My Master's Thesis, but it's a podcast (about podcasts‪)‬ Olivia Trono

This episode is structured into Endnotes, and pulls from all the previous episodes--because it's the last (official) one! The first few Endnotes are additional thoughts that I wanted to squeeze in, including: the centrality of listeners, the relationship between podcasting and academia, and questions about podcast futures.

The last few Endnotes tie the interviews together. One includes everyone’s responses to how podcasts serve "to make ourselves feel oriented." Another identifies a theme that was present throughout a lot of the conversations, and that may help us to articulate why we, individually and culturally, have gravitated so strongly to podcasts.

Send your voice memos/written responses to: mymastersthesisbut@gmail.com

The article I reference every episode!

I spoke with podcaster and broadcaster Nana aba Duncan (Media Girlfriends, Fresh Air, Podcast Playlist) about the community that formed around her podcast, and how that community has grown into a broader supportive network. We also talked about the intimacy of recording, niches in podcasting, and differences between radio and podcasting.

The article I reference every episode!

I spoke with podcast listeners Diana Gil and Bennett about the companionship-community elements of listening. This episode explores some of the same themes I talked about with creator Justin McElroy, but this time focuses on listener perspectives. We talk about the types of connections listeners can feel with podcasters, different types of podcast listening, listener interactions and micro-communities, and how podcasts can impact speech. 


The article I reference every episode!

I spoke with Justin McElroy (of My Brother, My Brother and Me, The Adventure Zone, Sawbones, The Empty Bowl) about what companionship, community, and intimacy can look and feel like in podcasting--and how it differs for creators and listeners. We also talk about dynamics between creators and their listeners, worldbuilding in the context of podcasting, and how podcasts can be meditative.

The article I mention every episode!

I spoke with three podcast listeners, Deepa, Dustin, and Kaitlyn, and we focus on the various roles that podcasts play in their lives. We discuss how podcasts are incorporated into routines differently, how listening can change when routines are uprooted, and differences between individualized and more social listening habits. 
We also get new insights into themes from previous episodes, particularly how learning/education manifests in podcasting, and whether podcasts are good for facilitating discussion.
The article I reference every episode!

I spoke with audio producers Hannah Sung and Pippa Johnstone about how learning/education can manifest in podcasting, and its connection with storytelling (primarily in the non-fiction realm this time). We also talk about podcast journalism, the potential for misinformation in podcasting, and wonder if podcasting is by nature accessible and conducive to learning.

The study Pippa mentions!

Clip of Anna Maria Tremonti referencing how we engage with ideas through audio.

The article I'm going to mention every episode!