According to The Dictionary, a podcast (/ˈpädˌkast/) is “a digital audio file made available on the Internet for downloading to a computer or mobile device, typically available as a series, new installments of which can be received by subscribers automatically.” If that accurate but wordy definition is too much, think of podcasts as radio programs you can listen to selectively and, more or less, on your own schedule.
Podcasts cover nearly every conceivable subject from sports to news to arts to food and drink to hobbies to science.
Popular podcasts over the last few years are Serial, Slow Burn, Hardcore History, and This American Life as well as news podcasts like What Next (Slate), The Daily (NYT), Post Reports (WAPO), Up First (NPR), and Fox News Radio.
How do I listen?
In the case of Uncommontary you can listen on the website using the player embedded in each new episode post. This is convenient for people whose desktop computer is their primary way of accessing the Internet.
Most people who listen to podcasts do so from their mobile device, usually their smartphone. iPhones, for instance, have a native podcast app from which you can subscribe to the podcast of your choice. Sometimes called “podcast listening apps” for the uber-literalists in the community; I still refer to them as “podcatchers.” Podcast Insights lists their best of 2019, including reviews, screenshots, and free vs paid:
After you have decided on your podcatcher (and installed it on your phone) you can search for your desired podcast (spelled “Uncommontary”) then subscribe. Thereafter, you’ll be alerted anytime a new episode drops.
Reminder: New podcasts are not searchable until the trailer or first episode drops.
When and where do I listen?
Convenience is certainly a factor driving podcast growth. You can start and stop as you wish. You can start on the drive to work, continue in the elevator, pause at your desk for the day, then finish on the way home. You can listen as you work the treadmill, bicycle, dishwasher, yard work, or instead of Gunsmoke or Friends reruns.
Thanks for reading. Don’t forget to subscribe and listen to Uncommontary in your favorite podcatcher.