Last updated on September 24th, 2024
In yet another “(insert-year-here) annual update” post, I take a look at podcasts I’ve been listening to in 2024. While many of these are the same as in last year’s post, there are also some new ones. Some longtime podcasts I previously listened to either shut down or haven’t updated in quite awhile.
Shows marked with an asterisk are rated as “explicit” by Apple Podcasts. The NPR podcasts listed below do warn at the start of the show if there’s any strong language or adult content present.
Code Switch
Podcast: www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch
Code Switch is an NPR podcast that focuses on American society’s treatment of people of color. Topics covered by Code Switch range from the origins of the term “people of color” to reparations for African Americans.
Cory Doctorow
Podcast: craphound.com/feeds/doctorow_podcast
Cory Doctorow is a writer, podcaster, and blogger who writes about problems with the modern tech industry. Doctorow coined the term “ensh*ttification” (i.e., “platform decay” for a more G-rated phrase) for how tech platforms, from streaming services to social media, decline in usability over time.
Deep in Bear Country
Podcast: berenstainbearcast.org
Deep in Bear Country is a podcast by Phil Gonzales about the long-running series of “Berenstain Bears” books. Each episode features a different book in the series, from the earliest books to the series’ shift to a religious tone. The podcast also gives Gonzales’ thoughts on both the story and the topic covered.
Factually! with Adam Conover
Podcast(*): www.adamconover.net
Comedian Adam Conover (from TV’s “Adam Ruins Everything”) has his own podcast, where he interviews various experts on different topics. Topics covered include climate change, antitrust laws, and privacy issues in modern tech.
It’s Been a Minute
Podcast: www.npr.org/podcasts/510317/its-been-a-minute
“It’s Been a Minute” is an NPR podcast that covers a range of topics that affect people of color. Topics range from the latest culture war nonsense to the 2024 elections. The latter is seeing a lot of coverage for obvious reasons (a biracial woman versus a deeply racist man?).
Life Kit
Podcast: www.npr.org/lifekit
“Life Kit” is an NPR podcast offering tips on various life improvement subjects, ranging from getting more sleep to managing credit card debt.
MEGASheen
Podcast(*): podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/megasheen/id1133749508
“MEGASheen” is a podcast covering sci-fi/fantasy and comics material from a Black queer perspective. Topics range from the latest Marvel/DC superhero films to video games to the horror genre. There’s usually also interviews with various guests; while some of the guests focus on media, others discuss aspects of LGBTQ culture.
On the Media
Podcast: www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm
“On the Media” is a weekly public radio program produced by WNYC in New York. The podcast covers issues about American media, including journalism, corporate media, how the press covers some topics (like racism), etc.
Tech Won’t Save Us
Podcast: www.techwontsave.us
“Tech Won’t Save Us” is a podcast by Paris Marx about the state of technology. It tends to skew more political (and left leaning) versus other tech podcasts. Topics include tech sector unionization, the problems with some Silicon Valley executives backing Donald Trump, the issues with artificial intelligence (AI), and so on.
The Vergecast
Podcast: www.theverge.com/the-vergecast
“The Vergecast” is the podcast for The Verge, a tech news site. The podcast’s hosts discuss the prevailing tech industry news of the week, from the AI craze to the newest iPhone models.
Photo by Firmbee (Pixabay / CC0)
