As I blog about how I spend my time it seemed timely to write up all the mainly spoken words radio shows or podcasts I listen to: it comes to many hours per week. I’m usually around the house or on the move or in the car, on a bike or walking. Obviously this is in addition to all the music I listen to.
I like the news and regularly listen to BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio 4 or Times Radio. (I also get a lot of news from podcasts and the TV to complement this.) The latter being an offshoot from the newspaper. Increasingly a lot of news has become partisan, selective, politically correct or very ‘passing’ on topics the broadcaster doesn’t like to cover. I have some sympathy: with the advent of 24 hour news creating the need for copious coverage and the importance of the journalist or producer in the curation and presentation then how can it not start to reflect their own personal prejudices and interests? Sport commentaries have also been a staple forever, even when pedalling, and a mention must go to the BBC’s Test Match Special (cricket) or Talksport and BBC Radio Leeds for football.
Podcasts are discrete weekly or monthly broadcasts about anything or everything. I have subscribed to a variety of global programmes that are mainly spoken word and on a number of topics but mainly politics or world affairs. I download the podcasts and play them at my convenience. I can remember where I was when the most memorable ones were played. Often in the middle of nowhere in the USA, Australia or France on a bicycle. Here’s a list of my podcasts, all of which are free:
China Global with Bonnie Glaser
I’ve long been fascinated by China and its pursuit of global hegemony. This very academic podcast talks to many think tanks and academics, never politicians, who specialise in China for its politics, economics, military machinations and foreign relations. I find China’s a hard country to like with the Communist Party dictating everything. However, despite my misgivings then one way or another you can’t ignore China.
Politics at Sam & Anne’s – Sky News & Politico
Two journalists produce a 20 minute podcast four mornings a week covering the latest in UK politics although Europe and the USA can be covered. Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy are truly non-partisan and very informed and analytical. Always a great and informative start to the day.
Desert Island Discs – BBC
I’ve listened to this radio show (that ends up as a downloadable podcast) for decades. I love to know what the varied guests favourite eight music tracks are. Over the last few years its guests have deteriorated often into predictable Lefty ‘luvvies’ and I’m increasingly selective to avoid the ‘woke’ overload but I have pleasure when someone turns up who I’m interested to know more about.
The Square Ball
Three blokes cover all things Leeds United including match reports. They’re devoted to the Mighty Whites and can get sweary, emotional and often very very funny about the ups and downs of our mutual obsession.
Triggernometry
An independent mainly political podcast, hosted by Konstantin Kisin and Francis Foster. They interview guests in a long format. Going back to remembering when I heard podcasts I well recollect cycling into Wellington in New Zealand listening to James Sexton, a leading divorce attorney, talking about marriage and then in the middle of nowhere in Queensland whilst Professor Ian Plimer was casting his doubts on the conventional reasons for global warming.
Profile – BBC
A short podcast that looks at people in the news who may be new to the public. This can include European or American politicians, celebrities and unfortunates who’ve found themselves in the media. The format never includes interviews with the subject but interviews with commentators, friends or colleagues. Done usually with great humour.
Empire – World History
Anita Anand and William Dalrymple cover any and everything in terms of global history that comes to mind often with a guest expert. Anita can be very irritating but the experts have given great insights, for me, for example on Palestine, Stalin, China and a lot of British history.
The Price Of Football
Football academic and professor Kieran Maguire dissects the latest in football finance. It provides an analysis of football accounts, FIFA and UEFA finances, various insolvencies and of course the ongoing Manchester City case. Maguire and his sidekick, Kevin Day are incorrigible Lefties and I often have to take a sabbatical to detox. I recollect cycling between Sydney and Adelaide when they fulminated about why the sixth richest nation in the world (UK) couldn’t provide football pitches in Maidenhead!
Exit Country Classics with Dylan Stone
After saying I didn’t listen to music then this show plays 90s Country music classics, my favourite Country music, and provides a nice contrast to some of the profundity of the other things I listen to.
Dolly Parton’s America
This was a one off set of podcasts that covered Dolly’s rise from Smoky Mountain wannabe to global superstar. Her struggle upwards in a male dominated industry is instructive. Most amazing is how through her intelligence, enormous talent and philanthropy she was adored by Left, Right, gay, straight, Country and non Country fans etc. These series of podcasts were compiled before her death.
The Lazarus Heist – BBC
This set of podcasts investigated and revealed how North Korea through cyber crime stole and still steals billions from global financial institutions. The country may be a ‘prison’ on permanent food rations and hostile to all around it but they certainly are cyber experts and a threat. If you’ve read the news you’ll know the North Koreans have just stolen over $6 billion from crypto currency company Binance. (No, me neither. I have no idea what a crypto currency is but Kim Jong Un does.)
I dip into other podcasts but the above remain ‘keepers’. If you know something compelling then let me know.
