This is just a note to say that I’m going away next week, so there won’t be a new issue of the newsletter. I’ll resume publishing on March 16th.
There’s a strong possibility that I won’t even listen to a single podcast in that time, which will be a little strange. Keep your ears open, and if there’s anything you think that I shouldn’t miss, feel free to drop me a line here: ben@constantlistener.com.
In case you haven’t, The New York Times’ wildly popular and exceedingly well-made news podcast will soon be distributed on the radio in partnership with American Public Media. I’ve had a bit of a strange reaction to the news, in that it makes me cringe a little. I have written in the past regarding my feelings on daily news podcasts—which you can check out here. I haven’t entirely made sense of this desire I have to demarcate the world of podcasting so rigidly from the world of radio, but the two are rather different approaches to a similar shared media.
Among the chief enjoyments of the podcast format is its inherent plasticity. It is a breeding ground for new ideas, often because it isn’t often beholden to the formal rigidities of something like the broadcast clock. Having a sense of playful experimentation as a foundational quality has led The Daily to flourish precisely for the ways that it doesn’t fit the mold of traditional news media. I know that the podcast won’t change as a result, but it does change the way listeners might interact with the show.
We’ll see, who knows. Enough of this screed, hop down below for this week’s recommendations!
Today we learned that Winter is going to last for another few months, unless of course you’re an antipode, or live somewhere equatorial, or you simply don’t put credence in the belief that marmots have any meteorological prowess.
Whatever the case, this week we’ve got tons of great podcast recommendations and reviews below. Burrow in!
Welcome back dear reader, and a hearty hello to all of the new readers we gained following the publication of our Best Podcasts of the Year. I’m so glad that you’re here. We’ve got big plans for Constant Listener in the coming months, highlighting many new and returning podcasts that you’re sure to fall in love with, as well as continuing to explore the themes and motifs currently dominating the podcasting landscape.
This week I’m highlighting a few brand new programs, as well as one that is new to me, and also looking back at two brilliant lights of the medium that we lost over the holidays.
