TIME’s best podcasts ever

• TIME has published its 100 Best Podcasts of All Time. Eliana Dockterman wrote about how she chose the list - “sorting out who can conduct an insightful interview or piece together a compelling monologue”. Good news for the UK: five of the choices are from there. However, missing from the list, suggests Barrett Media is, among others, Pod Save America, and a little-known podcaster called Joseph James Rogan.

  • Pardon My Take from Barstool Sports wasn’t one of those chosen. They apparently, as a protest, linked to evidence that TIME hasn’t always got it right in the past. (To be fair, they were right, just not in a good way).

• Podcast listening continues to grow, says Edison Research’s Podcast Consumer 2025 study, and the report contains significant data about video podcasts. Over half of the US population (aged 12+) has now watched a video podcast; 37% have watched one in the last month. Since 2015, the total time spent with podcasts has grown by an astounding 355% to 773 million hours per week.

• Metricool has examined the social media strategies of the top podcasts. YouTube gets the most engagement rate; and successful podcasters don’t use many emojis. 🎤🚫😔

• YouTube has launched new creation tools for creating Shorts.

• Podcast Movement has published session details for the upcoming event in Dallas TX, and the event Swapcard is now live.

  • Podnews readers get discounts on selected passes

• Mick Unplugged, currently the #4 podcast on Apple, has joined Realm for multi-format representation. The show was with Urban One.

• Podcast website tools like Podpage are useful, but don’t they just make all podcast pages look the same? Podpage today launches the company’s Design Challenge, where the company spends 15-30 minutes recreating podcast websites using only settings available in Podpage with no custom code. Shows that get the treatment include Lex Fridman and Pat Flynn.

• “The Diary Of A CEO just hit a wild milestone, we’re now reaching 3 million people every single day”, says FlightStudio’s Jack Sylvester. (The data comes from YouTube’s “play” figure).

• 47% of UK adults want to spend less time with screens in the upcoming holiday season, says a new set of data.

• Alex Beals works out how to download a full transcript from Apple Podcasts. They’re in TTML format, apparently, and it’s a massively convoluted piece of work. (My dude! Just use Whisper-CPP! Or look for the transcript tag in the RSS!).

Thank you to Eric Johnson from LightningPod, and John from the Screen Queens Podcast, for becoming personal supporters. Podnews is free for everyone because of people like Eric and John. You can support us too.

Tips and tricks - with Podcast Movement

• If you’ve got a Chromebook but would like to run an audio editing tool on it, then you’re in luck - because you can easily install Audacity onto your Chromebook

Podcast News

The Outlaw Ocean has finished Season 2 with a scathing look at China, the undisputed superpower of the seas. It’s the final investigation in Ian Urbina’s harrowing podcast anthology produced by CBC. The series finale connects the dots between forced labour on farflung ships and the grocery store down the block from your house. The full series is out now.

Drag Her! A RuPaul’s Drag Race Podcast has moved from Headgum to audio-first creative production company Good Get. The show will be expanding their programming to include video episodes, exclusive Patreon content, and coverage of drag and queer culture.

In the family travel and worldschooling podcast Wander Worldschool this week, you’ll hear all the best logistical and financial tips from recent guests (including how Anna’s family enjoyed an entire month in Vietnam for just $3,000). You’ll also hear a deep dive into all things world-schooling: what it is, what the options are, and what questions to ask.

Launched last month, Outlaws Podcast is for anyone who’s ever looked around their office and thought, “Is this it?” Hosted by two ex-lawyers who left traditional careers behind, the show dives into honest, funny, and sometimes uncomfortable conversations with people who’ve done the same — from army officers to authors to executives who wanted more from life than just a LinkedIn title. If you’re dreaming of a different path, Outlaws Podcast is where you’ll find the people already walking it.

The All Out Rugby League team launched their new podcast Back Ten this week, hosted by former St Helens and Ireland prop Kyle Amor. Joined by respected rugby league journalist Matt Shaw, Back Ten will cover all the action on and off the pitch, in the Super League and Challenge Cup, all the way up to the Ashes. Warrington legend Adrian Morley joined Kyle and Matt for the first episode, discussing Christian Wade’s drop in form, Wigan’s woes, and why Junior Nsemba should be dropped by England. The show is from Reach, and recorded in Manchester.

In The Neurodiversity Voices Podcast this week, Dr. Craig Wells, D.O., discusses the complexities of neurodivergence, emphasizing the importance of self-discovery, effective communication, and the need for supportive environments for neurodivergent individuals. He shares insights on parenting neurodivergent children, healing from emotional trauma, and the significance of spirituality in strengthening one’s identity.

Find more podcasts, and add your show