Podcasts

Why podcasts?

Podcasts offer an escape from the algorithm-driven silos of social media and the often undercomplex or sensationalist reporting in mainstream news. Like RSS feeds (see my article on RSS), they let you curate your own diverse mix of topics and perspectives, but in a more authentic, human-driven format.

Podcasts are a great way to stay informed, especially when you have limited time for reading. Personally, I spend much of my workday in front of a screen, so in my free time, I tend to avoid extensive digital reading to give my eyes a break. Yet, podcasts allow me to discover interesting new subject and hear first-hand reports from expert guestsβ€”all while doing things like cleaning the house or cycling along the river.

How to find podcasts to listen to

Creating a personalized podcast library is a journey that will spread over months and years. You can start with the toplists in your podcast app, but a lot of the discovery will be based on various sources of recommendations. A podcaster may mention or recommend another podcast as a source of inspiration, or you will find them mentioned in forums or through personal friends. Whenver I stumble upon such recommendations, I usually have a first listen right away. It usually does not take long to find out if a podcast (the hosts, the content and presentation) is something for you.

Apps to manage your podcasts

I used to listen to podcasts on the “Google Podcasts” app. This app has been discontinued in 2024 – but Google allowed the users to export their podcast library via the industry-standard OPML format – so I was able to just take all my subscriptions to a different app with only a few clicks. After reading some forums and trying a few other apps, I ended up with the app Pocket Casts (Android, iOS) which is pretty much 100% perfect for me in terms of features and usability.

My personal recommendations

The podcasts I subscribe to cover a wide array of subjects – from technology and politics to science, history, Asian studies, and entertainment. Each show provides unique insights and stories, sparking my curiosity, broadening my perspective and keeping me up to date with business, culture and the world.

The flag icons indicate the language spoken on the podcast (πŸ‡¬πŸ‡§β€‰englishΒ  πŸ‡©πŸ‡ͺ german). Progress bars indicate how frequently I listen to this podcast, ranging from “occasionally” (β–°β–±β–±β–±) to “every new episode” (β–°β–°β–°β–°).

All links in the tables below point to the podcasts’ official websites. Some of these websites make it difficult to actually find a proper, platform-independent subscription link. When in doubt, just put the title of the podcast into the “search” or “discover” function of your podcast app.

Technology

TitleDescription
Big Technology Podcast
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Large Language Models (LLMs), providing excellent analysis from a business and financial perspective.
Logbuch: Netzpolitik
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A German podcast about internet politics and digital society, exploring contemporary issues from data privacy to cybercrime.
Risky Business
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Discussing latest news in cyber security in global business and inter-state conflicts, combining good analysis with a bit of Australian banter.
Accidental Tech Podcast
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Half of this podcasts discusses Apple products and services, but from an intelligent and seasoned perspective. Other half covers various other tech, gadget and software development topics.
Broken Silicon
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Good insight into semiconductors, computers and other gaming or high-performance hardware, and the tech industry behind it. Covers Intel, AMD, NVIDIA, ARM, and all the other players in this space.
Freak Show
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Discusses everything from web development and software to internet culture and digital innovations.
Vergecast
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Entertaining and insightful discussions about gadgets, digital services, the AI industry and anything else at the frontier auf consumer technology.
CRE: Technik, Kultur, Gesellschaft
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German podcast about technology, culture and society. In each episode, the host (who is one of the most seasoned German podcasters) enables an expert guest to provide a very extensive deep dive into one singular topic, usually a topic that plays a very central role in the professional life or personal accomplishments of that guest.
Handelsblatt Disrupt
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German podcast that explores disruptive trends in the economy, featuring interviews with industry leaders and innovators.
Raumzeit
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German podcast that provides a comprehensive dive into the field of space and astronomy, bringing science to life for its listeners.
Lex Fridman Podcast
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Features long-form conversations with public figures from various disciplines, often centering around AI and deep learning, recently also politics and society.

Politics & Society

TitleDescription
Die Neuen Zwanziger
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German podcast that discusses developments in the political and social landscape from a leftist perspective once per month at length. One of the hosts is an accomplished sociologist and book author, the other is a seasoned podcaster and public intellectual.
Die Neuen Zwanziger – Salon
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Subscription-only spin-off that dives even deeper into current social topics once per month. Conversation is centered around literature and other original media, with multiple such publications covered in each single episode.
Lage der Nation – der Politik-Podcast aus Berlin
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Political podcast provides a weekly roundup of current affairs and politics, with a particular focus on Germany.
Sicherheitshalber
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German podcast about security policy in Germany and Europe, with 4 seasoned professionals in the field of military, publishing and international relations. Occasionally with expert guests from their related fields.
Wohlstand fΓΌr Alle
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German podcast that focuses on economic policy issues and historical context, advocating for social equity and economic justice.
Wohlstand fΓΌr Alle – Speakeasy Bar
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Subscription-only spin-off that provides a Q&A with listeners, where political and social questions of the listeners (submitted in advance) are discussed at length.
Alias Fernsehpodcast
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Similar to “Die Neuen Zwanziger”, with with a different co-host, plays pre-selected clips from recent broadcasting and analyzes motives, presentation and public discourse in German political TV.
Citations Needed
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Critiques the media, public relations, and the broader culture of neoliberalism.
Intelligence Squared
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Debate podcast that features experts in various fields, often covering topics related to politics, society, and culture.
Jung & naiv
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German podcast with long-form interviews with politicans, renowned scientists and other public individuals. The interview covers biographical questions before going deeper into matters related to the guest.
Neues aus der Bundespressekonferenz
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Live recordings of the German federal government’s press briefings, provided by listener-financed media outlet Jung & Naiv.
Revolutionary Left Radio
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Explores political philosophy, history, science, religion, culture, art, and struggle through a (American) socialist lens. I recommend the episode with Kim Stanley Robinson, author of the sci-fi novel “Red Mars”.
theAnalysis.news
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Providing left-field progressive news, analysis and commentary on global issues, with an emphasis on economy and imperialism.
Wahlkreis Ost – Der Politik-Podcast aus Leipzig
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Tackles regional and national political topics, presenting in-depth interviews and analysis.

Science

TitleDescription
KekulΓ©s Gesundheits-Kompass
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Covers a broad range of health topics, guided by expert Dr. Alexander KekulΓ©.

History

Title
Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History
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Deep dive into history’s most significant events and personalities, this English-language podcast is renowned for its compelling storytelling.
Empire
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Provides a number of series about the rise and spoils of historical empires, starting with the British empire in India, but later also covering empires that are much less present in our public mind. The two co-hosts often invite book authors and other specialists who have covered the specific empire in detail. Presentation is a little bit too heavy on banter for my taste, but the series can be quite excellent with its expert guests.
Fall of Civilizations Podcast
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Explores the collapse of great civilizations, investigating the causes behind their downfall.
The History of English Podcast
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Traces the development of the English language from its ancient roots to the present day.

Philosophy

TitleDescription
Fipsi: Der philosophische-psychologische Podcast
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German podcast with discussions between two academical philosophers, with each episode being centered around a singular topic.

Asia

TitleDescription
Sinica Podcast
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Dedicated to discussion on China and its impact on the world, featuring interviews with thinkers and doers in the Sinosphere.

Entertainment

Title
Der Rechthaber von MDR AKTUELL
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Self-description: The podcast is about your legal questions. We talked to lawyer Thomas Kinschewski (†) about disputes: between tenants and landlords, between neighbours, stress with authorities or the insurance company.

All links in the tables below point to the podcasts’ official websites. Some of these websites make it difficult to actually find a proper, platform-independent subscription link. When in doubt, just put the title of the podcast into the “search” or “discover” function of your podcast app.

My thoughts on public radio in contrast with podcasts

Podcasts are no longer a new format, but they do have a much older counterpart: public radio. Before podcasts became widespread, I was an avid listener of public radio, particularly Germany’s Deutschlandfunk and Deutschlandradio Kultur (together known as Deutschlandradio). These two publicly funded stations were pioneers in offering robust online services, allowing users to stream and listen to their reports and journals after the initial broadcast. Deutschlandradio has since developed a well-made companion app (Android, iOS) and embraced podcast formats alongside their traditional radio broadcasts.

Reputable public radio stations, such as the BBC and Deutschlandradio, remain invaluable sources of information. They are long-standing institutions with substantial budgets, enabling them to deploy larger editorial teams and conduct on-the-ground reporting from around the world. For in-depth, investigative journalism on politics, economics, culture, the arts, and local issues, public radio still commands high respect and deserves our ongoing public support.

While podcasts are not a direct replacement for public radio, they offer complementary advantages. Podcasts can explore niche topics more quickly, at lower costs, and with a more personal touch. Many weekly or semi-daily podcasts serve as curated newstickers for specialized subjects. Unlike radio, which adheres to tight broadcast schedules, podcasts have the freedom to dive deeper and longer into topics, enabling a more detailed and authentic discussions between the co-hosts or their interview partners. Public radio, in their effort to reach the “general audience”, may more often than not simplify complex issues, whereas podcasts usually cater to informed listeners who appreciate peer-to-peer communication and in-depth analysis.

The strict separation of editorial content and commentary in broadcast can make the presentation of controversial subjects sometimes quite lifeless or even dishonest (like when one position is clearly, factually or at least arguably wrong, but broadcasting tends to allow equal representation for “both sides” of the story in order to avoid offending listeners and future interview partners), whereas podcast hosts generally do not shy away from having an opinion and a debate in good faith. A good podcast strikes a balance between personal passion for a topic and maintaining an open, thoughtful dialogue. By incorporating listener feedbackβ€”often posted as public comments on previous episodesβ€”podcast hosts can stay connected to their audience, ensuring they remain grounded and avoid veering too far into one, singular perspective.


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