Podcasts

[Brer Funk]

I'm on a huge podcast kick lately and I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions for a good daily audio podcast for national/world news. The ones I've tried are too short (like 6 minutes of Micro Machines speed talking). I'm looking for like a solid half hour. Anyone have a favorite?

[sean52692]

I think that NPR has a good one, but I'm not into podcasts at all. So I really don't know.

[sean52692]

So can this be The Podcast Thread?

I'm finishing up listening to Serial this morning and I would definitely recommend it. It's fantastic reporting and an interesting story.

[Bluewater34]

I think the BBC has a good daily news podcast. My favorite news podcast is On the Media, but it's an hour weekly. Well, that's my favorite serious news podcast. My actual favorite news podcast is The Bugle.

Also, Serial was amazing. I can't wait to see what they do next.

[sean52692]

Originally Posted by Bluewater34 I think the BBC has a good daily news podcast. My favorite news podcast is On the Media, but it's an hour weekly. Well, that's my favorite serious news podcast. My actual favorite news podcast is The Bugle. Also, Serial was amazing. I can't wait to see what they do next.

I listen to the Global BBC news podcast, it's good. Out of habit, I usually listen to the Morning Joe podcast from MSNBC.

Freakonomics had an interesting game show type episode recently where they asked crowd members to come onto stage and tell a panel of judges an interesting piece of information that they should know.

[brian3641]

Solid News Podcast is a great band.

[Bluewater34]

Originally Posted by sean52692 Freakonomics had an interesting game show type episode recently where they asked crowd members to come onto stage and tell a panel of judges an interesting piece of information that they should know.

Yeah, that was a fun one. I cut out a bunch of podcasts this fall, and Freakonomics was one that lost out. I may need to revisit it.

[MaLaKaS]

I just started listening to Serial. I'm on episode 2 and I find interesting so far.

[roshea999]

Not really news podcasts, but the four I do weekly are

Penn's Sunday School - penn jillette shooting the shit
WTF - Marc Maron (skip the guests that do nothing for me)
Star Talk with Neil Degrasse Tyson
Duncan Trussell Family Hour

Have all of the serial podcasts, might start that up this week

[sean52692]

did you guys finish Serial?

[Bluewater34]

Yeah, I finished it. Great storytelling. I thought the ending was a little underwhelming, but there really wasn't a lot more she could have done. I'll be really interested to see what happens with that story going forward.

[sean52692]

Originally Posted by Bluewater34 Yeah, I finished it. Great storytelling. I thought the ending was a little underwhelming, but there really wasn't a lot more she could have done. I'll be really interested to see what happens with that story going forward.

My thoughts exactly...

Spoiler:

also, pretty sure Adnan did it.

[Bluewater34]

Yeah, it's the only explanation that makes complete sense, but there's a huge piece of the story missing from what we know.

[MaLaKaS]

I'm halfway through Serial. I'm really enjoying it so far.

[dmb6743]

Yea Serial was amazing and if you guys haven't read the interview Jay did with the Intercept I really recommend it.

Originally Posted by Bluewater34 Yeah, it's the only explanation that makes complete sense, but there's a huge piece of the story missing from what we know.

I'm with you here too.

Spoiler:

While I don't think there was enough evidence to convict Adnan, I still think he did it b/c the only other explanation would be the serial killer, but then what does Jay gain from telling that story in the first place.

[dmb6743]

Also I vote this to be the podcast thread as well, been on some huge kicks lately:

Men in Blazers (great comedy even if you're not a huge soccer fan)
Wait Wait Don't Tell Me
Makers of Sport (coz I'm a design nerd)
Just subscribed to 99% Invisible too but haven't gotten around to listening to it yet.

The storytelling in Serial though was just incredible.

[Bluewater34]

99% Invisible is fascinating. NPR just started a new podcast from two producers who used to work on TAL and Radiolab, two of my favorite shows. I've only listened to one piece from it so far, but it promises to be really good. It's called Invisibilia, and it's about all of the stuff that goes on in your mind without explanation. The piece I've heard was about the origin of the weird dark thoughts that we all have, like the impulse that we get to jump in front of the train as its coming or to just jump off of the cliff you're standing near.

[sean52692]

I've been meaning to start WTF with Marc Maron since I randomly started watching his TV show (which is a poor man's Louie but I still enjoy it).

[Bluewater34]

I've been meaning to check that show out. Maybe I'll give it a shot when I finish Comedy Bang Bang.

I love the podcast, but I had to stop listening to it, just because there's too damn much of it. Takes too much of my time.

[Bluewater34]

For those of you looking to fill the Serial-shaped hole in your podcasting life, I'd recommend checking out Mystery Show. It's a new one from Starlee Kine, who you'll be familiar with if you're a This American Life listener. Each episode she takes a mystery that comes from someone that can't be answered by simply Googling it and tries to solve it. It's much more lighthearted than Serial was, and much more self-contained, but she's a similarly great story teller. The most recent episode is about a belt buckle, but it seriously ended with me saying,"No fucking way!' to myself in my car.