Since the first podcast was released two decades ago this month, the medium has upended pop culture in countless unexpected ways, from revolutionising standup comedy to providing storytelling fuel for drama and documentary
o you remember life before podcasts? Yes, obviously, is likely to be the short answer. Podcasting is still a relatively youthful medium, after all. In fact, it is exactly 20 years this month since the format’s invention: Open Source – a politics and culture discussion show hosted by the journalist Christopher Lydon – debuted in the summer of 2003, and is widely considered the first ever podcast.
While Gervais and Merchant were far from outsiders – they had only recently created one of the decade’s biggest sitcoms – their model ended up breaking down barriers in the industry.are generally a DIY medium and there are no official gatekeepers.
Podcasts haven’t just ballooned audiences; they have helped change the content and tone of comedy itself. The medium is part of a shift away from the gladiatorial nature of 00s comedy, with its unforgiving club audiences and brutal panel shows, to an overtly friendlier world . Ben Williams, the producer of James Acaster and Ed Gamble’s Off Menu, one of the UK’s most popular podcasts , agrees that podcasts have helped change the tenor of comedy from combative to collaborative.
Since Serial’s release, there have been multiple reports of impending TV adaptations, none of which have yet made it to air. But TV platforms – especially in the US – are increasingly busy with podcast adaptations. Aaron Hart is the head of TV and film at US firm Wondery; his job is to “transition” the podcast company’s true-crime – or “true-crime-adjacent” – wares into scripted series; previous star-studded successes have included The Shrink Next Door and Dr Death.
Podcasts cater to the part-time nerd, dedicated to soaking up knowledge ambiently. That’s because they are designed for passive consumption; a cause and symptom of our cracked attention spans, perfect for the age of optimisation and the cult of busyness. But podcasts are by no means background noise. They work hard to be engaging, often doing so via a strong authorial voice.
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