A podcast is a radio programme, available to listen to whenever suits you. It’s like having Netflix for audio, and for free!
How do I listen? There are lots of different ways to listen to podcasts; most podcasts can be listened to on most providers:
Apple Users: If you have an iPhone there is a purple app helpfully called Podcasts. It should already be on your phone, but otherwise you can download it from the app store. You can then search for the podcast you want to listen to, or you can look through the categories you are interested in and take your pick. You can also listen through iTunes (for example on your MacBook). In the top left hand corner you can see a drop down menu where you can select “podcasts”. Here is the link to the Hopeful Activists’ Podcast on Apple Podcasts.
Android Users: Your phone may already come with a podcast app installed, in which case click on it to search for the podcast you want to listen to. Otherwise visit your app store and search for podcast apps. Some of the most popular are Podbean, Google Podcasts and Overcast.
Without Using an App: If you don’t want to use an app, or you want to listen on a desktop computer without iTunes you can listen through a web page. stitcher.com is one of the most popular websites to listen through, and radiopublic.com is another easy to search site. Here is the link the Hopeful Activists’ Podcast on stitcher.
Spotify: If you already use Spotify you can listen to and easily subscribe to podcasts through their app (e.g. here).
And finally, if you do become a podcast fan, please review the shows that you enjoy – most people are producing their content for no financial reward, so a little encouragement goes a long way! And personal recommendations are the main way that podcasts grow, so talk to your friends about the ones that you like!