Famous Last Words: My Favorite Podcasts!
Hey everybody! So I just started a new job in Oklahoma City this semester so I am often stuck in rush hour traffic. While I used to get so angry about being stuck in traffic, I now have accepted that it is a part of normal life and it is nothing that I invest my energy into being mad about. Instead, I like to use that time productively, usually by listening to podcasts or audiobooks. I have always been a podcast lover so I have gotten pretty good at gauging what a well-produced and thought out podcast sounds like so I feel confident in recommending my five favorite podcast shows to you guys! I listen to podcasts for free through the Apple Podcast app on my iPhone, but there are many different ways to listen to podcasts like on Google Podcasts, Spotify, Soundcloud, etc.
1) New York Times Daily
The NYT Daily podcast, hosted by Michael Barbaro, is the podcast that I listen to almost everyday as I'm getting ready in the morning. The episodes are about 20-30 minutes long and they are meant to delve into one current event and Barbaro usually interviews somebody that is very close to what is happening on the ground in the States or somewhere else in the world. Because the NYT is such a respected and prominent newspaper, they have the connect to very exclusive interviews that you don't hear too much on other podcasts.
2) NPR Embedded
NPR Embedded is my FAVORITE non-daily podcast. It is hosted by Kelly Mcevers, an amazing journalist. She focuses on one current event in the news for each episode, but she dives DEEP into the issue, often going to the place that she is covering and talking to people involved. My favorite episode is called 'The Capital', where she goes to El Salvador, the murder capital of the world, and when she is there, gangs take over the small country's transportation system by shooting any bus driver that would drive a bus, paralyzing the entire country for the day. I can not recommend this podcast enough. If there is any one you should listen to from this list, this one that is fail-proof when it comes to meeting your expectations. If you're only going to listen to one episode, I suggest listening to the Capital, but I think that you should start from the very beginning of the show and you will be hooked.
3) Planet Money
Planet Money is a podcast that is based in economics, but it does not feel like that to those that aren't interested in economics so don't let that turn you off! The hosts of the podcasts comically explain a phenomenon that occurs in the economy and the view of the world that they open you up to can completely change how you interact with others on a daily basis.
4) The Indicator
This Indicator is just like Planet Money in terms of the concept of the show and it is also made by the same people, but a new episode is released everyday and the episodes are 5-10 minutes long. The hosts take a number that they see in the news a.k.a. "the indicator" and zero in on it for the episode. I love listening to this podcast when I'm walking to class and don't want to start a podcast I can't finish.
5) Wrongful Convictions
This podcast is hosted by Jason Flom, a criminal justice lawyer that has spent his whole career attempting to get "criminals" that he believes were wrongfully convicted out of prison. On his show, he interviews people that were often seen in huge headlines, like members of the Central Park Five, and they discuss the corruption in the criminal justice system that allows humans to be deprived of freedom for the rest of the lives. This podcast has completely changed my view on the law. What brought me to listening to this podcast was the fact that I saw that Kim Kardashian West was going to meet with Donald Trump about prison reform and I thought "Out of all of the activists that dedicate their lives to this, is she the best representative for this topic?" I found this episode of Wrongful Conviction where Jason Flom interviewed her about how she helped free Alice Marie Johnson from prison, and after hearing why it is an important issue to her, I definitely support her in her mission!
(All of these images were sourced from the link attached to the podcasts)
Hey Arti! I’m pretty happy I chose this post to read of yours because I’ve been trying to get into listening to podcasts for a while now, and just in general, be more educated in what’s happening in the world. I also have a job in OKC and my commute time (even when it’s not rush hour) is pretty long, so I definitely need to check some of these out. I think the Wrongful Conviction podcast has caught my attention the most, although I definitely want to check out the New York Times Daily one as well! Side note – thanks for providing links to so many things you reference; it’s really helpful!
ReplyDelete