As with so many digital anniversaries, it’s hard to believe that podcasts haven’t been with us forever. And yet, it’s just twenty years since the first podcast hit our headphones. In case you’re wondering where the term came from, it’s a mash up of the words “iPod” (remember those?) and broadcast. The journalist and IT expert Ben Hammersley first coined the term in 2004 in an article for The Guardian.
So why do podcasts work so well?
There are many obvious reasons such as the ease of access; free to download; listening-on-the-go, and so on. But one of the underlying attractions of the podcast is empowerment. Listeners feel they’re getting knowledge that will, in some way, be useful. Whether that’s improving your dinner party conversation or sounding smart in the boardroom.
At a time of increasing levels of stress for any number of reasons, podcasts are also becoming increasingly motivational and/or therapeutic. Listeners get a friendly voice in their ear telling them how to cope with that gaslighting narcissist manager in the office or coping with a difficult family situation. You no longer lie on the couch for therapy – you pop your headphones and click play.