On Podcasting the Arab World
Podcasts are one of the hip new media, and production is exploding since Serial took the world by storm. They aren’t new in the Arab world either, but are reminiscent of the blogging community 10 years ago: unorganized, amateurish, but with a ton of potential. With just a handful of podcast based in the Arab world and even fewer focusing on storytelling, there are a few great shows, with more coming online every day.
In this piece, I selected some of my favorite shows, mostly US-based, and highlight the best of the Arab world podcast scene.
I’m working with Sowt, a new podcasting organization, working to create high quality on demand audio content for the Arab world. We’re teaming up with leading new media publishers to produce shows on issues that matter to us; a young, creative and restless crowd.
If you are interested in staying up-to-date, sign up to our bi-monthly newsletter, Microphone, a guide to the ever-growing sphere of podcasts and audio-content from and about the Arab world.
We’re constantly motivated and inspired by shows around the world. Please tell us what you’re listening to and what you’d like to listen to.
Arab world podcast
Kerning Cultures
Being one of the only regularly published narrative-driven podcast about the Arab world, Kerning Cultures (KC) produces excellent stories ranging from moving back to Egypt after a long gap, the brain drain or the rapid change taking place in the Gulf, KC is taking a new swing at setting right the narratives about Arabia. Hebah Fisher and Razan Alzayani are rocking the podcast boat.
Start with Love in 56kb, and but don’t miss Birthplace of the UAE either.
The Dukkan Show
The Dukkan Show from Dubai is the place you go, not because you want to buy something, but because you hang with your friends at the corner shop. This show recreates that feeling with intimate conversations with various guests and friends. Interview style, the show draws you in as you learn about the hosts and their hip guests. Focusing on music, this eclectic crew will share the joy of companionship and spirited conversation with you.
The Ottoman History Podcast
This podcast started years ago and has barreled through nearly 300 episodes since 2011. Starting as a small project to discuss their academic work, it has grown into a hefty resources for academics and geeks alike. This is for all those inner geeks. Covering the former Ottoman lands, many of their episodes cover Islam or the Arab world in one way or another. Start with Omnia El Shakry and Susanna Ferguson as they discuss The Arabic Freud: Psychoanalysis and Islam in Modern Egypt and move towards Elias Muhanna’s deep dive into Egyptian scholar Shihab al-Din al-Nuwayri’s encyclopedia.
The Mstdfr network
The Mstdfr Crew are throwing down some serious listening pleasure for your ears. Having launched a handful of shows in the past few months, they are building out a serious network of podcasts examining different aspects of life from science to technology to challenges facing the new Arab generation. Using a mix of Arabic and English, or Arablish, they reach a large audience around the Gulf, being based in Saudi. Check out the show عِلم إف إم for a deep dive into science.
Hyperlink
Our good friend Saleh and Bishr Kayyali having been holding down one of the best produced podcasts in Arabic for quite some time. Focusing on technology, they discuss a wide-range of topics including the latest gadgets, advances in science and reviewing the latest events in the tech world. Well produced, high quality audio with an engaging storyline. Try out their latest episode for a test drive. هايبرلينك 147: عن ماك بوك برو الجديد وعودة مايكروسوفت إلى الأضواء
Hay el Matar — A Syrian audio drama
The only fiction on our list, this radio drama plays out in an unnamed Syrian city as resident struggle to overcome personal and political issues around them. Wiped of any specific political commentary, the producers did an excellent job removing the political, while retaining a critical and engaging storyline. Led by the Syrian film collective, Batuta Films and supported BBC Media Action and funded by the E.U., we hope that this isn’t their only audio production. Hay el Matar is a narrative-driven drama, start at the beginning and enjoy!
More Perfect by RadioLab.
Few can make constitutional law interesting for the average citizen. The master of audio storytelling, Jad Abumrad unleashes his talents onto your ears in the form of a new show called “More Perfect.” For Americans around the world, 2017 might be an interesting year for the constitution, which begins with “We the People of the United States, in order to for a more perfect union … ” The first season was a pilot, with only 6 episodes. Limited, but excellent and interesting storytelling.
We recommend the epsiode, Object Anyway, where the Batson ruling gets the name from James Batson, a black man arrested for a minor crime. His jury was selected, with each black juror being dismissed and eventually convicted. He asked his lawyer to object as possible jurors were being dismissed based on race. The objection made its way to the supreme court and the Batson rule was born.
Season two promises to be even more engaging.
99% Invisible
The premise of this show is that the world is 99% invisible to the untrained eye. Without training much of the design effort goes unnoticed by us mere mortals. Topics range from what makes a home in the United States a McMansion to sound design of a media brand. 99pi has evolved over the past few years, and for the most part is an effort of a small dedicated team in Oakland, California. The host, Roman Mars is a founding member of Radiotopia, an important podcast collective. Start with the NBC chimes episode.
“The NBC chimes may be the most famous sound in broadcasting. Originating in the 1920s, the three key sequential notes are familiar to generations of radio listeners and television watchers. Many companies have tried to trademark sounds but only around 100 have ended up being accepted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office — NBC’s iconic chimes were the first.
Reply All by Gimlet media
I’ve been listening to Reply All since the very beginning of Gimlet’s ascent to the top of the podcasting world, and while I don’t consider myself an expert on the internet, this show never stops freaking me out or explaining something I’ve only just glanced upon. Yes, Yes, No, is a segment of the show where they ask their boss, Gimlet’s founder Alex Blumberg about some deep dark secret of the internet. Exceptionally nerdy, you have to wonder if the two hosts, Alex and PJ, every step away from their connected devices. No suggested episode, just start listening from the latest.
Reveal
From the Center for Investigative Reporting, Reveal podcast is the reincarnation of their investigative radio show. With the demand for investigative, honest and independent journalism rising, Reveal has been at the forefront of the curve. With their award winning investigations adapted for the podcast, you can learn about the various issues they cover. One episode uncovers a topic close to all too many American students. “Who is getting rich off your student debt,” exposes how companies and individuals buy up student debt and attempt to collect the money at huge margins. Many of Reveal’s episodes remake investigations published as text or video on their website as immersive audio storytelling. Another episode entitled Russia’s new scapegoats, talks about how a journalist was killed, not to restrict he’s freedom of speech, but because he was gay. Dive deep into the issues that LGBTQI folk faces in Russia.
StarTalk Radio
I’m new to the StarTalk Radio scene, but enjoyed the refreshing, informal style of the show. Led by Neil deGrasse Tyson, the show is about “everything under the sun; Or rather under the universe!” Tyson usually co-hosts the show with a comedian or scientist. Scientific and geeky, the show is hilarious and will leave you wishing you had become a ‘scientist’ of some sort. Tyson is an astrophysicist, cosmologist, and author. He is the Frederick P. Rose Director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History in the New York City, New York.
Remember Bill Nye the science guy? This episode is Bill Nye for adults, a high octane show featuring technical scientific conversation, questions from listeners and rapid conversation covering anything from “inventions, innovations and scientific discovery.” Listen to Celebrating Innovation, with Bill Nye — StarTalk All-Stars.
Revisionist History
An new concept, the show looks back at events that have taken place and revisits them to discover things we missed, information overlooked, or all together different conclusions. Hosted by author Malcolm Gladwell, this show is a gem for those who enjoy an engaging show reaching a surprising or unexpected conclusion. One of my favorite episodes is called the Blame Game where Gladwell goes back and looks at the Toyota recalls for cars that “were suddenly and uncontrollably accelerating.” With horrifying audio from a call to 911, this episode will surely leave you stunned, as ‘expert’ after expert misdiagnoses the problem.
On Being
On Being is one of the first podcasts I ever listened to regularly. Partly due to the topic and partly due to the opportunity for self-reflection, Krista Tippet’s show has inspired generations. The show began as a broadcast on Public Radio in the United States, and has since grown into a podcast that reaches people around the globe. On Being focuses on spirituality, religion and the spaces inbetween. We recommend all episodes, but check out the interview with best-selling author of Eat Pray Love, Elizabeth Gilbert. In this episode, Choosing Curiosity Over Fear, not to be confused with the more familiar trope to “follow your passion.”
Another episode, quite possibly the most moving episode of her show, Krista interviews the late John O’Donohue about The Inner Landscape of Beauty. Between questions and conversation that flows naturally, O’Donohue reads some of his beautiful poetry from his book Anam Cara, or “soul friend” in Gaelic.
a16z
Take a deep dive into the geek world of technology and venture capital with this show, based on the firm started Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz. They work with entrepreneurs to provide expertise and information to help them build up their companies fast and big. This show interviews key people about the technology and the business of the next big thing. A few episodes to start with are, Software Programs the World, Getting Network Effects and The Meaning of Emoji.
DTR
DTR — A series from Tinder and Gimlet Creative, about defining relationships in the digital age, has been a pretty interesting listen for me, a married guy who happily missed the whole online dating thing. It is one of the first products from Gimlet Creative as the expand into branded podcasts. It will be interesting to see how the show develops and the economics around it.
Start at the beginning with Episode 1 about the best word ever: hey
