Podcasts have been around for a while, and fortunately they are catching on to a broader audience. People constantly have devices available to them (especially these new gadgets smart phones, but also headphones) and can listen to the radio, music, or podcasts throughout their day. With the smart phone, people have the option to listen to what they want as opposed to a radio station who chooses what song or program will come next with forced advertisements every ten minutes.
Podcasts range in topic, length, and format. Giving the listener the option of learning, or not learning, about anything they want.
The accessibility of podcasts makes them an easy media to turn to. Simply opening an app on your phone allows you to listen to a podcast of any variety. Even within the history podcast genre there are thousands. These podcasts range from course lectures, institution hosted lectures (such as these), short stories (like the The Memory Palace), and in-depth longer pieces like those from BackStory. All of these podcasts range in length, topic, and depth. If you are waiting for the bus, commuting to work, or listening at work you will be able to find one that fits your interest and allotted time.
The great thing about many of these podcasts is how they blend content with interviews and stories from individuals who have a close connection or knowledge of the topic. This hour long podcast about Bobby Dunbar, a 4 year-old boy who was kidnapped and then found, proved to be a moving an interesting story to find the truth. Though focused on a small incident that did not affect many people, the descendants of the different families involved were still haunted by the mystery of who Bobby was and with new technology were able to find out. This podcast from 99% Invisible was a quick 30-minute piece on the initial anti-car lobby and how jaywalking became criminalized, something that affects every American. Even if you choose to not drive a car, you must still be cautious of them.
Though these podcasts can be a wealth of information, as Dr. Cebula points out, we must be careful about the material these podcasts present. One of the most interesting parts of podcasting is that anyone can produce their own podcast for a relatively small investment. But that also means that these people might not be experts or experienced in how the historical dialogue has changed about a topic or event. This is something to be aware of and as with everything on the Internet, use your best judgment.
alliehonican 