What is a podcast? And how does it work?
Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2025 5:15 am
Although the word “podcast” didn’t even exist 30 years ago, podcasts are now an everyday part of many people’s lives.
According to Edison Research , one-third of Americans over the age of 12 listen to a podcast on a monthly basis. That's more than 100 million people.
So what is a podcast and why are people drawn to them? In this article, we'll answer both questions and tell you how to find podcasts, how to listen to podcasts, and how you can customize your podcast listening experience.
Let's dive into the topic.
What is a podcast?
A podcast is a curated, radio-style program that people qatar whatsapp number data listen to via their computers, tablets, or the Internet. “Internet” is the key here, as podcasts are distributed online.
Podcasting is a very flexible medium, since:
Podcasts can consist of a single episode or a series with hundreds of episodes.
Podcasts range in length from one minute to hours per episode (average length is 41 minutes and 31 seconds )
Podcasters can cover any topic.
Podcasters can release their show as a pre-recorded show or a live show on a platform like Twitch or Youtube
While each podcast has its own style, podcasters typically present their episodes in one of three ways:
Standalone: You can listen to each episode without listening to the others
Sequentially: You must listen to each episode in a certain order to fully understand the story.
Theme-based: You can listen to each episode individually, but the episodes feature nuances of a theme, and you may need to listen to all the episodes to fully appreciate them.
Podcasts also combine elements from many entertainment genres. If you had to describe a podcast in 15 words or less, you might say that they combine the intimacy of a YouTube channel with the production quality of a radio show.
According to Edison Research , one-third of Americans over the age of 12 listen to a podcast on a monthly basis. That's more than 100 million people.
So what is a podcast and why are people drawn to them? In this article, we'll answer both questions and tell you how to find podcasts, how to listen to podcasts, and how you can customize your podcast listening experience.
Let's dive into the topic.
What is a podcast?
A podcast is a curated, radio-style program that people qatar whatsapp number data listen to via their computers, tablets, or the Internet. “Internet” is the key here, as podcasts are distributed online.
Podcasting is a very flexible medium, since:
Podcasts can consist of a single episode or a series with hundreds of episodes.
Podcasts range in length from one minute to hours per episode (average length is 41 minutes and 31 seconds )
Podcasters can cover any topic.
Podcasters can release their show as a pre-recorded show or a live show on a platform like Twitch or Youtube
While each podcast has its own style, podcasters typically present their episodes in one of three ways:
Standalone: You can listen to each episode without listening to the others
Sequentially: You must listen to each episode in a certain order to fully understand the story.
Theme-based: You can listen to each episode individually, but the episodes feature nuances of a theme, and you may need to listen to all the episodes to fully appreciate them.
Podcasts also combine elements from many entertainment genres. If you had to describe a podcast in 15 words or less, you might say that they combine the intimacy of a YouTube channel with the production quality of a radio show.