6 ms·

Ask HN: What are your favourite podcasts?

12 points by Onewildgamer 8y ago

What are the daily/weekly podcasts you listen?

evanlivingston 8y ago
I'm trying to listen to fewer podcasts. In my work day I have a few hours most days that don't require much concentration and it's easy to feel that I could "fill" the time with podcasts. But after going through a whole bunch of podcasts from all over the political spectrum, science, history, entertainment, music, drama and comedy I've determined that podcasts generally just detract from my life more than they give to it. I find podcasts like Radiolab and Serial to be particularly egregious examples of time sinks. They're produced with a narrative arc much like Netflix shows; they keep you "on the edge of your seat" but at the end I'm left with one less hour in my day and not much else to show for it. The same is true for news podcasts. I can listen to new podcasts all day and know exactly what different budget proposals or farm bills contain but what do I really do with that information, how does it really impact my life? In short, I think the vast majority of podcasts are useful as fleeting entertainment and arn't much use beyond that, regardless of content. Maybe it's just my learning style though. That said, Podcasts I regularly listen to: Chapo Trap House - cynical news coverage + comedy from socialists Intercepted - Top notch journalism Deconstructed - Also top notch journalism Vox's The Weeds - deep dive policy wonk stuff from neoliberals NYT The Daily - Coverage of one timely news topic each day Democracy Now - More Top notch liberal journalism
- throwaway180118 8y ago
  What playback speed do you listen to your podcasts on? 1.1x saves you 12 minutes on the hour. I use PocketCasts on Android, which handles the variable playspeed well and also has a neat silence trimming feature that can accumulate hours of saved time.
  - 1123581321 8y ago
    I think playback speed can mask the problem the OP is describing. There are effectively an unlimited number of these programs. Someone cutting the time by 10-40% is often just going to fill up the remaining time with more of the same. The other consequence of compressing time is the podcast requires more concentration. If it’s not too valuable it might be less of a waste of time to listen slowly enough that another activity can be done without missing much. The best solution is to only listen to great shows that your future self will approve of, which isn’t easily done. :) (And yes, Pocket Casts is great at saving time - I’ve shaved off weeks at this point.)
- riku_iki 8y ago
  > Deconstructed - Also top notch journalism I actually found this guy pushing very aggressive, one sided political agenda, which is far from being top notch journalism in my opinion..
  - evanlivingston 8y ago
    I admit to only having listened to one episode at the time of posting, it wouldn't surprise me. Stuff coming out of the intercept does appear to have a slant.
hvass 8y ago
1. Tim Ferriss Show 2. Exponent (Stratechery’s podcast) 3. Ezra Klein Show 4. Recode / Decode 5. a16z’s podcast 6. Dear Sugar 7. Techmeme’s new daily podcast
spdebbarma 8y ago
- No Such Thing As Fish - Philosophy Bites - Radiolab - HBR Ideacast - Intelligence Squared
sharadov 8y ago
Freakonomics Planet Money Fresh Air Tim Feriss
tangue 8y ago
I' ve recently discovered Radiotopia and expanded my podcasts list from here ( Criminal - 99% invisible - Modern love ) it's a bit of fresh air
maximp 8y ago
Indiehackers, Inside The Hive (the tech episodes, not the Trump-bashing ones), Recode Decode with Kara Swisher
gumboshoes 8y ago
A Way with Words, Q&A language and linguistics https://waywordradio.org https://waywordradio.org BBC From Our Own Correspondent https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qjlq https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qjlq Motherfoclóir, Irish linguistics and language https://www.headstuff.org/motherfocloir/ https://www.headstuff.org/motherfocloir/
subhashp 8y ago
Tim Ferries, James Altucher, NPR: How I built this?, NPR: TED radio hour. I listen to them while travelling to and from work.
ecesena 8y ago
How I Built This - https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this The Tim Ferriss Show - https://tim.blog/podcast/ https://tim.blog/podcast/
NorinUS 8y ago
The John Batchellor Show - I whish I knew about this show earlier Dan Carlin's Hardcore History - History EconTalk - Haykian economist Freakonomics - Economics popsci Reason Podcast - Libertanian take on news, WSJ opinion: Potomac Watch - Very sound and succinct take on things This American Life - Excellent when focusing on 'everyday' situations/stories without. Gilbert Gottfrieds Amazing Podcast - Gilbert.. Delingpole - Quirky serial thought criminal in the new UK. Spycast - From the International Spy Museum Security Now - Computer security
fuball63 8y ago
The Working Songwriter with Joe Pug. A series of interviews with touring singer/songwriters. Parallels to software and business: hustle and grinding for a desired way of life, cultivating a skill over time, building a product that people will pay for in an increasingly saturated market, dealing with imposter syndrome and the ups and downs of entrepreneurship. Anyone with interests in both songwriting and software will enjoy it.

12 points by Onewildgamer 8y ago

What are the daily/weekly podcasts you listen?

I'm trying to listen to fewer podcasts. In my work day I have a few hours most days that don't require much concentration and it's easy to feel that I could "fill" the time with podcasts. But after going through a whole bunch of podcasts from all over the political spectrum, science, history, entertainment, music, drama and comedy I've determined that podcasts generally just detract from my life more than they give to it. I find podcasts like Radiolab and Serial to be particularly egregious examples of time sinks. They're produced with a narrative arc much like Netflix shows; they keep you "on the edge of your seat" but at the end I'm left with one less hour in my day and not much else to show for it. The same is true for news podcasts. I can listen to new podcasts all day and know exactly what different budget proposals or farm bills contain but what do I really do with that information, how does it really impact my life? In short, I think the vast majority of podcasts are useful as fleeting entertainment and arn't much use beyond that, regardless of content. Maybe it's just my learning style though. That said, Podcasts I regularly listen to: Chapo Trap House - cynical news coverage + comedy from socialists Intercepted - Top notch journalism Deconstructed - Also top notch journalism Vox's The Weeds - deep dive policy wonk stuff from neoliberals NYT The Daily - Coverage of one timely news topic each day Democracy Now - More Top notch liberal journalism

throwaway180118 8y ago
What playback speed do you listen to your podcasts on? 1.1x saves you 12 minutes on the hour. I use PocketCasts on Android, which handles the variable playspeed well and also has a neat silence trimming feature that can accumulate hours of saved time.
- 1123581321 8y ago
  I think playback speed can mask the problem the OP is describing. There are effectively an unlimited number of these programs. Someone cutting the time by 10-40% is often just going to fill up the remaining time with more of the same. The other consequence of compressing time is the podcast requires more concentration. If it’s not too valuable it might be less of a waste of time to listen slowly enough that another activity can be done without missing much. The best solution is to only listen to great shows that your future self will approve of, which isn’t easily done. :) (And yes, Pocket Casts is great at saving time - I’ve shaved off weeks at this point.)
riku_iki 8y ago
> Deconstructed - Also top notch journalism I actually found this guy pushing very aggressive, one sided political agenda, which is far from being top notch journalism in my opinion..
- evanlivingston 8y ago
  I admit to only having listened to one episode at the time of posting, it wouldn't surprise me. Stuff coming out of the intercept does appear to have a slant.

hvass 8y ago

1. Tim Ferriss Show 2. Exponent (Stratechery’s podcast) 3. Ezra Klein Show 4. Recode / Decode 5. a16z’s podcast 6. Dear Sugar 7. Techmeme’s new daily podcast

spdebbarma 8y ago

- No Such Thing As Fish - Philosophy Bites - Radiolab - HBR Ideacast - Intelligence Squared

sharadov 8y ago

Freakonomics Planet Money Fresh Air Tim Feriss

tangue 8y ago

I' ve recently discovered Radiotopia and expanded my podcasts list from here ( Criminal - 99% invisible - Modern love ) it's a bit of fresh air

maximp 8y ago

Indiehackers, Inside The Hive (the tech episodes, not the Trump-bashing ones), Recode Decode with Kara Swisher

gumboshoes 8y ago

A Way with Words, Q&A language and linguistics https://waywordradio.org https://waywordradio.org BBC From Our Own Correspondent https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qjlq https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qjlq Motherfoclóir, Irish linguistics and language https://www.headstuff.org/motherfocloir/ https://www.headstuff.org/motherfocloir/

subhashp 8y ago

Tim Ferries, James Altucher, NPR: How I built this?, NPR: TED radio hour. I listen to them while travelling to and from work.

ecesena 8y ago

How I Built This - https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this The Tim Ferriss Show - https://tim.blog/podcast/ https://tim.blog/podcast/

NorinUS 8y ago

The John Batchellor Show - I whish I knew about this show earlier Dan Carlin's Hardcore History - History EconTalk - Haykian economist Freakonomics - Economics popsci Reason Podcast - Libertanian take on news, WSJ opinion: Potomac Watch - Very sound and succinct take on things This American Life - Excellent when focusing on 'everyday' situations/stories without. Gilbert Gottfrieds Amazing Podcast - Gilbert.. Delingpole - Quirky serial thought criminal in the new UK. Spycast - From the International Spy Museum Security Now - Computer security

fuball63 8y ago

The Working Songwriter with Joe Pug. A series of interviews with touring singer/songwriters. Parallels to software and business: hustle and grinding for a desired way of life, cultivating a skill over time, building a product that people will pay for in an increasingly saturated market, dealing with imposter syndrome and the ups and downs of entrepreneurship. Anyone with interests in both songwriting and software will enjoy it.