How To Discover The Best Podcasts? The New York Times Has An Answer And It's Called Facebook

I've been into podcasts since forever it feels. I can still recall the early days when there was no iPod or mobile phone. You had to download MP3s of your favorite shows on your computer and then transfer them to your MP3-player. It was a hassle, but it was worth it. Getting podcasts today is super simple. Subscribe. Done. The hard part is finding good podcasts. It's an increasingly crowded space, discovery sucks across all apps and platforms, and apart from mostly superficial reviews, context is missing. What's more is that there's no place to discuss the latest serial twist, or Richard Simmons revelation. Podcast listeners are mostly alone with their musings. 

What's needed is a readers club for podcasts. That's at least what The New York Times thought, so it started a moderated and open Facebook group to discuss what's hot or not in pod. The group is approaching 10,000 members and is worth a try for every podcast-lover who's not only looking for new hits, but also enjoys discussions around the latest episodes of hit shows (at the moment unfortunately, only US shows are considered).

Here's a list of nine podcasts worth talking about, based on the discussions and recommendations in the group.