Oct 15, 2007
A World In Your Ear
So, I didn’t really get podcasts when they first became popular a few years back. This is probably mostly to do with the fact that, since my commute was a) above ground and b) short, I was more than happy to just listen to the radio on the way to and from work, which seemed to coincide perfectly with BBC Radio Four’s morning slot (9am - things like Andrew Marr’s Start the Week plus The Long View, Midweek, Desert Island Discs and Thursday’s Boffinmungous (oh, alright, In Our Time, presented by Melvyn Bragg, and then on the way home at about 6.30, the comedy slot.)
Since starting my new commute, back in April, I have experimented with reading (books, not shit free newspapers), listening to music (I found KD Lang’s Hymns from the 49th Parallel to be particularly soothing as I got to grips with being trapped in a sardine tin), watching things (Seasons 1-6 of Seinfeld and the first couple of seasons of Futurama) and finally, listening to the odd podcast.
And, you know, I’m a convert. I’ve found some which are absolutely fabulous for the commute - about an hour long, and by turns intelligent, interesting, entertaining and engrossing. In fact, I find myself frequently transported out of the tube carriage and to another place, the place where my attention is when I’m watching a film or on the phone - it’s not here where my body is, but it’s not anywhere else, so where is it? - and on at least one occasion have overshot my stop through being so rapt.
So for the sake of reference, I thought I’d share a rundown of what’s on my subscription list at the moment (with asteriskification denoting the ones I ALWAYS make a point of listening to)…
Magazine
Documentaries & Features
- TEDTalks
- Theory of Everything
- Thinking Allowed
- WNYC’s RadioLab*
- This American Life
- alt.NPR B-Side Radio
- Re:Sound*
- Third Coast Featurecast
- World Service Documentary Archive
- From Our Own Correspondent
Music
Now, obviously, I don’t listen to all of these every time there’s a new episode - but it is remarkably easy to plough through them, especially since I spend a minimum of 2.5 hours in transit each day.
I’d love to hear if you have any recommended podcasts. Stick your suggestions in the comments…
I’d definitely recommend the BBC’s Friday Night Comedy podcast and, of course, Mark Kermode’s film review podcast from Simon Mayo’s show on Fridays is required listening.
I like Take Your Medicine too, and you might also like Not Your Usual Bollocks, which is kind of similar (an unfortunate title if you ask me, but if you can ignore that, give it a listen).
Nick - I subscribed to the BBC Friday Night Comedy podcast for a while, but soon found that I was actually listening to the repeat of the shows on Saturday lunchtime, so never got around to listening to the podcasts.
Plus when I *did* listen to the podcasts, they had a nasty side-effect of making me snicker and snort on the tube, and people didn’t want to sit next to me.
Oh, hey, wait….
I’m slightly annoyed The Long View doesn’t have a downloadable version; it’s an interesting premise, and usually a good listen. I’d happily swap out Midweek for it; for some reason that show’s always annoyed me.
Mind you, I’m not sure why I care, as I’ve never got the hang of listening to them either. Maybe if I have a longer commute, things will change.
The Story is a great show on NPR. My boyfriend and I listened to it during our drive from Chicago to Cape Cod over the summer. About an hour long, it’s really interesting “stories” about everyday people.
What, no Archer’s? A great opportunity to bask in the intellectual kudos of R4, yet still have the equivlant of a mental enema. Yep, life is sweet.
OK, me. Go.
NPR - Driveway Moments
NPR - What Would Rob Do?
A Prairie Home Companion - The News from Lake Wobegon (without a doubt my favourite)
Keith and the Girl
Humeur Vagabonde
The New Yorker Out Loud
Comedy Central: Stand Up
BBC: In Our Time
National Geographic Minute
The Clive James Show
The History Network
RFI - Le Journal en Francais
Kermode. That is all. A good rant will easily while away the commuting time!
Ritmo Latino (for Latin American music old and new) and The Sounds in My Head (indie and pop gems)
“Savage Love” - Dan Savage, a gay sex-and relationship-advice columnist, takes call-in questions from across the gender spectrum, and often calls back on air for discussions.
KCRW’s “The Treatment” - interviews by Elvis Mitchell with filmmakers. Usually more indie than mainstream.
KCRW’s “Bookworm” - Authors on booktours interviewed by a very perceptive reviewer, Michael Silverblatt.
All available on iTunes.
I found exactly the same when I was commuting by tube. My favourites are all Radio 4:
In Business / World of Business - Peter Day is a genius
Profile - 15 mins, almost always fascinating
Today in Parliament - sometimes surreal on the tube
I’ve recently started cycling to work and listening to podcasts is the only thing I miss.
[...] Meg recommends some podcasts that she listens to on her commute, should you be in the market for some new podcasts. Personally there aren’t enough hours in the day. [...]
CBC radio’s “Ideas”
http://www.cbc.ca/ideas/
do have a look at Aljazeera English to be found on Sky 514, and podcasts from the Watch Now section on http://www.aljazeera.net/english
Ooh, you mentioned my podcast - I feel honoured!
I’m glad you enjoy it.
These are my always-listens:
R4 Arts & Ideas
British Library podcasts
Kleptones - Hectic City (gone quiet)
Joe Frank
KCRW Martini Shot
Onion News Network
po dictionary
BBC Prime Minister’s Questions video podcast [under review; disclosure: I produce(d) this one]
Elvis Costello The First Ten Years
WFMU Seven Second Delay
Word Podcast
The only podcast that I’ve ever followed regularly was SlashMusic, presented by Tom Ravenscroft.
It’s off the air at the moment, but there’s a full archive. You can get it in iTunes too.
I’d endorse the recommendation for In Business - shame last night’s was the last in the series.
Material World is also good, although some people can’t abide Quentin Cooper. I find that he reminds me of Dilbert, sniggering at his own bad jokes - but in an endearing way.
For music, I used to get Global House Connection, but it seems to have died.
I usually listen to NPR’s shuffle & story of the day, and also Slate’s daily podcast. I used to get the onion radio news, but you need to save up a good amount before its worth listening to without having to fiddle around for the next one, as they are only around 2 minutes long each.
Now, I may be biased (check the link) but I think the This Week In London podcast is actually rather good. Your results may vary…
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