I have a beautiful obsession with radio shows. I don’t own a car, I don’t have a set workplace, and I usually hit the snooze button on my alarm clock within 0.7 sec, which all means that my intake of “real” radio is very minimal. However, thanks to that wonderful World Wide Web, I don’t need “real” radio because I subscribe to some very convenient and terrific podcasts. And because you are all my favourite readers, I thought I would share some of my radio gems.
Radiolab is by far my favourite program. Ever. (Other than TED, of course.) Hosted and produced by the uber-talented Jad Abumrad and co-hosted by NPR Science Correspondent, Robert Krulwich, Radiolab is the place where “big questions are investigated, tinkered with, and encouraged to grow.” I usually describe the show as science through story-telling, but it’s also about music, human experience, philosophy, exploration, possibility. Insightful. Educational. Awesome. Some of my favourite shows to get you started are Limits, The New Normal?, and In C.
The Vinyl Cafe with Stuart McLean
The best way to describe the Vinyl Cafe is Oh-So-Canadian. Stuart Mclean‘s Christmas stories about Dave and Morley have been a part of my tradition for the last few years, but his hour-long, independently-produced shows have certainly become a regular listen. The shows feature essays submitted by listeners, fictional stories, and performances by new Canadian talent. Half of his shows are produced in the studio, half on the road in front of live audiences, and many are, as Wikipedia says perfectly, “frequently humorous… and wistfully nostaslgic.” A great Sunday morning, pancake-making listen.
The Moth began in 1997 in a small New York apartment with friends sharing stories, and the show has definitely maintained this feeling of familiarity and festivity. The Moth has featured a whole range of storytellers, whether it be a Mormon virgin, a former pickpocket, a nobel laureate, a fireman or, one of our favourite storytellers, Malcolm Gladwell. This American Life, on the other hand, is a 
wonderfully produced show by the fascinating Ira Glass, featuring stories around a weekly theme like testosterone, prom, politics or the fear of sleep. These are both new shows for me, so I personally can’t provide a very in-depth review, but I’ve also had some very strong recommendations from some high-quality friends; hence, my recommendation. The best places to start are the favourites page for This American Life and the podcast feed for The Moth.
All of these shows are so well-produced and provide either superb educational value or just great entertainment (or even edu-tainment?!). Download them to your iPod/iPhone/iPad for the ride to work, or do like me and take a listen while you get ready in the morning. Either way, please do enjoy!
NJ! I’ve been telling myself to listen to This American Life for months now, maybe because you recommend it I’ll now take the plunge. As for Radio Lab, it’s my fav too, nothing beats the sounds bites in their episodes.
A few weeks back I found Skeptoid (http://skeptoid.com/). “Sciencey” I’d say and Brian Dunning the host seems a little boring at first but it called “critical analysis of pop phenomena”. He takes assumptions, pseudo science and well anything he can find evidence for and debunks it or verifies it, all based on scientific research. Unbelievably interesting, I think you might like it!