5 Podcasts That'll Make Your Morning Commute Fly By
There's only so many times you can listen to a morning DJ make a crank call and play the same songs over and over. Instead of getting agitated while waiting in traffic, try expanding your mind with one of these podcasts. Each offers an insightful look into a different aspect of life, and with so many episodes, you won't run out of entertainment anytime soon. This video was made with Ezvid Wikimaker.
5 Engrossing Podcasts To Binge This Year
| Name | Hosts | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books | Zibby Owens | Features conversations with writers of all types so busy people can get the inside scoop on books in a variety of genres, from novels to children's literature to cookbooks |
| American Fashion Podcast | Charles Beckwith & Cathy Schepis | Weekly deep-dive interview series focused on the inner-workings of the business, helping those in different niches to understand larger trends and enable people across the industry to be proactive about progressive change |
| Tinkercast | Guy Raz & Mindy Thomas, Tim Kubart & Juanita Andersen | Network of shows aiming to get kids away from screens by telling stories about cool things happening in the world right now |
| Filmspotting | Adam Kempenaar & Josh Larsen | Covers new and classic films from a variety of genres and features interviews with notable people in the film industry |
| Difficult Women | Katy Frame & Marie Cecile Anderson | Musical comedy duo Reformed Whores takes on current events and personal experiences with humor and a mission to empower women in showbiz |
Tinkercast Presents Highlights Hangout
Fun Ways To Get Kids Interested in Science
- Look at common plants and objects under a microscope
- Sign them up for a science summer camp
- Take a trip to a natural history museum
- Watch educational movies and TV shows
- Go hiking with them and teach them about nature
- Play board games that encourage learning
- Explain the chemistry behind cooking and baking
- Mix a few science toys in with their birthday gifts
"Movies Are Prayers" by Josh Larsen
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In Depth
The previous decade has been a boom period for the production and distribution of podcasts, internet radio programs that feed out to listeners' digital devices via different streaming services. Most focus on specific subject areas and achieve success through the powerful parasocial relationships fans develop with hosts. The medium is especially popular with work-time commuters. In no particular order, this list highlights five podcasts that will liven up your morning drive or subway ride.
First up, at #1, is Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books. Hosted by writer Zibby Owens, the program features conversations with literary figures of all types so that busy people, like moms, can get the inside scoop on fantastic books, articles, and more. The show is produced in conjunction with a number of industry partners. Owens uses the proceeds from her deal with Amazon to benefit First Book, a non-profit that provides texts to low-income children.
The podcast's guests represent a wide range of publishing sectors. It has hosted authors of cookbooks, fashion critics, mindfulness experts, children's writers, and an array of novelists. Big names, including Candace Bushnell, Jamaica Kincaid, and Alain de Botton, have appeared alongside younger up-and-comers. Many of the conversations are recorded at public events in New York, The Hamptons, and Los Angeles.
Big names, including Candace Bushnell, Jamaica Kincaid, and Alain de Botton, have appeared alongside younger up-and-comers.
For #2, we've got American Fashion Podcast, a weekly deep-dive interview series focused on how the fashion industry works from the inside. It is particularly concerned with ethical and sustainable efforts within the business. The hosts are Charles Beckwith, an expert on style and media technology, and Cathy Schepis, a veteran executive who advises major luxury brands on business strategy.
Designed to function as a community radio station for the industry, the show puts a strong emphasis on stories about how fashion works and is changing, and tells the larger story by diving into as many niches as possible. It has drawn attention from a number of prominent publications, and has expanded to include an events series. On the air since 2014, recording more than 30 episodes per year, the program has accumulated a deep archive of discussions available to subscribers.
At #3, it's Tinkercast, the mission of which is to create a media movement that leads curious kids away from their screens, sparks their sense of wonder, ignites their creativity, and engages them in this moment and the future that belongs to them. It was founded by three media veterans, storytellers, and parents who believe that well-told stories can inspire families to use their imaginations.
It was founded by three media veterans, storytellers, and parents who believe that well-told stories can inspire families to use their imaginations.
Tinkercast's programs include Highlights Hangout, a monthly podcast that brings Highlights Magazine, the American children's publication, to life, offering stories, characters, puzzles, and jokes. On another show, Wow in the World, hosts Guy Raz and Mindy Thomas take a journey into new stories in science, technology, and innovation. The Tinkercast crew also appears at live engagements, a series of pop-up parties among them.
#4, Filmspotting, features two Chicago-based film critics, Adam Kempenaar and Josh Larsen, who discuss movies in weekly episodes. The duo cover new releases and classics alike, and explore different genres and national cinemas in ongoing series. A comparatively venerable institution in the young medium of podcasting, the show began production in 2005.
Kempenaar and Larsen frequently interview guests from the motion picture industry, whether Hollywood stars or renowned international art filmmakers. They also maintain a regularly updated set of top 5 lists on the podcast's website, ranking movies by individual filmmakers, or within genres, or by subject. For the show's dedicated fans, there is also a line of merchandise available.
For the show's dedicated fans, there is also a line of merchandise available.
Closing out the list at #5, we've got the Difficult Women podcast, hosted by Katy Frame and Marie Cecile Anderson, who also make up the irreverent musical comedy duo known as Reformed Whores. They see their project as an effort to empower women, normalize the female experience, and make people laugh at the same time. Through humor, the two women address issues like the gender data gap and revenge porn.
After performing across the country together for years, Frame and Anderson decided to start the podcast to explore what it means to be smart, opinionated, strong, independent women in showbiz and why that makes others regard them as difficult. In exploring social issues, they draw from their own experiences and current events, developing funny and thought-provoking conversations from an avowedly female perspective.
