Podcast Playlist 2018

Sep 1, 2018 podcasts
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Whilst talking with friends a few weekends back, the topic of podcasts came up, as many people I know listen to multiple podcasts regularly and some with a iron-clad commitment.

My commute to work each day sits around 33 minutes (each way), and I've cultivated a list of audio informatives and dramatives to apply daily to my brain during that twice-daily drive. I used to use gPodder (on Windows) and copy the MP3s to a USB flash drive for use in my car, now I use DoggCatcher on Android, and play over Bluetooth in the car. Here's my list of podcasts, broken up by listening regularity:

Every Episode

I (almost) never skip or miss an episode of these. I'm not always completely caught up, but these get priority after I fall behind or don't have time.

  • Reply All - Journalistic stories pertaining to the internet in some way. From origins of memes to how scams on eBay work. Tracking down an phone IT scammer in person in India, to diving into the world of creating propaganda by hiring fake social media users.
  • Revisionist History - Malcolm Gladwell's research into things overlooked and misunderstood. Fascinating stories about a huge breadth of topics
  • Decrypted (by Bloomberg) - Technology Journalism. Investigating and interviewing companies and people in tech, about topics like privacy, blockchain, and disruption.
  • The Sword and Laser - A Science Fiction and Fantasy literature book club, the Sword and Laser has been running forever, and reads a book every month, discusses books and book news, and talks to authors.
  • Under the Influence (CBC Radio) - A show about marketing. How it influences people, how the industry works, and fascinating stories you never knew about brands and companies. Hosted by Terry O'Reilly
  • Spark (CBC Radio) - Weekly tech journal and culture show, which has been running on CBC radio for more than 400 episodes.
  • Quirks and Quarks [Segments] (CBC Radio) - Weekly national science show hosted by Bob McDonald.
  • IRL: Online Life is Real Life - Life online and the future of the web. Hosted by Veronica Belmont.

Selected Episodes

I listen to an episode of these if the topic (or guest) interests me

  • Q (CBC Radio)[Segments] - Interviews and discussions with host Tom Power and a guest, or a band, or music/media columnists. The feed I subscribe to is broken up by segment, so I can pick the interview specifically and not listen to the entire show (which runs weekday mornings on CBC Radio).
  • Ongoing History of New Music - Alan Cross puts together fascinating stories about music history, from the origin of band names, to histories of different sub-genre flavours. Sometimes retrospectives on artists who recently passed away, or specific decades of music with a Canadian perspective.
  • ID10T w/ Chris Hardwick (formerly Nerdist)
  • FlashForward - A podcast about possible futures, and the stories about technology and research today that might get us there. Things like living under the sea, taking a pill instead of exercising, or living through a pandemic
  • This is That (CBC Radio) - Fake news journal show. The stories are fake, the interviews are made up, but many are hilarious, and some are probable enough to be scary.

Infrequently

I've had occasion to listen to an episode or two of these podcasts, when they really have a good topic or I have some extra time.

  • Hidden Brain
  • Cooking the Books
  • After On - Hosted by author and former tech entrepeneur Rob Reid, this podcast is named after his recent book, and each episode is an 'unhurried' conversation with a figure in the science, tech, or future-leaning industry with a focus on themes of the future like Artifical Intelligence, Automation, Reality, Medicine, Information, Privacy, and more.
  • The Kevin Rose Show
  • StageCraft (Variety Magazine) - Variety Magazine's theatre podcast, normally about 30min interviewing a notable actor/writer/personality from Broadway or the larger theatre world. Hearing Lee Pace or Tom Hiddleston wax about acting and the industry in a non-Hollywood context can be quite refreshing.

Serial/Story Podcasts

When I have a long drive to do, or I really have caught up on everything else, these are some podcasts I've love to listen through.

I have finished these ones:

I haven't had time to listen to more than a couple episodes of these:

  • Ars Paradoxica
  • Wolverine: The Long Night
  • Mission to Zyxx
  • Welcome to Night Vale
  • The Adventure Zone
  • Acquisitions Incorporated
  • Within the Wires