The following are my favourite podcasts from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), BBC and Independent podcasters. I listen to them on my Sandisk Sansa e280 (running rockbox) with my Plane Quiet Platinum Active Noise Cancelling Headphones
Dr Karl on triple j Podcast (ABC triple j radio)
Dr Karl Kruszelnicki AM (pictured with his usual bright shirt 🙂 ) used to be a “proper pukka scientist, engineer and doctor”, but is currently an author and science educator on radio, television and through the many books he has written. He is the Julius Sumner Miller Fellow at the University of Sydney, in the Science Foundation of the Physics Department.
This Podcast is an edited package of Dr Karl’s magical hour of science Q&A every Thursday morning on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) youth radio network Triple j. It’s roughly an hour devoted to the collective exploration of some of the great mysteries of life, such as “why is belly button fluff blue?”.
Dr Karl has also been on ABC TV with Adam Spencer in the science series Sleek Geeks
Podcasts are around 40min in length as the music has been removed for copyright reasons. Updated every Thursday Afternoon. The usual size of each MP3 is appx 15MB
Subscribe to the Dr Karl on triple j Podcast
The Crikey Chronicles – Weekly Roundup of Australian Politics (ABC Local Radio)
Every Tuesday on ABC Local Radio Tasmania Tim Cox presents The Crikey Chronicles. It’s the best way to keep up to date with the latest news about Australian Politics in 15 minutes/week. Read my review of The Crikey Chronicles
triple j’s Sunday Night Safran: religion, politics and John arguing with Father Bob 🙂 (ABC triple j radio)
Guerilla TV maker, John Safran lisped his way to notoriety in 1997’s Race Around the World, placing curses on ex-girlfriends and breaking into Disneyland. Soon after he got himself throttled by Ray Martin in John Safran: Media Tycoon. A few years later he hassled rock stars and music moles in John Safran’s Music Jamboree. Then went to hell and back in John Safran vs God, even getting a real life exorcism!
On the podcast John Safran and his guests (including regular Father Bob who co-hosted the SBS TV Show Speaking In Tongues with John) talk an amusing mix of religion and politics.
Podcasts are 60-70min in length as the music has been removed for copyright reasons. Updated weekly. The usual size of each MP3 is appx 30MB-35MB
Subscribe to triple j’s Sunday Night Safran: religion, politics Podcast
Background Briefing Podcast (ABC Radio National)
Background Briefing is ABC Radio National’s agenda-setting current affairs radio documentary program. It varies from week to week in style and content, sometimes doing straight investigative journalism, sometimes exploring important ideas or social issues in on-the-road documentary style. You will find profiles of politicians, analysis of behind-the-scenes issues that shape society, and sometimes an exploration of an idea – or perhaps a murder. Previous shows have covered topics like Selling China: The Wal-Mart Effect, Googlemania, the Elusive Exclusive Brethren and Lula: Brazil’s Worker President.
Most MP3’s are 30min in length. Updated weekly. The usual size of each MP3 is appx 22MB
Subscribe to the Background Briefing Podcast
Future Tense Podcast (ABC Radio National)
Future Tense is essential listening for those interested in exploring the social, cultural, political and economic fault lines arising from rapid change.
The weekly half-hour program/podcast takes a critical look at new technologies, new approaches and new ways of thinking. From politics to media to environmental sustainability, nothing is outside its brief. Future Tense explores the issues and provides critical analysis, offering an insight into how our world is changing and how we in turn are learning to adapt.
Subscribe to Future Tense Podcast
StarStuff Podcast (ABC Science Online)
ABC Science Online’s astronomy, space sciences and cosmology expert Stuart Gary tells us the latest discoveries across the universe and space science news from around the world.
Podcasts are 30min in length. Updated weekly. The usual size of each MP3 is appx 13MB
Subscribe to the StarStuff Podcast
Nightlife with Tony Delroy (ABC Local Radio)
Nightlife with Tony Delroy is a diverse mix of news and current affairs, lifestyle and entertainment broadcast on ABC Local Radio stations around Australia from 10pm – 2am Mon-Fri EST. The podcast only contains the first 45min segment where topics like Money matters, science and technology, spiritual questions, human and family issues are discussed with experts, and listeners are given many opportunities for interaction and talkback.
Regular expert guests include Motoring guru Will Hagon, John Nalley from My Sky and Space magazine, finance advisor Paul Clitheroe and Gadget expert Peter Blasina amongst many others.
Podcasts are roughly 45min in length. Updated daily. The usual size of each MP3 is appx 13- 15MB
Subscribe to the Nightlife with Tony Delroy Podcast
Digital Planet Podcast (BBC World Service)
What can listeners expects from the programme? Primarily an assumption that the audience is interested in technology, even if it is not directly accessible.
Digital Planet will aim to introduce new technological concepts and be less worried that the audience might not be familiar with them … look at stuff most of us will never own such as hugely expensive pieces of kit, the digital equivalent of, say, unaffordable cars … but it will also continue to evaluate the latest technological developments and set them within a global context.
However the programme will not be a geekfest. It will retain a strong practical component, the core being how technology is affecting our lives worldwide.
Podcasts are 27min in length. Updated weekly. The usual size of each MP3 is appx 10MB
Subscribe to the Digital Planet Podcast
PS I personally use and recommend the FREE Juice Cross platform (Windows, Apple Mac and Linux) podcast subscription software.
What are your favourite podcasts? Please tell me by adding a comment
Hi just wanted 2 say thanks for the page – most helpful
smart kid stuff 🙂
I am new reader of this blog. Firstly i want to tell you Happy New Year. Yep i am very fond of BBC world i am used to listen it. Thanks for the information dude.
Some of my favourites are Tech Talk Radio (Australian) This week in Tech ( american) and In our Time from the BBC
EDITOR: Thanks. I’ll try those out and compare to the Digital Planet podcast
Thanks for the comments on the ABC feeds – a good sterr in the right direction thanks
Great list, if your not already there twit.tv has some great podcasts and if your more into video also check out revision3.com
Thanks mate
Cwraig