It doesn’t matter what subject you’re into; the odds are that there is a podcast for it.

That could mean listening to two backend tech developers talk about comedy and music or being informed about politics from the ideals of the far right, far left, and everywhere in between. The wide variety, easy accessibility, cult-like following that comes with podcasts have made them the perfect median for news and entertainment in such a time constrained world. 

While making an effort to read an extensive article may seem like a fantasy, podcasts are at the fingertips of the listener whenever wanted. It might be impossible to read the paper in the morning, but it’s very feasible to listen to a chunk of a podcast while on the commute to work. Podcasts put the power into the listener because an episode can be listened to at any moment on so many platforms: YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts are some to name a few. 

On top of the convenience for listeners, podcasting is equally as easy for the creators. Podcasting is the easiest and cheapest way for someone to get their word out to a widespread audience. For individuals who already have a pull of fans who want to hear what they have to say, podcasting is essentially free money, hence why so many celebrities have created their own series. 

The world of podcasting is one enormous piece of splash paint work. If you put a magnifying glass up to one spot, it might show a splatter of blue and green paint dots. Move an inch or two and the canvas will present smears of red and purple. Just as each corner has an array of colors and shapes, each podcast has its own qualities that make it unique. Each distinctive series also has its own type of audience, which helps to create a heightened sense of community between creator and listener that a novel or news broadcast fails to do. 

Someone who has mastered the art of podcasting is Joe Rogan, a man who is acclaimed for his talents in stand up comedy, UFC commentating, and most famously, hosting The Joe Rogan Experience. With over ten years of podcasting experience and over 1,400 episodes, Rogan has pioneered the game of podcasting and become a public figure with an insane amount of influence. On YouTube alone he racks up millions of views and has guests from Joey Diaz all the way to Elon Musk. 

Podcasting has exploded recently and it’s not hard to see why. They present the listener with the opportunity to dictate when and where they want to hear entertainment and news, while also creating an audience that can interact with each other. The power of podcasting does not look like it will stop anytime soon.