0039 - GBAC 2016 - Chris Webster - APN

Podcasts have been around for over 10 years now and only in the last couple years, since the release of the popular This American Life spin-off, Serial, has the American public been interested. Until Serial, it seemed that you were either a podcast listener or you weren’t. Now, people are incorporating them into their lives as trusted sources of information and entertainment. The Archaeology Podcast Network was founded as the first season of Serial came to a close and our downloads quickly hit 20,000 a month. Podcasts on the APN range from niche shows about specific topics related to professional archaeologists to popular shows that can reach a wider audience. Every show, however, is free and accessible to anyone on the planet. It is clear that podcasting is a great way to engage the public and that more archaeological endeavors, from projects to field schools to contract projects, can use podcasting to present data, inform and educate the public, and start conversations.