Podcasts have exploded in recent years, and it's no surprise why. They are a convenient way to absorb knowledge and can be easily incorporated into one’s daily life.
The versatility of the topics that podcasts cover adds to the appeal. Whether you’re looking for a good laugh, or ways to improve your budgeting skills, there’s something for everyone – including journalists.
Below, I’ve curated a list of podcasts about the state of journalism today, offering insights into the business side of the news industry, the logistics of becoming a freelancer, and the realities of chasing investigative stories. Also included are recommendations of specific episodes to tune into:
Longform
Longform features conversations between editors, authors, filmmakers and other media professionals who discuss their career paths and recent work. Listeners are exposed to new writers, provided with guidance for crafting stories, and engaged in conversations about journalism’s place in society.
Episode recommendation
“Episode 545: Jennifer Senior” features a conversation with Senior, a Pulitzer Prize-winning staff writer at The Atlantic, in which she discusses her experience as a book critic and columnist at The New York Times starting in 2015, as well as her return to long-form journalism at The Atlantic in 2021.
She also takes listeners behind the scenes of her writing process with two pieces, one on the history of institutionalizing children with disabilities through the perspective of her own family’s experience, and another on a family’s grief, 20 years after their son died on 9/11.
Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Pandora.
Media Voices
Media Voices focuses on the business side of media and its impact on journalists’ work. Each episode includes guests who discuss trends within the news industry. Recent topics covered include how to use AI, the importance of leaning into newsletters and social platforms, and what it’s like to join a media startup.
Episode recommendation
In “Futureproofing local news: The tools and trends that will shape the next decade,” nine experts working in media, discuss how they expect the journalism industry to evolve over the next 10 years, and how these changes will affect local news. They address the importance of local media, why journalists should use AI, and how newsrooms can incorporate insights from audience engagement efforts to inform their reporting.
Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
The Tip Off
The Tip Off takes listeners behind the scenes of the world of reporting, as journalists and editors describe the process of finding a story, chasing leads and uncovering injustices. In recent episodes, the show examined the impact of oil drilling in Iraq, and how a collaboration of more than 100 journalists exposed high levels of lead in tap water in Canada.
Episode recommendation
“Ep. 68 The deep blue” follows Liberty Investigates, an investigative news site dedicated to exposing human rights abuses, as they uncover how the British Coast Guard responded to reports of migrants crossing the English Channel. The podcast describes the conversations the Liberty Investigates journalists had with Coast Guard workers and migrants, the obstacles they encountered after filing Freedom of Information Act requests, and how they felt when the investigation was published.
Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Acast.
Freelancing for Journalists
In “Freelancing for Journalists,” hosts Lily Canter and Emma Wilkinson teach listeners how to approach freelancing. They cover topics ranging from how to get started and what to include in pitches, to how to negotiate rates. Each episode includes guests on different career paths, and who have a variety of perspectives.
The show aims to create a community for freelance reporters, and as a result, has a more personal feel to it. The hosts also share their recent wins, and guests suggest articles for listeners to read.
Episode recommendation
“Rejection and resilience” focuses on a topic likely familiar to many freelance journalists: rejection. Canter and Wilkinson speak with guests about how they cope with rejection–including how it isn’t necessarily a reflection of them as writers or the quality of their pitches–and discuss how to deal with the uncertainty of working as a freelancer.
Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism
Hosted by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford, this podcast discusses the Institute's research on trends in media. Recent topics covered include expected developments in 2024, how people interact with climate news, and successful newsroom leaders from around the world. The podcast also highlights changes in the industry and how to adapt to them.
Episode recommendation
“How newsrooms are meeting the challenges of AI, diversity and flexible working” discusses the Institute’s recent report on how media outlets are evolving. Topics discussed include policies on generative AI, hybrid work’s increasing popularity, and newsrooms that have made diversity a priority in Canada, the U.K., and India.
Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Listening to these podcasts can help deepen your knowledge of the media industry and journalistic best practices. While you’re at it – if you haven’t already – check out IJNet’s podcast, IJNotes, and ICFJ’s Chasing the Story.
Photo by Dillon Shook on Unsplash.
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