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Public Affairs Podcasts And Political Engagement
A decade ago, podcasts were relatively new entries to the entertainment sphere. There weren’t many well-known titles, and even those that had significant viewership tended to focus on niche topics.
Today, podcasters from all walks of life have created a vibrant community with millions, if not billions, of daily listeners worldwide.
This is especially true in politics. Public affairs podcasts, in particular, are reshaping political engagement in the US, especially when compared with traditional media.
In this article, we’ll explore the many ways that podcasts have helped today’s citizens stay on top of news and understand the sometimes-complex issues facing society.
Public Affairs Podcasts: More nuanced conversations
While some people have very clearly and rigidly defined political beliefs, the majority of people take things one issue at a time.
They don’t agree entirely with any one framework and instead formulate their beliefs as issues arise.
These people don’t look to political parties to determine how they think the moment issues arise, in other words, but rather seek a more in-depth understanding of the issues in question. This is where public affairs broadcasts come in.
Public affairs podcasts make it easy to learn more about the political world and how individual incidents are impacted by national and international affairs, and vice versa.
Shows such as Ballard partners 13th and park podcast take complex topics and break them down into more easily digestible bites.
Ballard Partners is one of the top lobbying firms in the country, and the detailed understanding they have about political affairs makes them a great source for more nuanced and complex conversations.
Extended Format Of Public Affairs Podcasts
In addition to connecting listeners with experienced professionals, public affairs podcasts often provide them with more lengthy discussions than traditional political engagement.
Instead of tuning into a 10-minute panel on a mainstream news station, political podcast listeners often have access to longer and more comprehensive stories.
It might be more accurate to say that podcasts offer listeners conversations rather than the discussions provided by mainstream news stations.
In fact, certain shows can span multiple hours and present objective and detailed information about each issue discussed.
One of the best aspects of the wealth of public affairs podcasts available is that people can choose the one that best meets their needs in terms of timing and detail.
If you want to hear about the same topic for two hours a day, chances are good that you can find a podcast offering that level of detail.
The extended format makes it easier to get a handle on the news and understand the full implications from one story to the next.
Holistic understanding of a topic
So often, news stations focus on a very narrow area of an issue. In a news story about a pond running dry, for example, they might talk about how the ducks that live in the pond are thirsty, and not much else.
This doesn’t show the whole picture, however, because it’s not just the ducks that are affected.
The fish, insects, and nearby flora and fauna are also impacted by the pond running dry, as are the people living in the community.
Additionally, the dry pond might impact the larger ecosystem. The pond might also have run dry in response to larger issues with the weather and climate.
As you can see, there are many more aspects to this story than what is typically presented in traditional media.
Public affairs podcasts are more likely to look at all sides of an issue. Instead of highlighting thirsty ducks, the best podcasts will look at the whole picture.
They make it easier for listeners to gain a holistic understanding of a topic, including the people and areas impacted.
Behind-the-scenes insights
If you’ve ever been involved in event organization, even for something as small as a birthday lunch out, then you’re probably well aware that a lot goes into planning.
There are often small conflicts that need to be accounted for and adjusted, for example, to ensure the event functions as intended.
Visitors may never hear about those issues or the extra effort that went into planning the perfect day, but they still impact them.
Public affairs podcasts often offer behind-the-scenes insights into an announcement or event.
They help the people around them understand why something is happening and why certain choices were made.
Diverse perspectives and combating polarization in mainstream media
While some traditional media providers do their best to provide viewers with diverse opinions and perspectives, mainstream sources often tend to be rather homogeneous in terms of viewpoints.
This is especially true of sources that focus heavily on one political party or the other. Unfortunately, this does viewers a disservice.
The US is an incredibly diverse country. People from all walks of life with some truly incredible experiences and cultures, combine to make it the melting pot we know and love.
It is important that we understand and at least try to respect each other’s viewpoints. Very rarely is there a single ‘correct’ way to look at things, and there is much to be gained from collecting diverse perspectives and learning from them.
Podcasts make it easy to tune into a variety of different perspectives from people with beliefs and experiences different from your own.
Because they seem relatively low stakes compared to being on the news, podcasts are able to host unique people from both well-known and overlooked communities to share their opinions and beliefs.
Are you interested in learning more about politics? If so, finding the right podcaster should be your next step!
Keep the information we’ve shared in this article in mind as you search for the perfect podcast for your public affairs needs.
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