April 23, 2018
Introduction: In this article, Gena Philibert-Ortega writes about genealogy podcasts – and the websites where these podcasts can be heard for free. Gena is a genealogist and author of the book “From the Family Kitchen.”
What are your favorite podcasts? Not sure what a podcast is or why you should listen? Podcasts are a great way to learn more about genealogy, history, and technology. Similar to a radio show, you can listen to podcasts anywhere, including during your workout, long commute, or as you cook dinner.
What Is a Podcast?
According to Wikipedia, a podcast is “an episode or series of digital audio or video files which a user can download and listen to.”* The term podcast originated with the Apple iPod and the word “broadcast.” But you do not need an iPod to listen to podcasts. While a podcast is like a traditional radio show, what makes it different is that it’s available on demand. Unlike your favorite talk radio show where you tune in at a specific time of day, podcast files are available for you to listen to or download at your convenience.**
A podcast may be subscribed to or found via the podcast’s website or host website. Podcasts can also be found via:
and other similar services.
Types of Podcasts to Consider
As a genealogist there are several different types of podcasts you may be interested in listening to. The following examples are not meant to be a comprehensive list, simply a few types of podcasts for you to consider.
Genealogy
Genealogy podcasts provide you news of the latest products and services in the genealogy world as well as research tips, book reviews, interviews, and websites. Genealogy podcasts include:
History
History, especially social history, is an important component of family history. Look to history podcasts to help refresh your knowledge of historical events or to better understand your ancestor’s time period. The following are two of my favorites:
- Stuff You Missed in History Class
- Professional genealogist Jean Wilcox Hibben and I host a twice-monthly podcast that combines social history and genealogy. You can find it on Genealogy Journeys or on Podbean
Technology
We could all use some additional help with the technology side of things. So, a technology podcast might just be the thing for better understanding apps, your computer, or mobile devices. A few of these podcasts include:
What’s Your Favorite Podcast?
Podcasts are a great way to learn the latest about the topics you’re interested in. Take some time today to identify podcasts that you would be interested in and turn that boring commute or down time into a classroom.
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* “Podcast,” Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podcast: accessed 23 September 2017).
** “What is a Podcast?” International Podcast Day (https://internationalpodcastday.com/what-is-podcast/: accessed 23 September 2017).
I am new to using my TABLET for genealogy. I have not tried using a Podcast for this subject. Where do I go to find a Podcast for my research?
Hi Corinne,
If your tablet is an Apple product then you can search in Itunes for podcasts. Links to other places to find podcasts can be found in the article above. You might also want to Google a subject like “history” and then the word “podcast” to find even more to choose from.