The Serial Podcast – Paving the Way for Narrative Media

Serial Podacst

In 2013, it was “House of Cards.” 

Then came “Orange is the new black.” And now, you have “Serial.”

Except, “Serial” is not a TV serial on Netflix. For that matter, it is not a show on TV or cable network. It is a podcast – the “House of Cards” of podcasts.

If you still haven’t jumped on the podcast bandwagon, this may be a good time to do so.

In one sense, you are late to the party.

On the other hand, you may be getting in on the action as podcasting verges on a resurgence. Thanks to smartphones, Internet-connected cars, and marketing futurists who are betting on it as a communication medium to a captive audience.

Not convinced? Check out this post by Dorie Clark titled “Here’s the future of podcasting.”

Back to the Serial podcast.

Serial is an investigative narration surrounding the facts and discrepancies pertaining to a Baltimore murder committed in 1999. Adnan Syed, a teenager at that time, was eventually charged and convicted for the murder of his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee.

It is nonfiction. Here’s an excerpt from the Baltimore Sun.

Adnan Syed Murder -Baltimore Sun

Sarah Koening, the host of the podcast, does an excellent job of making it sound like a riveting story with a mix of love, jealousy, lies, religion, and justice. Sarah Koening and Julie Snyder, co-producers of the podcast, are staffers at the popular radio show This American Life.

The headline in The Verge, shown below, gives you an indication of the popularity the podcast has gained.

Serial breaks iTunes record for fastest podcast to reach million downloads and streams

I will stop here.

So, if you are already into podcasts and haven’t stumbled upon Serial, give it a try. And if you have not tried podcasts yet, head over to iTunes, download the app, and listen to what catches your fancy.

It’s free!

 

Do you have a comment or suggestion?