Best podcasts right now

Abigail Disney is a documentary filmmaker, co-founder of Fork Films and podcast host of "All Ears." The opinions expressed in this commentary are her own. In a letter to top brass at The Walt Disney Company last week, Senator Elizabeth Warren sent a warning to corporate titans everywhere: Their days of privileging profits over public interest, prioritizing shareholders over other stakeholders and offering unreasonable executive compensation instead of providing for their frontline employees must end. Warren chastised Disney's top management for reinstating pay for top executives a few short weeks before announcing it would lay off 28,000 of its workers and blaming the coronavirus-related shutdowns. It is reasonable enough to find the contrast between these two moves jarring and inhuman, but more than this, Warren goes on to criticize greedy, shortsighted capital management in the years leading up to the pandemic that left the company with little ability to cope with the … [Read more...] about Abigail Disney: Elizabeth Warren is right to call out Disney’s bad behavior

Nicole Hemmer is an associate research scholar at Columbia University with the Obama Presidency Oral History Project and the author of " Messengers of the Right: Conservative Media and the Transformation of American Politics ." She co-hosts the history podcasts " Past Present " and " This Day in Esoteric Political History " and is co-producer of the new podcast " Welcome To Your Fantasy ." The views expressed in this commentary are those of the author. View more opinion articles on CNN. (CNN) If you had any doubts that podcasting had gone from fashionable to fully mainstream, you need look no further than the latest Spotify original, " Renegades: Born in the USA ," for proof that they have. Hosted by former President Barack Obama and current rocker Bruce Springsteen, the show centers on a series of conversations between the two men and their experiences growing up as outsiders. It is necessarily nostalgic — neither Obama nor Springsteen has been an outsider in a very … [Read more...] about Obama and Springsteen’s podcast reveals a key problem

The Hill may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you buy through our links. In many ways, the ever-expanding podcast universe has evened the playing field for voices to be heard. You don't need to be a celebrity to host a show or get great guests to join you for a segment, but professionalism certainly can help you launch the kind of product that attracts a loyal listening audience. Consistency and quality are key components to any successful endeavor, and podcasting is no different. Find the right voice and start an online empire with 23 hours of content on podcast platforms, recording, marketing and more in the Complete 2021 Start Your Podcast Bundle. An incredible deal makes this an easy decision, as you'll receive lifetime access to seven different courses for only $29.99. You'll begin by learning the basics of setting up your own show. What equipment and software should you use? What formats make sense for conversation? What's the best plan for editing, … [Read more...] about Launch a successful podcast with help from this under-$30 expert-led training

(CNN) Less than a month into the academic year at Brophy College Preparatory in Phoenix, Alex, a 17-year-old high school senior, is feeling the strain of life in an uncertain time. Growing up, he saw tests, grades and applications as part of a predictable, step-by-step process leading toward college. Not so much in a pandemic. "All of that is sort of gone right now. You don't really know what to do next, and that's a big point of stress," he said. "It's really easy to feel isolated in terms of everything that's going on. You don't necessarily know where to turn." Since the pandemic began, thousands of Arizona teens have turned to Teen Lifeline, a crisis line where Alex volunteers as a peer counselor. (Teen Lifeline volunteers use their first names only in the media to keep counselors anonymous.) In an average year, calls and texts to the hotline decrease between 30% and 40% over the summer. Kids are simply less stressed during summer vacation. This year, summertime … [Read more...] about Are the kids all right? Supporting your teen’s mental health through Covid-19

Former President Barack Obama and left-wing rocker Bruce Springsteen teamed up for a new podcast, Renegades: Born in the U.S.A. , featuring the two discussing a variety of topics, including “race, fatherhood, marriage, and the state of America.” “On the surface, Bruce and I don’t have a lot in common. He’s a white guy from a small town in Jersey. I’m a black guy of mixed race born in Hawaii. He’s a rock-n-roll icon. I’m not as cool,” Obama said. “In our own ways, Bruce and I have been on parallel journeys trying to understand this country that’s given us both so much.” Springsteen shared a preview of the podcast on Monday, which ended with a series of images, including Obama stumping for President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, whom the rocker supported in the lead-up to the election. He eventually went on to perform at Biden’s primetime inauguration celebration. Watch below: Bruce joins President @barackobama for a long and meaningful conversation that … [Read more...] about Bruce Springsteen, Barack Obama Team Up for Spotify Podcast Discussing Race and the ‘State of America’