3 New Podcasts You Need to Listen to Right Now

Okay, so you’ve heard of podcasting.

You have strong feelings about whether or not Adnan did it; were happy to hear about Ira Glass’s full ownership of This American Life; and regularly worship at the altar of Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich.

Podcasts were once the ugly digital stepsister of that age-old medium, radio. NPR-affiliated shows dominated podcasting. But thanks to an explosion of interest at the hands of Serial, podcasting is diversifying. More media outlets increasingly recognize the opportunity to reach new audiences. Earlier this year, Slate launched its Panoply Network. It includes long-time podcasting standbys, like the Slate Culture Gabfest, in addition to new offerings from other publications, like the New York Times Magazine Ethicists  and New York Magazine’s The Vulture TV Podcast.

But culture-watching sites and publications aren’t the only ones getting into the podcasting business. Tech and business-focused outlets have developed some great new shows as well. Here are three we’re tuning into – and what you can expect

• Re/Code Decode – Let’s be honest:  a podcast from Kara Swisher is overdue. As she says in the intro to the show, Swisher is the person who “makes Mark Zuckerberg sweat.” She probably has more insider access and insight than any other reporter in the Valley. As it turns out, Swisher also has a talent for radio. It’s an interview show; each week, Swisher digs into her deep rolodex to talk to tech’s thinkers and commentators (like Slack’s Stewart Butterfield). Why you should tune in:  Did you hear “insider access”? Her long history of the reporting in the Valley makes for compelling interviews that dig into the heart of the issues. Don’t expect table setting here. If you don’t already know who Elon Musk is, this isn’t the show for you.





• Inc. Uncensored – Reporters are obligated to write about all kinds of news. Some of it they’re genuinely interested in and some… not so much. Inc. Uncensored takes a look at the entrepreneurship stories piquing the interest of its writers and editors. Inc. editor James Ledbetter and staffers Jon Fine, Christine Lagorio-Chafkin and Will Yakowicz take a weekly look at news both dominating the headlines and flying under the radar – everything from social media app Banjo to the popularity of Kombucha to the potential pitfalls of “too many angel investors.” Why you should tune in:  Ever wonder what that reporter you’re pitching really thinks about the day’s news? Inc. Uncensored gives you an inside look. It’s also great to hear what stories are truly compelling to Inc.’s finest, especially when they’re not necessarily the ones getting the most clicks. Plus:  it’s a talk show. And talk shows are fun! #Banter.





• StartUp – Now in its second season, StartUp chronicles the highs and lows of founding and launching a startup. Season 1 followed former PlanetMoney reporter Alex Blumberg as he started Gimlet, the podcasting network that (unsurprisingly) hosts StartUp. Its second season, soon to wrap, follows Y Combinator grad, The Dating Ring. The show chronicles the nitty gritty of getting a successful company off the ground:  pitch meetings, setbacks, burnouts – it’s all there. Why you should tune in:  Starting a company is hard. Really, really hard. StartUp reveals how much genius, talent, sweat and luck is needed to make a company happen. It makes successful companies seem like a miracle.

For more InkHouse posts on podcasts – including some basics for getting yours set up and what their popularity portends for PR and marketing, click here.