Independent Political Podcasts: The Band-Aid for the U.S. News Media Industry's Bullet Wound

Abstract

Independently produced political podcasts can be an effective tool to inform and engage audiences. Unfortunately, the mass consolidation of the means by which podcasts are shared limits the ability of such podcasts to gain much of a following, with the exception of a few. With a news media industry that dwindles, the main solution to this crisis lies in policy reforms, Until those arrive, however, an examination and articulation of what makes a political podcast independent and what makes them effective can illuminate how podcasters can responsibly and effectively work, in a small way, to provide a temporary solution to the catastrophe until the federal government decides to take action.