Print is dead. TV is on its way out. And film isn’t what it used to be. In the digital age, it seems media consumption habits are changing faster than entertainment can keep up. But while Facebook is busy developing a futuristic virtual reality behemoth, the masses are staging a quiet revolt and going retro.
In case you hadn’t heard, radio is back.
While the podcast is no new medium, it has caught on like wildfire in the past few years (thanks Serial). In 2013, 12% of Americans had listened to a podcast in the last month, according to the Pew Research Center. In 2016, that number nearly doubled to 23%. I’m not one to swim against the current, as my iPhone’s overflowing podcast library can easily attest.
While my gateway into podcasts was pure entertainment (This American Life is a longtime favorite), I’ve recently discovered the power of educational podcasts. I’ve gone on a binge, learning about everything from census data to digital marketing to blockchain. I can’t say my listening habits are necessarily great for my social life, so to save yours and help you cut to the chase, I’ve compiled a list of great industry-specific podcasts.
Waters Wavelength
This podcast made its debut in 2015, with Waters Tech editors Anthony Malakian and Dan DeFrancesco at the helm. Covering technology, operations, and innovation in asset management, Waters Wavelength hones in on what’s important to our industry and dives into those trends you keep meaning to learn more about (hello MiFID II).
Top Pick: Episode 30: Northern Trust's Vijay Luthra Talks Disrupting Data Centers
Listening time: 20-30 minutes
Unchained
Working in financial services, you can’t go five minutes without seeing something about blockchain. Well, now you can hear something about DLT too. Unchained podcast host Laura Shin covers fintech for Forbes. In each Unchained episode, she speaks with top experts in the blockchain space. Laura cuts the jargon and breaks down trends for the layman, making her podcasts an ideal way to keep up-to-date on blockchain (no easy task).
Top pick: What is One of the World’s Largest Derivatives Exchanges Doing with Bitcoin?
Listening time: 45-60 minutes
CFA Institute’s Take 15
Interested in insights from investment pros but short on time? In this quick-hitting podcast, CFA Institute hosts interview industry heavyweights on timely topics in investments. Covering topics ranging from macro-economics to risk management, Take 15 provides some both actionable insights and food for thought.
Top pick: Good Governance Goes a Long Way for This Pension Fund
Listening time: 10 – 15 minutes
Project Management Podcast
Nearly 400 episodes deep, the Project Management Podcast is a long-running exploration of project management best practices and techniques from some of the best project management and business leaders. Host Cornelius Fichtner is an excellent interviewer, diving deep with his guests to derive real insight.
Top pick: Aligning Projects with Organizational Strategy
Listening time: 20-30 minutes
This list is just the tip of the iceberg. For more topics, just check out iTunes and search for any topic under the sun (Zoology? Sure! There’s 6 podcasts for that). If you’re like me, you want to keep your skills sharp but don’t have the time to read every whitepaper or even decide which are most important. A good podcast finds the highest quality content and gives you the freedom to multi-task while learning. And if you prefer to multi-task while being entertained? I’m happy to recommend my top entertainment podcast picks to make that excel spreadsheet a little less mind-numbing!