Podcasting done right is hard work. Most podcasts (80 percent) fail or no longer publish.98 Experts advise business podcasters first to provide quality content with an authentic voice to build value, and to consider money making second.99 To browse and learn from popular favorites, search for iTunes Charts US Podcasts or Top US Podcasts Insights (Apple Podcasts Top Charts). These sites rank the top 100 most popular podcasts, some business-related (e.g., The $100 MBA, Freakonomics Radio, The Indicator from Planet Money, How I Built This, and HBR Ideacast). Podcast Awards, an annual ranking of favorites selected by listeners and podcasters, is another resource for finding valuable podcasts in various categories, including business, science, and technology. Past winners include the irreverent, chatty Big Girl Money show and Ellen on the Go featuring Ellen DeGeneres.

Your Task. 

Using the rankings mentioned above or other podcast sources, individually or as a small team find a highly rated business-related podcast series that sparks your interest. Scan the topics covered. Listen to several episodes and jot down notes. Evaluate the show’s format (e.g., frequency of publication, duration, number of presenters or hosts, music use, interviews, formality of tone, professionalism, and other characteristics). Categorize the content of your chosen podcast series (topics covered, invited guests, value of the information presented, your level of interest, and more). Look up the producer’s credentials. Are the hosts competent subject experts? Find out what other authorities say about the podcast you selected and its producers. Then consider the overall value and credibility of the show. Would you recommend the podcast series to your classmates? Why or why not? Summarize your findings in a well-organized e-mail or classroom presentation. Alternatively, create an informative but brief social media post for an audience that doesn’t know the podcast series or tweet an intriguing tidbit about the show.