inclusion, and acceptance for autistic individuals. Initiated by the Autism Society over 50 years ago, it focuses on fostering understanding, providing resources, and advocating for the rights of the over seven million autistic Americans, shifting from “awareness” to “acceptance” to promote true inclusion.

The initiative aims to shift from simply raising awareness to fostering acceptance, celebrating the strengths and contributions of the autistic community, and advocating for necessary services.

Beyond 6 Seconds can not only support those with neurodivergent family members but also help all of us better understand neurodivergent people and their unique challenges. Information is power.

In the United States, approximately 3,000 people die from foodborne illnesses (food poisoning) every year. Nationally, this includes about 48 million illnesses and 128,000 hospitalizations annually. Globally, the impact is much higher, with an estimated 420,000 deaths occurring worldwide each year. Salmonella, Listeria, and Toxoplasma are responsible for over 75% of deaths caused by known pathogens.

While several foods frequently cause food poisoning, poultry (chicken, turkey) is often cited as a top culprit due to common bacterial contamination (like Salmonella and Campylobacter) from fecal matter during processing, leading to many illnesses if undercooked or cross-contaminated, with leafy greens, eggs, and seafood also major sources.

What Doesn’t Kill You, hosted by former food service professional Katy Keiffer on the Heritage Radio Network, is a weekly podcast exploring critical, often political, issues in the global food system. Keiffer interviews experts, journalists, and activists to discuss topics like industrial agriculture, food safety, and sustainability.
The show delves into meat production, water rights, labor issues, and, more recently, topics like environmental impacts of herbicide drift.

The podcast aims to understand how to “feed the future” while examining the complex, often unseen, forces in the food industry.
Guests have included experts like Dr. Marion Nestle, discussing food politics, and industry figures like Emily Metz Meredith regarding animal agriculture.

Some of the best episodes include the show with Erik Kanter, President of Clean Wisconsin, explaining how Republicans are withholding funds for clean up until the legislature passes a bill immunizing polluters from prosecution for polluting the drinking water of hundreds of thousands of Wisconsinites.

Another episode focuses on how, across the farm belt, cancer cases are spiking, and states are getting serious about tracking and providing guidelines for exposure to agro-chem. Journalist Keith Schneider has been digging into this for months and reported on the show.

In one of my favorite episodes, Professor Sylvia Secchi from the University of Iowa joined to talk about how ethanol is a giant giveaway to the ag industry, purporting to be a partial solution to fossil fuel impacts. Instead, the excessive cultivation of corn is having disastrous impacts on soil and water… and guess what? It’s anything but fuel efficient. “How did we get here?”

Host Katy Keiffer grew up in rural New England with a background in gardening and scratch cooking. With over 30 years of experience, including experience as a butcher, cook, and cookbook publicist, she focuses on the intersections of people, policy, and the food system, exploring how it operates. She also works as a food writer and brings a background in cooking to her commentary

Katy says: “The National Family Farm Coalition is advocating for the Farmland For Farmers Act introduced by Senator Cory Booker in July of this year. Agricultural land needs to stay accessible to actual farmers, rather than offer an opportunity to corporate entities to capitalize on high land prices, at the same time driving those prices into a stratosphere no mere mortal can possibly attain. Our food security depends on measures like this.”

What Doesn’t Kill You is sponsored by the Heritage Radio Network (HRN), an independent 501(c)3 non-profit covering the world of food, drink, and agriculture. HRN’s podcasts cover everything from the artistry of baking to the craft of brewing, the complexities of cheese mongering to the challenges of solving climate change. HRN offers many different voices and topics, but they share the same goals.

HRN Chairman of the Board Ronald Pruett, Jr, says: “HRN’s mission is to build a more sustainable world by shifting how we think about food. Through storytelling, we amplify voices, spotlight solutions, and inspire change that helps foster equity and environmental stewardship for all.”

What Doesn’t Kill You will make listeners think twice about the safety of our food supply. With the administration’s current deregulatory fervor, the number of food inspectors has decreased, compromising food safety.

In fact, the 2025 Food & Health Survey… “found that only 55% of Americans feel confident in the safety of the U.S. food supply — down from 62% in 2024 and 70% in 2023,” notes the International Food Information Council (IFIC).

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The Overturn Podcast — Inside Miscarriage Of Justice Campaigns

According to The Innocence Project, estimates suggest that between 2% and 10% of convicted individuals in U.S. prisons are innocent, which translates to approximately 46,000 to over 230,000 people out of the roughly 2.3 million incarcerated, according to various studies. While the exact number is impossible to know, even a conservative 1% estimate indicates over 20,000 innocent people are incarcerated.

Clearly, there is a great need for someone or an organization to investigate the criminal justice system, whether in the U.S. or the U.K.

The Overturn is a new podcast focused on miscarriages of justice, produced and hosted by Marnie Duke for The Justice Gap. It highlights cases of wrongfully convicted individuals, supported by The Future Justice Project. The series explores legal failures, often featuring stories from the book Guilty Until Proven Innocent.

The podcast highlights the human impact of flawed justice systems and advocacy for those in prison.

The Overturn brings listeners into the real-life battles of people fighting on behalf of loved ones they believe have suffered grave miscarriages of justice. The series goes shoulder-to-shoulder with those on the outside as they campaign for those on the inside. In the face of a dysfunctional criminal appeals system, they refuse to stop fighting to clear their loved ones’ names.

From families contesting the convictions of teenagers jailed for conspiracy to murder over group-chat messages, to a former police officer who alleges he’s been stitched up by colleagues, to relatives of four men claiming a corrupt undercover sting led to their terrorism convictions, The Overturn brings their fight for justice to the forefront with journalistic resolve and critical urgency.

The series highlights potential police corruption to secure dodgy convictions, the discredited testimony of prison cell snitches, and murder convictions so dubious that even the victim’s family
believe the wrong man went down.

But above all, it highlights the courage — and loneliness — of fighting a broken justice system. These are the stories of people who maintain they’re innocent and yet remain in prison, fighting unimaginable odds to win justice in a system that — many would say — is rigged against them.

Cases like the Post Office Horizon scandal and the wrongful conviction of Andy Malkinson have drawn huge public attention, seemingly evidence of rare examples of the system getting it
wrong. However, every year, about 1,500 people write to the Criminal Cases Review Commission, having been convicted of a crime but claiming innocence. That is the only organization with
the power to send a case back to the Court of Appeal. Last year, only 1.5% of those cases got sent back to the courts, and of the tiny number of wrongful convictions that are actually overturned, almost all are refused compensation.

The Overturn is produced and hosted by Marnie Duke. Executive producers are Jon Robins and Calum McRae. The series has been supported by The Future Justice Project, a charity set up by
Glyn Maddocks KC, Barry Sheerman MP, and Jon Robins in 2021 as a result of growing concerns about miscarriages of justice.

All interviews by Marnie Duke are original. The cases in this series
have all been featured over the years on the Justice Gap (www.thejusticegap.com) and (in the case of episodes 3 and 7) in Jon’s book Guilty Until Proven Innocent (Biteback, 2018).

Marnie Duke won silver Best New Producer at the 2025 Audio Production Awards and is the silver Rising Star at the British Podcast Awards 2025. Her work has been shortlisted for the International Women’s Podcast Awards and the Independent Podcast Awards.

By their nature, miscarriage of justice cases are complex — most are never resolved, and those that are take years, even decades, to come to that resolution. In The Overturn, there are cases that Glyn and Jon have been supporting for many years. For example, Glyn has been Oliver Campbell’s lawyer for more than 30 years, and Jon first wrote about the Danny Major case more than a decade ago. This series reflects that work, as well as the work of a small number of organizations fighting on behalf of innocent people who have been wrongly convicted.
www.futurejustice.org.uk/podcast
www.thejusticegap.com

Episode 1
Robin Garbutt: Innocent Robbery Victim or Cold-Blooded Killer?
Robin Garbutt and his wife Diana lived a quiet life — running a post office in the idyllic village of Melsonby, North Yorkshire. That was until 2010, when Diana was murdered in their home. In this
In this episode, we attempt to uncover what really happened and question whether findings from the Post Office Inquiry could shed new light on the case.

Episode 2
The Birmingham Four: Terrorist Masterminds or Victims of a Fit-Up?
In 2017, four men were jailed for life for planning a terrorist attack after being caught in an undercover police sting. Their lawyers insist that their case continues to raise troubling questions about police behavior. In this episode, we travel to Birmingham to find out why.

Episode 3
Mark “Ozzy” Osbourne: Accused of Murder while Behind Bars
In 2009, Mark “Ozzy” Osbourne was convicted of murder, despite the fact that he was in prison for an unrelated lesser offense when the killing occurred. In this episode, we speak about his childhood
Neighbor Julie about what she believes really happened.

Check out The Overturn. If you like true-crime podcasts, this show goes one important step further. It reveals how many people are convicted who didn’t commit “the crime.”

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Dad’s Anytime Stories Launched From Mercury

Dad’s Bedtime Stories, the popular children’s storytime show, has launched a spin-off. Dad’s Anytime Stories repurposes Bedtime Stories’ most popular tales into a format to be enjoyed round the clock.

Each episode is created and narrated by Martin Gage, a school teacher and Dad who turned his own bedtime creations into one of the most popular children’s podcasts in the world.

Dad’s Anytime Stories is perfect for families who need help winding down, pre-schoolers, and naptimes, and with summer vacations not far away, these stories are the ideal way to pass a long drive or flight

The first season visits the popular Cards of Power universe, a fictional world of Wizards, magic, and a boy called Carter who embarks on epic adventures with his magical friends.

“Dad’s Anytime Stories is my chance to bring the adventures from my novels to life in a fresh new way, giving kids fun, imaginative stories they can enjoy anytime,” says show creator Martin, who has adapted stories like Cards of Power into a novel.

Dad's Anytime Stories is part of Mercury, the independent challenger network representing the world’s best indie podcasts and creators.

Always On Film fulfills that role perfectly. What’s different about Always On Film from the thousands of other movie podcasts? Tone, tempo, and temperature.

Let’s begin with the show’s nicely crafted marketing pitch: “Always on Film is the warm, conversational podcast for film lovers you’ve been looking for. Hosted by three friends — Immi, Kitty, and Lou — in their early twenties, you’ll hear their take on a full spectrum of films: from classic to contemporary cinema, indie gems to major studio productions, hidden treasures to the latest studio releases.

You’ll also hear from creatives already working in the film industry, who will share their personal journeys and inspiring breakthroughs. Each episode is a heartfelt conversation that invites listeners into the warmth of friendship, the highs and lows of the industry, and most importantly, the passion of film.”

“We’re glad our enthusiasm and playfulness come through — we are indeed Gen Z and get a wonderful response from our generation, but we also hope our conversations around film and the industry resonate beyond it too,” says co-host Immi.

The tone of the show is decidedly informal, a bit silly, playful, but always incisive. Don’t mistake these Gen Zers for being unqualified.

Immi trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts as an Actor-Musician. Louelle studied Film and Theatre Studies at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, and completed her Masters at the University of London/RADA in Text and Performance. Kitty studied English Literature at Edinburgh University.

The trio found that their different creative backgrounds, combined with a shared passion for film and storytelling, naturally led to rich, multi-perspective conversations — and it was that shared passion that helped them connect so quickly.

They know their stuff; It’s just that they do not want to display their knowledge in a stuffy way.

“Recently, we collaborated with the London Short Film Festival, interviewing Artistic Director Philip Ilson and curator Lucy Peters. We have also featured conversations with Producer/Actor George Somner and Actress Yali Topol-Margalith and Lucy-Rose Leonard, among others,” explains Immi.

Episode topics are not all that different from other movie podcasts. Again, it’s the casual tone, fast-paced tempo, and warm temperature of their generational closeness that defines the show.

Recent episodes covered a breakdown and debrief of the recent BAFTA Awards — covering the big wins, standout nominations, and key categories. In the show, the co-hosts also look ahead to the Actors Awards and Academy Awards, sharing predictions and where they think the top honors will land.

I think one of their best shows was in early January about their favorite Christmas movies, including a debate about which films truly deserve the top spot during the festive season. The show also included a spirited discussion on their favorite films of 2025.

The co-hosts note that, “The Transmission Roundhouse podcast platform was the perfect partner as they support exciting, underrepresented audio makers to bring their ideas to life, based in London’s iconic Roundhouse venue.”

The show has an excellent video version of every episode, which they upload onto their YouTube channel HERE.

The co-hosts want everyone to know that, “We’re three people who love film, and love talking about film, but we find those spaces can sometimes be overly commercial or exclusive. We also know how difficult and inaccessible the industry can be to break into. So, alongside creating a safe, non-judgmental space to discuss film, we wanted to build an educational platform by inviting industry creatives to share their personal journeys and insights. Our target audience includes both passionate film lovers and aspiring professionals looking to navigate and enter the industry.”

Always On Film is not just for Gen Zers. All generations can play nicely in the sandbox built by three young women who came together over a shared love of film and of each other’s company. You can enjoy both.

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Latest Forbes Article

The latest Forbes article is titled, Five Mistakes Podcasters Make And How They Can Avoid Them. This article mentions indie podcasters extraordinaire Michael Osborne of Famous & Gravy and Jenn Trepeck of Salad With A Side Of Fries.

The article also mentions: “Some independent podcasts have developed original music for their show, such Friends Talking Shop or Feed the Queue to great effect.”