Podcast subscriptions are a great way to build a community and engage with fans, both online and offline. Adventure podcast Deep Roots, however, decided to take this to the next level by having three subscribers accompany the host as he climbs a dormant volcano in Tanzania for the new season of the podcast, showing how the relationship that he’s built with the fans has extended beyond just a podcast.
This, along with the rest of this week’s launches and recommendations, really proves how podcasts can go beyond entertainment and be used as a valuable learning tool, whether that’s covering the in-depth history of a subject, looking at what’s going on in the news headlines, and even diving into niche areas like sound design and wedding planning.
What’s in the industry’s ears?
Justin Crosby - Presenter and producer, TellyCast
I love a bit of World War Two history, and Amazing War Stories is a brilliantly produced piece of work. It's into season two now, and not only does it sound great with 3D sound design and gripping, authentic stories, it has a worthy mission to support veteran causes and military museums.
Roger Gowdy - Director, Castmastery
A podcast that has been breaking up the decidedly drizzly summer months with laugh-out-loud moments for me is the BBC’s Call Jonathan Pie. As you might expect, it’s filled with the expertly-crafted angry rants we’ve come to love from Tom Walker’s fictional political correspondent, but with added context and characters that cleverly flesh out the comic character.
Alexandra Cohl - Founder, POD.DRALAND
Lately, I have been listening to Sandcastles, a podcast that covers The Point Dume Bombers on the night of the Woolsey Fire in Malibu, California. The podcast has a lot of heart and you quickly feel invested in the people and the story, with so many key moments easy to visualise with the expert writing and production. Also, with all of the wildfire news around the world right now, it's so encouraging to hear a story about community resilience and community steps that can be taken to prevent home and lives lost.
Alice Greedus - PR manager, Happiful
This week I have been listening to The Unfiltered Bride, which I love, and it has some really helpful advice to cover the more difficult aspects of planning a wedding. It's a really entertaining listen.
Giulia Ciccolella - Marketing executive, Mags Creative
For creativity and inspiration, I absolutely love Tape Notes - it’s a podcast where musicians and producers take you behind the scenes of the creation of your favourite albums. Right now, I'm in love with ‘In the End It Always Does” by The Japanese House. It's been so interesting to hear about the making of the album - so if you’re into music, I’d highly recommend you to check out Tape Notes."
Freshly Dropped
Human Resources
Broccoli Productions’ Human Resources, a podcast on the history of British involvement in the transatlantic slave trade, has returned for its third season looking at the period in which slavery was abolished in Britain, in 1807, and what happened after. The podcast, hosted by political journalist and Novara Media contributing editor Moya Lothian McLean, premiered its first episode of the new season on Tuesday this week and will continue to release weekly.
When It Hits The Fan
Former Sun editor David Yelland and former director of communications for the Queen Simon Lewis are the hosts of a new podcast for BBC Radio 4, exploring major PR disasters. The weekly podcast, titled When It Hits The Fan, debuted its first episode on 6 September, featuring the PR veterans discussing what goes on behind the headlines in the world of crisis comms.
Deep Roots
Adventure podcast Deep Roots, by baLORE Media, has returned for its fourth season today featuring host and extreme adventurer Damian Browne on his way to climbing Mount Kilimanjaro for the second time in the company of three fellow adventurers and subscribers of the podcast. This is the first time that the podcast has featured an interactive element with its subscribers and explores how each of the individuals face this challenge.
The Mid Point
Broadcaster Gabby Logan launched a mini-series of her podcast The Mid Point this week, which examines the world of middle-age through interviews with a range of diverse and often inspiring figures. The first episode released 6 September, and spotlights the stories of ordinary people with extraordinary experiences.
Outrage + Optimism
Climate crisis podcast Outrage + Optimism has also returned for its eighth season this week, with the first episode premiering yesterday. It features in-depth coverage and analysis of key climate events and interviews with high-profile people, including the former U.S. vice president Al Gore in the first episode.
