CCIM podcast enthusiasts share their favorite shows, and the reasons why you should start listening to them, too. This month, we curated podcasts that will help take your mind off the daily grind, and the news cycle. The introduction below was written by Stan Sollars, Telecommunications faculty and IPR host.
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Decades ago, podcasts were what we called an amazing thing named RADIO. Indeed, the father of broadcast journalism, Edward R. Murrow, was hired by CBS radio in the 1930s, before his news gig, to be the “Director of Talks.” He would book and interview professors, artists, great thinkers — anyone whom he believed could elevate his audience’s understanding of the world. Had podcasting been a thing in the 1930s, he would have done those, too. We hope that the following podcasts will inspire you in new thoughts and uplift you in wonderful, personable visits with folks in the know.
Business Wars
Wondery | 201 episodes | Management
Recommended by Alex Kartman (Telecommunications/Sports Link)
In a nutshell
Netflix vs. HBO. Nike vs. Adidas. Business is war. Sometimes the prize is your wallet or your attention. Sometimes, it’s just the fun of beating the other guy. The outcome of these battles shapes what we buy and how we live. Business Wars gives you the unauthorized, real story of what drives these companies and their leaders, inventors, investors and executives to new heights -or to ruin.
Why I love it
If you need a binge-able series to fill your time while learning too, Business Wars delivers historic context to the battles that shaped the industries we engage with daily. Each season is five to seven episodes following a famous battle between companies that reshaped their respective industries, including the Soda Wars, Netflix vs. Blockbuster, Southwest Airlines vs. American, and Facebook vs. Snapchat. There are plenty of episodes to choose from as the series is 37 seasons deep.
My favorite episode so far
Season 2: Nike vs Adidas. “Nike and Adidas are two multinational companies worth billions in an industry estimated to be valued at $220 Billion by 2020 (which is double the GDP of Ukraine) but that begs the question – Why are companies sinking so much money into mesh and rubber for your feet?”
Clear + Vivid
Alan Alda | 98 episodes | Society and Culture
Recommended by: Stan Sollars (Telecommunications)
In a nutshell
Learn to connect better with others in every area of your life. Immerse yourself in spirited conversations with people who know how hard it is, and yet how good it feels, to really connect with other people – whether it’s one person, an audience or a whole country. You’ll know many of the people in these conversations – they are luminaries in our culture. Some you may not know. But what links them all is their powerful ability to relate and communicate. It’s something we need now more than ever.
Why I love it
Clear+Vivid is along the lines of human communication and science, and is hosted by the brilliant and affable Alan Alda of “M*A*S*H” TV fame. He has a brilliant wit and the intelligence to go with it to offer interesting and thought-provoking chats with anyone from Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks on laughter; global thinking with Fareed Zakaria of CNN; how to interview an octopus!?; and a lovely chat with television icon Betty White.
David Tenant Does a Podcast With…
Somethin’ Else | 15 episodes | Performing Arts
Recommended by: Stan Sollars (Telecommunications)
In a nutshell
David Tennant gets talking with the biggest names from TV, movies, comedy and elsewhere. Revealing conversation, surprise stories and lots of laughs.
Why I Love It
Actor David Tennant speaks with people we have all seen and heard in cinema and television and other entertaining pursuits … and the occasional politician: Whoopi Goldberg, Olivia Colman, Jon Hamm, Michael Sheen, Sir Ian McKellen, Jodie Whittaker, Samantha Bee, Krysten Ritter and Gordon Brown. Like Alan Alda, David Tennant just knows how to listen and harvest an enlightening conversation with interesting people.
Hidden Brain
NPR | 264 episodes | Social Sciences
Recommended by: Kate Elliott (Journalism) and Kirsten Smith (CICS)
Why I love it
Kate Elliott: Host Shankar Vedantam weaves expert opinion, research and personal narratives into reporting about human behavior and psychology. Each episode dives into the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior and the biases that shape our choices.I appreciate the scientific, pop-culture and historical lenses through which the Hidden Brain team tackles a mix of relevant, engaging topics.
Kirsten Smith: Why people do what they do, are like they are and behave they way they do has always been interesting to me. Using behavioral science and data as the base, host Shankar Vedantam and his guests tell stories that look at these “whys”.
My favorite episode so far
Kirsten Smith: They are all good and very different.
Kate Elliott: Ohh, I love them all, but two that stand out are, “The Power and Problem of Grit,” which explores why some people have passion and perseverance and why others do not. I found this helpful, as I work to ignite professional passion and strong worth ethic in some students who have yet to find their “why.” The second is “Why No One Feels Rich,” during which Vedantam features the research of prominent social psychologists to explain our bias toward comparing ourselves to people who have more than us, rather than those who have less. It helped answer the perplexing feeling I have when rich people talk about needing or wanting more.
Sugar Calling
The New York Times | 5 episodes | Society and Culture
Recommended by Kristen McCaulliff (Communications Studies)
In a nutshell
Why I love it
I am a huge fan of author Cheryl Strayed, who wrote the popular book Wild and used to host an advice podcast called Dear Sugars. So, I was thrilled when she released Sugar Calling at the beginning of the quarantine. On Sugar Calling, Strayed, calls different authors (all over the age of 60) for advice and wisdom during this time of uncertainty. She began the series with an interview with acclaimed author and teacher George Saunders.
My favorite episode so far
That episode—Everything is Always Keep Changing—is what I recommend. Not only is Saunders incredibly insightful but he shares a letter he wrote to his graduate students as they moved their semester online. I listened to the episode as I was navigating a similar goodbye with my graduate students. I found solace and hope in his words. He wrote, “It’s good for the world for a writer to bear witness, and it’s good for the writer, too. Especially if she can bear witness with love and humor and, despite it all, some fondness for the world, just as it is manifesting, warts and all.” I decided I would try my best to bear witness to this unique and difficult time with love and humor. It has been almost a month since I first heard the words and they still move and inspire me.
The Food Seen
Heritage Radio Network | 400 episodes | Food
Recommended by Any Ung (Dean’s Office)
In a nutshell
The Food Seen explores the intersections of food, art & design, and how chefs and artists alike are amalgamating those ideas, using food as their muse & medium across a multitude of media. Host, Michael Harlan Turkell, talks with fellow photographers, food stylists, restaurateurs, industrial and interior designers; all the players that make the world so visually delicious, that want to eat with your eyes.
Why I love it
I grew up in a family of restaurant owners. Consequently, food has always been a central part of my life. Over the years, I grew more interested in programs that offer elevated perspectives on food, and connect them to other disciplines. The Food Seen does just that. Each episode examines food through a new lens, and the rich conversations between Harlan Turkell and his guests offer deep dives into the artistry of a culinary technique or discipline. The interviews are conducted in an intelligent manner which enables the discussion to flow nicely. I also love that the show features people from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures.
My favorite episode so far
Disclaimer: I am French so my opinion might be biased but I really enjoyed episode #406 about Poilâne—a family-owned French bakery renowned for its high quality bread. It was fascinating to listen to Apollonia Poilâne talk so eloquently about her family legacy, and the craft of making bread.
The History of Rome
Mike Duncan | 192 episodes | History
Recommended by: Chris Flook (TCOM)
In a nutshell
A weekly podcast tracing the history of the Roman Empire, beginning with Aeneas’s arrival in Italy and ending with the exile of Romulus Augustulus, last Emperor of the Western Roman Empire.
Why I love it
I really only recently got into listening to podcasts because of the pandemic, mostly just news and information. As you can imagine, it’s pretty depressing stuff right now. However, I’m a huge history buff and one of my favorite subjects is the history of ancient Rome – the kingdom, the though the republic, and onto the empire. The podcast is a comprehensive history and will take me a long time to finish, since it took over 10 years to produce. It’s perfect for the history buff wanting to escape.
My favorite episode so far: #036 I am Spartacus
The Science of Social Media
Buffer | 165 episodes | Business
Recommended by: Anna Stumpf (CICS)
In a nutshell
Each week the Buffer team answer your questions and explore marketing strategies and tactics to help you grow your business through social media and build a brand your customers love.
Why I love it
This podcast covers excellent social media management topics in a shorter format. I learn something every time I listen and it is always less than 15 minutes. I’ve used this in my classes for a couple of years, it is just a perfect length and on topics that are constantly changing. The hosts are not too over the top cheesy, but just enough cheese!
My favorite episode so far
I have consumed so much diverse content from this podcast, I don’t have a favorite episode.
Unlocking Us With Brené Brown
Brené Brown and Cadence13 | 10 episodes | Relationships
Recommended by: Anna Stumpf (CICS)
In a nutshell
“I’ve spent over 20 years studying the emotions and experiences that bring meaning and purpose to our lives, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s this: We are hardwired for connection, and connecting requires courage, vulnerability, and conversation. I want this to be a podcast that’s real, unpolished, honest, and reflects both the magic and the messiness of what it means to be human.” Brené Brown
Why I love it
I consume as much Brené as I possibly can. From her books, TED talks to her Netflix documentary, you can revisit this material as often as possible and you will get something new out of it. But, the bottom line on this podcast is that she planned to do a podcast but decided rather than wait for the perfect moment, she just started in a closet the third week of March because we, as society, need perspective. These pods are heavy, no binging this. But, I have grown as a person, parent and partner every single time I’ve listened. I have a group of friends and we listen, process and then we talk about it. It’s been the most mentally healthy thing I’ve experienced outside of actual therapy.
My favorite episode so far
My favorite episode is the first one, Brené on FFTs because she sets the tone for her podcast and truly speaks into this pandemic and our own expectations of ourselves. She’s so human in this episode, it comforted me so much.
30 For 30
ESPN | 41 episodes | Sports
Recommended by Alex Kartman (Telecommunications/Sports Link)
In a nutshell
30 for 30 offers captivating storytelling for sports fans and general interest listeners alike, going beyond the field to explore how sports, competition, athleticism and adventure affect our lives and our world. Sports stories like you’ve never heard before.
Why I love it
The acclaimed documentary film series from ESPN expanded to podcast form with new stories for the format to great acclaim. The show changes from self-contained stories per episode to serialized seasons about Bikram Yoga or Donald Sterling. The show will play through your range of emotions, just like the film series, making you laugh one moment then shatter you to tears minutes later. If you want excellent storytelling with well researched journalism, 30 for 30 Podcasts are the best you can find.
My favorite episode so far
On the Ice: Twenty years ago, hundreds of women answered a classified ad seeking intrepid adventurers for an all-women trek to the North Pole — no expedition experience necessary. On the ice, 20 of those women came face to face with just how deadly the Arctic can be, along with the supreme beauty of the top of our planet. They also discovered something in themselves that changed their lives forever.