Top Podcasts

I'm a big fan of podcasts. I enjoy the vast array of quality content available through an RSS feed or iTunes and try to listen to as many different kinds of podcasts as I can.

I (usually) don't pay anything for the content and have often wondered how successful they are at generating revenue. There seems to be different ways of monetizing podcasts that range from subtle endorsements to blatant begging for listeners to support in various ways.

I'm going to take a look at a few of my favourite podcasts and from a listeners perspective, gauge in my opinion what works, where more could be applied and possibly where it may be getting to be too much.

The Adam Carolla Show
Carolla's daily podcast airs on his own ACE network and is one of, if not the, most consumed podcasts online today. Carolla, who appeared on this past season of the The Celebrity Apprentice and recently Dancing with the Stars, is best known for his work on the Man Show and Loveline with Dr. Drew.

The format features Carolla and a collection of regular co-hosts and producers who interview guests in-studio or live in a comedy club.  A lot of podcasts attempt to be funny but Carolla is one that actually comes through with laugh out loud moments. I've had numerous strange looks as I snicker away listening to Carolla on my commute.

Carolla does sponsor spots during the show as well as peppering prerecorded ads at the beginning of the each episode. While reading spots he attempts to have the guest(s) participate in the reading, sometimes with great success, other times not so much (such as Jesse Ventura saying he doesn't use computers). As a listener, it does not feel like too much advertising in my opinion, especially because Carolla does an excellent job letting listeners know why it's important. He is informal but very effective; while I have never bought a Mangrate I have used the Amazon click through button on his homepage numerous times and have a positive association with the other products he promotes.

Recent recommended episode -  Bobby Moynihan Live from Caroline’s NYC

Mysterious Universe
MU as it is referred to by fans, is a podcast about all things that go bump in the night.  This once (or twice, I'll explain in a bit) weekly podcast is based out of Australia and hosted by Benjamin Grundy and Aaron Wright.  I find it to the best paranormal/cryptozoological podcast available today (I'd give them the greatest of all time label but you can find Coast to Coast podcasts out there and while not longer being produced, Art Bell is a legend that few can live up to).

I've listened to virtually all the paranormal podcasts out there (what can I say, I love ghost stories before bed) and MU separates themselves from the rest by mixing skepticism with faith while producing nothing short of a phenomenal sounding podcast. The second point shouldn't be overlooked. I've subscribed and unsubscribed to so many podcasts due to poor audio quality. You can tell that the MU guys really put time, effort and money into MU and as such, listeners are more likely to participate in member drives, click through advertising and subscribe to paid content.

In addition to the free weekly podcast, MU creates an extended version of the weekly podcast and an weekend episode dedicated entirely to "Plus" members.  While parts of the Plus membership could use a face-lift (and I hear that will be occurring shortly), I have no problem giving these gentlemen $9.00 a month to continue their stellar work. They aren't forceful or overly aggressive in the promotion of the Plus membership but the "Plus members stay tuned to hear X story next" line works well for those into the topic.

The website features some advertising, which while looking bush league I'm sure provides some revenue for the MU team. It seems like all podcasts, it is sometimes sponsored by Audible but it appears to be an off-again, on-again relationship.

Recent recommended episode - Episode 724

Hardcore History
Dan Carlin is a former radio host and American political commentator.  He is also an amateur historian that's passionate about finding the stories that surround pivotal historic moments.  You can tell from both the depth of each episode as well as the infrequently (about once every three months) how much work must go into each podcast.

Carlin, like MU, seems to sometimes sponsored by Audible, but also asks listeners to donate. Carlin also has limited merchandise for sale, something that could be expanded upon - I'm picturing a mushroom cloud with the caption Logical Insanity (the title of a recent episode) on a t shirt for $20.00.

The quality of the podcast is so high, that I would easily tolerate advertisements or more invitations to donate throughout the show.  Also, Carlin and his team do an outstanding job of providing links for further reading.

If you're a fan of history or storytelling, I urge you to check out Hardcore History.

Recent recommended episode - Logical Insanity

Stuff You Should Know
SYSK is hosted on the How Stuff Works website, which is owned by the Discovery Corporation. This is one of my favourite podcasts due to the wide variety of topics covered.  Episodes are released a couple of times a week and feature a topic that is explained, pretty darn well in about 40 minutes. You can tell that the hosts Josh and Chuck are trained journalists or writers as they can easily breakdown even the toughest of topics. Which is important because these guys cover everything from how military snipers work to examining if we are too obsessed with goals?

Being part of such a giant media company, SYSK's Josh and Chuck are sparred reading endless ads or pleading for more listeners, although company promotions, such as major events (Shark Week) or new programs are often included in the show.  SYSK is in my opinion, top dog among the How Stuff Works family of podcasts, however Stuff You Missed in History Class and Stuff They Don't Want You To Know are also a very good listen.

Recent recommended episode - How acid rain works