Why Podcasts are great

Table of Contents

Podcasts have become increasingly popular in the recent years, especially since they get sponsored and advertised on a big scale.

For those people who didn’t come across Podcasts, they are digital audio programs distributed over the internet, typically organized as episodic series that listeners can subscribe to and download or stream at their convenience. Similar to radio shows but on-demand, podcasts cover virtually every topic imaginable—from news and entertainment to education, storytelling, and niche interests.

At their core, podcasts rely on a simple but powerful technical framework:

RSS Feeds: Podcasts are distributed through Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds, which are XML files containing episode metadata, descriptions, and links to audio files.
Audio Files: Most podcasts use compressed audio formats like MP3 or AAC to balance sound quality with file size.
- Audio Quality: The choice of audio format depends on the desired balance between sound quality and file size. Higher quality formats like FLAC or WAV offer superior audio fidelity but result in larger file sizes.
- some formats like MP3 even support chaptering, allowing listeners to jump directly to specific points within an episode.
Hosting: Podcast creators upload their audio files to dedicated hosting services that generate and maintain the RSS feed.
Distribution: The RSS feed URL is submitted to podcast directories (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podbean and many more), making the show discoverable to listeners. But even if the podcast is not listed anywhere, you can simply add the RSS feed directly to your favorite podcast player.

Decentralization and Censorship
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Let’s talk about something I absolutely love about podcasts: their inherent resistance to censorship. In today’s digital landscape where content disappears with the flip of an algorithmic switch, podcasts stand apart as surprisingly resilient.

Ever notice how your favorite controversial YouTuber might suddenly vanish, but that edgy podcast discussing the same topics just keeps showing up in your feed week after week? That’s not an accident—it’s by design.

Here’s what makes podcasts special: if a hosting platform decides they don’t like your content, you can simply pack up your RSS feed and move elsewhere. I’ve seen this happen countless times. A creator gets a warning email on Monday, and by Wednesday, they’re up and running on a new platform without missing an episode. Try doing that with your TikTok following!

The magic lies in that humble RSS feed. When you subscribe to a podcast, you’re not really subscribing to Spotify or Apple—you’re subscribing to an RSS feed that just happens to be listed in their directory. If a podcast moves hosts, your podcast app keeps pulling from that same feed, just from a different server. You probably wouldn’t even notice the change happened!

For creators who want ultimate protection, self-hosting remains the nuclear option. With basic technical knowledge (or a willing friend), any podcaster can host their own RSS feed on their own server. No terms of service, no content reviews, no middlemen. While this requires more technical effort, it provides absolute immunity from platform-level censorship. Compare that to trying to build your own YouTube or Twitter from scratch! The difference is night and day.

This resistance to censorship isn’t just good for controversial content—it’s essential for preserving the internet’s diversity of voices. As more media consolidates under fewer corporate owners, podcasting’s censorship-resistant architecture helps ensure that independent perspectives can still find their audience.

Skip the Middleman: Support Creators, Not Corporations
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One thing that really makes me appreciate the podcast ecosystem is how it cuts out the corporate middleman. Think about it—when you watch videos on YouTube or scroll through Instagram, a huge chunk of advertising dollars goes straight to the platform, not the creators who actually make the content you love.

Podcasting flips this model on its head. When you hear your favorite host promote that mattress company or meal kit service, virtually all of that sponsorship money goes directly to the podcast creator. There’s no platform taking a 45% cut of the revenue!

Remember when Spotify signed that exclusive $100 million deal with Joe Rogan? That was Spotify recognizing something crucial: the value is in the creator, not the platform. But for every mega-deal like that, thousands of independent podcasters maintain their autonomy, building sustainable businesses without corporate oversight or platform dependency. (just an example, I’m not a fan of his podcast nor his views…)

Privacy: Your Listening Habits Aren’t For Sale
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If you’ve ever felt creeped out by seeing ads for something you only talked about near your phone, you’ll appreciate another beautiful aspect of podcasting: genuine privacy.

Unlike streaming services that track every second of your listening behavior to optimize their recommendation algorithms (and ad targeting), most podcast apps are refreshingly hands-off with your data. What I really love is the control podcasting gives you over your privacy. Want maximum privacy? Choose an open-source podcast app that doesn’t require an account and download episodes over WiFi before listening. Concerned about specific tracking? Many podcast apps let you disable analytics sharing in their settings.

Even podcast creators only receive anonymized, aggregated data about their listeners—typically just download counts and general geographic distribution, not the detailed behavioral profiles that video and social platforms collect.

The Technical Reason Behind Privacy
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This privacy isn’t just policy—it’s baked into how podcasts work technically. The RSS feed system doesn’t require constant communication with servers during playback. Once your app downloads an episode, playback happens locally without sending moment-by-moment data back to servers.

In a world where everything from smart TVs to fitness apps seems designed to harvest your data, there’s something genuinely refreshing about media consumption that isn’t constantly monitoring and monetizing your behavior.

For me, this makes podcast listening feel more like curling up with a good book and less like being the product in someone else’s advertising ecosystem. Isn’t that how enjoying content should feel?

Conclusion
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After diving into what makes podcasting special, it’s clear this medium offers unique advantages that simply don’t exist in other digital content ecosystems. When you step back and look at the landscape, podcasts represent a rare bright spot in our increasingly centralized digital world.

Unlike streaming services, social media, or video platforms, podcasting remains refreshingly open, creator-focused, and user-respecting. The benefits we’ve explored—decentralization, censorship resistance, direct creator support, and genuine privacy—combine to create a media experience that feels more human and less corporate.

This isn’t just about technology; it’s about control and connection. Podcasts give creators control over their content and business model, while giving listeners control over their consumption and data. The direct connection between creators and audiences fosters authenticity that algorithm-driven platforms often stifle.

As other media continues consolidating under fewer corporate umbrellas, podcasting’s open architecture provides a valuable alternative—one where independent voices can thrive, listeners can make conscious choices about support, and the relationship between creator and audience remains primary.

Whether you’re a casual listener or a dedicated podcast enthusiast, these structural advantages make your listening experience not just entertaining or informative, but also a small act of digital independence. In a world of walled gardens, podcasts remain gloriously open terrain.

So next time you open your podcast app of choice, take a moment to appreciate this uniquely accessible, creator-friendly, and privacy-respecting medium—and perhaps consider supporting the shows that add value to your life, knowing your support goes directly to the voices you value.