The best podcasts you should listen to this week
By Jaclyn Schiff and Simon Owens
Do you love listening to podcasts but are overwhelmed by the sheer number of choices out there? Have you subscribed to way more podcasts than you could ever listen to and don’t want to miss the best episodes? AudioTeller is a weekly newsletter that tells you the can’t-miss episodes you absolutely need to download. To have this newsletter delivered to your inbox, sign up here.
This week you’ll learn how video games make you smarter, how Twitter will become a live entertainment network, and which true crime podcast you need to listen to to scratch that Serial itch. Stay tuned…
From Jaclyn Schiff, AudioTeller co-editor:
The enigmas of the brain [link]
A British neurosurgeon reflects on his life as a neurosurgeon and the mysteries of consciousness on a recent episode of Fresh Air. If all things brain fascinate you, then this is a no-brainer (sorry, I just couldn’t resist the pun!).
NYT’s Thomas Friedman tries to make sense of the U.S. elections [link]
I am absolutely loving the conversations Katie Couric is having on her podcast and this episode might be my favorite yet. In this insightful conversation, Friedman, who is a master of the art of explaining things in very accessible terms, discusses free trade agreements and how they’ve contributed to some Americans’ feeling of being profoundly stuck. This interview feels like Couric is really trying to understand how the U.S. has arrived at this political place — with Trump garnering as much support as he has — and Friedman provides some very reasonable thoughts for those who — like Couric — have found themselves scratching their heads.
From Renan Borelli, director of audience growth and engagement at MTV News:
One political podcast to rule them all and in the darkness bind them [link]
Politico ran a good story last week on the “Obama Bros,” a group of former Barack Obama staffers who host a show on The Ringer podcast network called Keepin’ It 1600. The hosts (Jon Favreau, Dan Pfeiffer, Jon Lovett, and Tommy Vietor) all played significant roles in the Obama administration (and his presidential campaigns), which helps differentiate the show’s conversations from the dozens of political podcasts manned largely by journalists. The hosts are well connected in the political space, get fantastic guests, and have produced a couple of high-quality Facebook Live shows before and after the most recent debates. They’re openly partisan and unfiltered, and they are explicit in their disdain for Donald Trump and their support for Hillary Clinton, which is somewhat of a relief. The hosts’ candor and inside baseball-like takes are refreshing, extremely interesting, and unlike any other political podcast out there.
From Michele Cox, neuroscience PhD student at Vanderbilt University
The secret to making video games good for you [link]
On this episode of Note to Self, invited guest Jane McGonigal discusses video games as a self-improvement tool — the idea that when used appropriately and intentionally, video games can help us become smarter, more creative, less depressed, etc. Many gamers might respond to this idea with a resounding “duh.” However, for non-gamers who might be concerned about possible negative side effects of gaming (increased isolation, desensitization to violence, sleeping trouble, etc.), McGonigal will change the way you think about gaming.
What resonated with me the most is McGonigal’s excellent understanding of current brain science and her ability to speak clearly about complex, cutting-edge ideas. Her explanation of how researchers are currently thinking about addiction (~17:00) is one of the best I’ve ever heard from a lay person. At another point, she references one of the most revolutionary ideas in modern psychotherapy in a totally natural manner.
From Simon Owens, AudioTeller co-editor:
Can Twitter become a live TV network? [link]
The internet isn’t lacking for think pieces and analysis for how Twitter can save itself, especially as its stock price continues to slide and it searches for a buyer. But recently the Jay and Farhad Show brought on CNBC editor Julia Boorstin to discuss a particularly interesting strategy the company has adopted: a live video and television network. I’d heard that Twitter had secured the rights to livestream some NFL games and I’ve always considered it the go-to place for breaking news, but it wasn’t until listening to this discussion that I understood Twitter’s all-in strategy on live entertainment.
Finally, a new place to get your true crime fix [link]
After Serial’s first season ended, we saw the proliferation of articles listing true crime podcasts you could listen to while waiting for the next season. But while I found several to be serviceable (for instance, Criminal is decent but a little overhyped IMHO), none of them scratched that itch I got from listening to Adnan Syed’s case getting relitigated by Sarah Koenig. But this week I dipped my toes into a relatively new podcast that, based on the first episode (which is all I’ve listened to thus far), is similarly gripping to Serial. It’s called In the Dark, and it’s the journalistic investigation of a 1989 child abduction case. The podcast, like Serial, doesn’t just explore the crime itself, but law enforcement’s failings to investigate it properly. I’m excited to continue listening.
Thanks for reading (and hopefully listening to our recommendations). Think we missed a great episode? Email us at audioteller@gmail.com. Want to have this list delivered to your inbox every week? Go here.
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Image via CBSNews
