Forgive me not linking, because different people will access their podcasts in different ways, but here are a few feeds I suggest you check out:
Radio 4’s Seriously feed contains two documentaries a week, with a marvellous range of techniques. The US storytelling style is wonderful, but there’s more variety in the Seriously stable, and while it sometimes misfires or is ponderous, when it works it’s glorious. Three recent episodes worth checking out: The Edge of Life (about suicide and suicide prevention), Who’s Looking At You (quite brilliant about the effects of universal surveillance) and The Trainspotter’s Guide To Dracula, featuring Miles Jupp.
99% Invisible needs no plug from me but they’re awesome. An ear-catching recent episode discussed the universal basic income not as a piece of economic policy but as a design decision – and 99PI has got me exploring all kind of interesting topics, from barbed wire to Frank Lloyd Wright’s affordable homes.
Jon Ronson’s The Butterfly Effect is clever, curious and surprisingly moving. Series One is about the porn industry, but Ronson talks to all kinds of people and takes the story in a variety of unexpected directions. Bravo.
Just catching on is the After On podcast; free-flowing extended chats with fascinating people such as Ev Williams of Twitter, Blogger and Medium, or Chris Anderson of TED. Well worth a listen.
And finally, Radio 4’s Analysis is back and I particularly enjoyed the episode on the way the Houses of Parliament are falling apart. No, it’s not a metaphor. Except it is obviously partly a metaphor…
And finally finally, Jessica Abel’s book Out On The Wire (UK) (US) spills the beans about how great radio and podcasts are made.
Oh, and finally finally finally, you should of course listen to every episode ever made of Fifty Things That Made The Modern Economy, all 52 of them. Details about the book here.