Recently, we shared a few of our favorite podcasts on two topics that are critical to market research: storytelling and analysis. We also shared additional podcasts dedicated to the science geeks in all of us. One thing we didn't discuss was the breadth of podcasts dedicated to the naturally curious, one of the most essential traits of researchers.
In case you've been subterranean for the past year, without access to TV, internet, or water cooler chatter, let me introduce you to the phenomenon caused by one podcast, and the deluge of investigative podcasts that followed. The beauty of the investigative podcast is that the exploration of evidence is carefully laid out, step-by-step, perfect for process geeks and research junkies.
Here are three podcasts to pique your curiosity:
Let's be honest – a good portion of us didn't even know what a podcast was until a little show called Serial came along. Serial is the fastest podcast to ever reach 5 million downloads, according to Apple, with an estimated 40 million downloads (as of Dec. 2014). This podcast tells the story of a true crime, laid out in Dickensian style – one part each episode, for 12 episodes. If you download the first episode, may I suggest that you download the other 11? This is the ultimate podcast to binge-listen (is that a thing?).
Criminal is a great fix for Serial junkies who are coming down after a year of no new episodes. Criminal is episodic, and focuses on one crime per episode, often interviewing both the criminal and the prosecutor. The crimes range from tax fraud to decades-long extortion, but episodes are concise and easy-to-follow, but still pack a punch.
Mystery Show is a very serious investigative podcast that focuses on very non-serious questions that plague us all: How tall is Jake Gyllenhaal? What happened to that old video store? Who owned this random belt buckle I found? This one isn't for everybody, but if you have a quirky sense of humor, Starlee Kine's investigative techniques are textbook, and her tone is nothing but business.
Stay tuned for more podcast recommendations, reviews, and market research tips in the following weeks!