I'm not surprised that mainstream media companies like Buzzfeed and Slate are having a hard go of it in podcasting. I also don't see it as a problem, or even a

I'm not surprised that mainstream media companies like Buzzfeed and Slate are having a hard go of it in podcasting. I also don't see it as a problem, or even a worrying sign. I listen to podcasts specifically because the mainstream have been chronically bad at keeping me engaged. I think the same is true for most my podcast-listening friends. The podcasting I love is a quintessentially amateur endeavor - my favorites are ones like Singing Bones or Uncanny Japan that have low production values, irregular release schedules, and hosts whose deep love for and fascination with the subject matter saturate every episode. I'm never going to get that from Buzzfeed or Slate, or even NPR.