The Pod Files

 

The ‘casts -

(Notes spoken to Siri, and edited later if I remember

(Changed tactic now where starred dialogue denotes quoting from the show’s own notes

New Podcasts - 5 May 2026: *Bush Deep - Australia's NOVA Podcasts has announced its first video-first show, called Bush Deep - hosted by Bushie, a character from Nikki Osborne who's more Australian than Crocodile Dundee. She'll be interviewing the stars and asking them questions others wouldn't dare. Shows will be on video on YouTube only; audio on podcast apps.

Podnews Daily - 8 June 2026: *Bumper's measurement dashboard goes free - A measurement tool combining data from different sources, the Bumper Dashboard is now available for every podcast, free. / Koolio.ai, a podcast production platform, has unveiled a significant upgrade. / It's Black Music Month, and The Almanac of Rap podcast is celebrating with a "podcast mixtape", highlighting a handpicked collection of independent podcasts covering music, culture, history and wellness. The list is available on Castbox. / In Indonesia, Podcast Day Asia is to return this year as Podcast Creators Day. It's part of Radiodays Asia (you can just register for Podcast Creators Day if you prefer). / How are lawyers and legal professionals using podcasts in Canada? / What did you miss at The Podcast Show, London? The Podglomerate writes a recap and analysis about what they saw - and what it means. So did Rachel Corbett from NOVA Podcasts in her monthly newsletter. / Podcasting's Dirty Secret: No One Wants Their Real Numbers (Me Included) - Steve Raizes tells us that "Standards Do Not Get Voted In. Someone Imposes Them", and asks whether you (or your show) could survive being measured in public. (Here's a link to the public download figures for our podcast). / Alberto Betella has proposed an Al Content Disclosure flag in RSS, and is asking the Podcast Standards Project to adopt it. / In the Podcasting 2.0 • podcast, Adam Curry proposed "The Podcast Data Collective", publishing follows, plays per episode and completion rate by time for all podcasts. / 61.2% of May's new podcast episodes were available over IPv6. / The audio and video tool ffmpeg can run in your browser using WebAssembly. One developer has made this front-end for ffmpeg which runs completely on your browser; it's also open source. / Tom Rossi's suggestion to help podcast hosting companies to better identify apps that download video files, which we reported last week, has gone down like you'd expect; with Marco Arment one of the noisiest detractors. But, as our Editor suggests - it could mean a whole new economic model for podcast apps. 

BirdNote Daily - 20 Nov 2023: *Bill Shape Equals Food Source - A fine woodworker has a chest full of tools, each designed for a specific task. Birds also have highly refined tools-their bills. The size and shape of a bird's bill match perfectly the food they seek and the way in which they obtain their meals. Different species of shorebirds that forage shoulder to shoulder in tidal estuaries (like this Marbled Godwit and Willet) have bills of different lengths. As a result they don't compete for the same food.

Spielberg Reloaded: Steven Spielberg in 12 movies - 7 June 2026: *E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982): Episode 2 The Visitor - E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial became one of the most beloved movies ever made and helped define Steven Spielberg as the emotional storyteller of his generation. In this episode of Spielberg Reloaded, we revisit the story of Elliott and the stranded alien who changed family films forever. We explore how Spielberg drew from his parents' divorce, childhood loneliness, and suburban America to create an alien story centered on friendship, empathy, and loss. Featuring discussion of Henry Thomas, Drew Barrymore, John Williams' legendary score, practical effects, Amblin Entertainment, and the film's enormous cultural impact, this episode examines why E.T. remains one of the defining films of the 1980s.

On the tip of my tongue: talking about Aphasia - series 1 episode 3: 11 June 2026: *Caring and carers with Michael Shann - Supporting Carers: Insights and Initiatives from Carers UK / In this episode, Michael Shann, head of carer support at Carers UK, discusses his 12.5-year journey with the charity, highlighting its mission to improve the lives of carers. He provides an in-depth overview of the services offered, including a helpline, online and in-person meetups, and various support resources. Michael also elaborates on the challenges carers face, such as mental health issues and financial difficulties, and emphasises the vital role carers play in the economy. The conversation touches on ongoing campaigns for policy reform and future plans for Carers UK's 60th anniversary, aiming to increase awareness and support for carers.

This must be Talking Heads - 14 Jul 2020: *Interview | Talking with Chris Frantz about his book "Remain in Love" - Chris Frantz, founding member of Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club, joins me to discuss his life and career in music. In this episode we cover his experience writing his first book, an autobiography called "Remain in Love", and in upcoming episodes I'll be sharing his insights into the seminal Talking Heads album Remain In Light, the full Tom Tom Club discography and he even helps me solve a mystery that is decades in the making.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day - 2 June 2026: crux

New Podcasts - 5 May 2026: *Homicide 360 - The team behind _Anatomy of Murder_ are to return, with Homicide 360 from Daylight Media. The show takes listeners inside real criminal investigations, telling each story through the voices of victims' loved ones, investigators, and prosecutors. It will launch on May 26.

Daily Tips That May or May Not Help You - season 3 episode 105: 24 April 2026: *A Tip For Neck Pain at Your Desk - When your desk work and phone habits leave the base of your neck hurting, a phone holder with an extendable arm keeps the screen at eye level. Arielle says the phone also becomes a little harder to use, so texts and email get handled on the computer more often. That small shift keeps the neck out of the chin-down position.

BirdNote Daily - 21 November 2023: *The Red Warbler: Mexico's Little Red Queen -  Red Warblers only sing on sunny mornings during the breeding season — so hearing their song is as good as checking the weather forecast. Weighing less than a triple A battery, Red Warblers are endemic to the highlands of Mexico and live in humid forests of pine, oak, and fir.

The Stupid History Minute - 17 March 2026: Guinness Stout

New Podcasts - 5 May 2026: *Banned Camp: Banned Books, Comedy, and Free Speech vs. Censorship - Banned Camp reads banned books out loud, to try to work out why they've been banned. / "So far we haven't found a legit reason why people want to ban any of the books we've read." The current book is Catcher in the Rye, which has been banned and censored in the US, Australia, China, Iran and some East Asian countries. Season 11 starts next month.

Daily Dad Jokes - 5 December 2025

New Podcasts - 5 May 2026: *American Afterlife - In American Afterlife, an audio drama, Cielo saves Teresa from the murder attempt by the Repo men. To her surprise, Teresa is not happy about it considering all of the suffering going on in the aftermath of the catastrophic earthquake that leveled the Pacific Northwest and flooded much of Eugene.

Daily Tips That May or May Not Help You - season 3 episode 106: 27 April 2026: *A Tip For Getting Started When You're Avoiding Something - Avoidance shows up fast when a shower or the gym feels like too much, even when it is already on the to-do list. This trick uses a tiny start, like running the shower for two minutes or putting on sneakers, to break the stuck feeling and see what happens next. It is for procrastination, gym motivation, and getting moving when inertia is winning.

The Stupid History Minute - 19 March 2026: Patron 

The Slowdown - episode 1271: 13 January 2025: Today's poem is Refuge by Nehassaiu deGannes.

New Podcasts - 5 May 2026: *The #impact podcast has launched a new series called "more #impact" - Listeners andeveryday voices are invited to become part of the podcast, not just as traditional guests, but as contributors to a growing, global audio movement. The podcast has set a goal to reach 1,000 episodes by next February. It's published 200+ so far.

Sheer Pod Attack: A Queen Song-By-Song Podcast - season 2 episode 2: 15 May 2026: *Father to Son (1974) - The first proper track on Queen Il has arrived - 'Father to Son' thunders into the spotlight. / Join Paul & Stephen as they dive head-first into this majestic rocker, ranking it, dissecting it, and dropping tasty nuggets of Queen trivia along the way. / With all your favourite regular features - including the weekly Queen quiz question - it can only mean one thing... / It's time for Sheer Pod Attack!

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day - 3 June 2026: engender

StarDate - 3 June 2026: Glaring Visage

BirdNote Daily - 22 November 2023: *The Jay Game - Many jays, including this California Scrub-Jay, store food for sustenance in harsher seasons. / An individual bird may cache nuts, insects, and even worms in several thousand spots. If jays visit your yard, here's a game you can play with them. Each day, preferably when the jays aren't watching, place a dozen peanuts in different parts of the yard. They should be visible, but scattered. When a jay arrives, watch how long it takes to find the nuts. The next day, place the nuts in a different array and watch again. Do the jays find them quickly? They might already have a mental map of everything in the yard, so anything new — like a peanut in a novel spot — seems to jump out at them.

Podnews Daily - 9 June 2026: *The world's most successful branded podcast?: More than a billion downloads... / Dish from Waitrose is the world's most successful branded podcast, according to a release today. / Apple's WWDC made a number of announcements. / Fire TV is to launch "in the coming months" in the UK, Germany and Canada - it's already live in the US. In the UK, Bauer Media Audio has announced that it is a launch partner, and will bring its podcasts and radio stations to the platform. / Podtrac released its May 2026 rankers. / Combat sports podcast network SmashCast Media has partnered with Backyard Ventures for advertising representation. / Campbell McLaren, the cofounder of UFC, is to take part in a new podcast about the early days of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. There Are No Rules launches later this month, distributed by reVolver Podcasts. / The Empowered Podcasting Conference has announced details of its third annual conference. The event is in Charlotte NC, USA, on August 21-23. The event is in Charlotte NC, USA, on August 21-23. / A media literacy program from a podcast publisher will be rolled out to every South Australian primary school. 

Daily Tips That May or May Not Help You - Season 3 episode 107: 28 April 2026: *A Tip For Remembering What's in Every Drawer - Organising kitchen drawers gets annoying when the thing needed is always in the last one. Label the inside of drawers and cabinets with sticky notes so the contents are visible the second they open. The same idea works on baby clothes drawers when sizes like newborn and 0-3 months are split up.

This must be Talking Heads - S1 E5: 5 August 2020: *Remain In Light with guest Chris Frantz - Featuring special guest Chris Franz, founding member of Talking Heads. / In their final collaboration with producer and song-writer Brian Eno, Talking Heads carefully sculpt their musical ideas into their most critically acclaimed album. Featuring a deep dive into the hero track "Once In A Lifetime" we breakdown the groove and lyrical inspiration, and learn how it was released to mixed reaction, something that's unthinkable considering it went on to earn it's place among the most iconic songs of the era.

Podnews Daily - 10 June 2026: *Apple Podcasts video to be on tvOS and macOS - The new features will come a little later this year - Apple released more information on upcoming features, as part of the company's WWDC event. / A Canadian podcast network has agreed to pay CAD $885,000 (US $634,000) in a negotiated settlement after an unfounded allegation in a podcast. The founder of Canadaland, Jesse Brown must make an apology on the website and the podcast. / Those who host their podcasts on Substack will be able to distribute video to Apple Podcasts "in a few weeks", according to a webinar with Substack Product Manager Zach Taylor (spotted by webinar-watcher Chris Stone). The platform also delivers video automatically to YouTube; it doesn't support Spotify video. / Tickets for Podcast Movement 2026 in NYC are now on sale. The event has also published its speaker selection process, and session submissions are also open today. / 77% of podcast listening comes through just three apps, according to OP3 data analysed by Cohort. / A new company called poddisco is launching this month. The company builds and maintains custom websites for podcasts, where episodes are made searchable and discoverable on search and Al platforms. / The Podcast Academy has announced TPA Talent Connect, a way to "serve as a bridge between podcast talent and the companies, organizations, and industry leaders seeking that talent." / In the UK, the News Podcast Awards 2026 are taking place next week. The awards will be handed out on June 18, presented by Sky News lead politics presenter Sophie Ridge; we're told tickets are still available. / When someone advertises on your show, is Google taking the credit? For one client, Adopter Media found that 47% of podcast-driven traffic was credited as coming from Google search. They cover ways to ensure that your podcast gets the credit. / Podcast Nation has signed with LGBTQ+ podcast network Confetti Cannon for ad representation of video-first interview podcast Sapphira ... DAX US has announced exclusive host-read advertising representation for Katee Sackhoff's Battlestar React-ica. 

Rethinking Podcasting - 17 June 2021 • S1 E1: *Why You Should Leverage Podcasting to Market Your Online Business - Are you ready to take your business to the next level and become a leader in your industry? If so, it's time to consider adding podcasting to your marketing strategy! With over 80 million Americans tuning in, podcasting has become a powerful tool for building your brand and reaching a wider audience. And the best part? You don't need a lot of money or fancy equipment to get started. / In this episode, we explore why podcasting should be a crucial part of your marketing strategy, from building authority to growing your audience and scaling your business. So, are you ready to take your business to the next level with podcasting? Let's dive in!

Rethinking Podcasting | 21 April • Ep 197: *I'm Back...and My Perspective on Podcasting for Business Has Changed - After nearly 1.5 years away, I'm back. and the way I think about podcasting for business growth has completely shifted. / For years, l've helped coaches, consultants and service providers launch and design podcasts that helped them sign clients directly from their show. / But recently, I realised something: that framing is too narrow. / Your podcast isn't just converting listeners into clients It shaping the decisions they make about you. And if your podcast isn't intentionally supporting those decisions, it can look like it's working — people listen, they enjoy it, they tell you it's helpful but nothing actually happens after. / In this episode, I'm unpacking the moment that changed everything and why your podcast isn't leading to enquiries, clients or real business growth (even if your listeners love your show).

The Stupid History Minute - 20 March 2026: Ketel One 

New Podcasts - 6 May 2026: *Business (Un)usual - Business (Un)usual is a podcast for people who suspect there's a better way to build businesses, and are brave enough to try. / Hosted by Sophia Wyatt, co-founder of Library of Things, each episode examines the assumptions we accept about how business should work. And asks: what if there's another way? This isn't about growth-hacking or hustle culture. Just honest conversations about what it actually takes to build something that matters.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day - 4 June 2026: redolent

StarDate - 4 June 2026: Tie-Dyed Sky

BirdNote Daily - 23 November 2023: *What's with the Wattles? - Birds like male turkeys or barnyard roosters have a wrinkly, bumpy flap of red skin called a wattle. But what are wattles for? Birds can't sweat, so wattles help release excess heat. / Wattles are also key to courtship displays. / Many other birds, including some storks and plovers, also have wattles.

Daily Tips That May or May Not Help You - 29 April 2026: S3 E108: *A Tip For Fixing A Stuck Baldur's Gate 3 Run (w/ Actor Josh Rivera) - Josh Rivera, currently starring in The Rocky Horror Picture Show on Broadway, joined us with a Baldur's Gate 3 reminder: Withers is there for a reason, so pay the gold and respec without fear. Josh Rivera's tip is all about experimenting with builds-from turning Shadowheart into a sorcerer to building Karlach as a Tavern Brawler monk for big throws. It's a quick push to stop playing scared and try the class combo that sounds fun.