Introduction
Podcasts are becoming the latest trend in India in the year 2021. There are many reasons behind their dominance. But before we discuss those reasons why they are becoming popular. First you should know its basic meaning.
So through this article, I will tell you everything about podcasts. Topics which we will discuss through this article are its meaning, their types and reasons of their popularity.
What are Podcasts?
First, start with the meaning of Podcasts. According to Wikipedia It means an episodic series of spoken word digital audio files that a user can download to a device for easy listening.
In a layman language, it can be said as audio files which you can listen to anytime just like a radio. The only difference between the two is that you can not carry a radio anywhere. But you can download podcasts and carry it anywhere and listen to it anytime.
Types of Podcasts
Now, let us know about the types of Podcasts which you can listen to. These include-
1.Podcasts- Novel based
First category of Podcasts are Novel Based. This means that it involves short episode audios related to the novel. You can listen to these audio as much as you want to listen and anytime you like. So if you are novels lover but lack time to read novels, you can listen to them to fulfil this wish.
2.Stories based
Second type of podcasts are Stories based. These podcasts are very interesting to listen to. It includes both fictional and non-fictional stories. They is just like stories which you hear from your grandparents in childhood. It includes almost all types of genres like mystery, love, crime, science, kids based and many more. Kids based podcasts are much popular and in demand among kids.
3.Podcasts- Interview/ Conversation based
This is another category of podcasts in the market. These include a type of audios which involve an interview session. It includes both business interviews and personal type interviews. These are much liked by people who wish to join a job and want to know about interview sessions.
Besides this, there are also Conversation based podcasts. These are best for people who live alone. This is because hearing it will make you feel that someone is there and talking to you.
4.Skill enhancing podcasts
If you are thinking that you can only listen to stories and novels through podcasts. Then wait because you are wrong. This is because you can even enhance skills like personality development skills, learn yoga, meditation and different business skills through them.
So besides an entertainment medium, it can be also be used as a medium to enhance skills.
5.News based
If you are a busy person and don’t have much time to watch the news. Then there is good news for you too. You can even listen to daily news through these podcasts. It can be listened to in variety of languages. So it can keep you updated by listening to daily news.
6.Entertainment based
Besides above, there are many podcasts which provide entertainment. It includes comedy related stories and events. It can be said as an entertainment medium. These are very interesting and funny to listen to. So, you can even listen to them if you are an entertainment lover.
Reasons for Dominance of Podcasts
Now, after knowing the meaning and types of podcasts. Let us move forward to know some of the reasons for its popularity.
These reasons are-
1.Podcasts- Have Nostalgia Power
First important thing is that listening to it feels just like nostalgia for people. This is because a generation earlier to us has grown up listening to grandmother’s stories. So for them, listening to stories in podcasts just feels like going back to that time.
Besides this, in earlier times, before mobile phones became popular, radio was a popular medium to listen to stories, news and songs. So they have brought that time back. Now you can get the same feeling of listening to the radio.
2.Covers Diverse Genres
Another reason which makes it popular is its different genres. This means that you can listen about topics related to various genres. These different genres are Motivation, Devotional, Stories, Novels, Radio, Meditation. Besides this, you can even listen to News, Business, Comedy and Health related audios.
3. Covers various languages
Above I have discussed that it covers approximately all topics. Besides this, covering diverse languages are English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Punjabi, Bengali and many other languages. This makes it more popular among people of different religions.
4.More convenient
Reading novels, news, attending motivational sessions and personality development programmes are not at all possible for everyone. So these problems are solved by podcasts. These are more convenient ways to know about diverse topics by listening to them.
Besides this, you can listen to them even travelling in metro, driving any vehicle to your workplace or working at a workplace.
5. Easy and Best medium to learn various skills
Besides above, they are the very best medium to learn skills. This is because it help people to learn business, personality development and life skills.
6.More connected
Due to the above characteristics of podcasts, people feel more connected listening to them. Listening to them makes people as if the person is just sitting beside them. So this is another reason for its popularity.
Trends for Podcasts in India
Popularity of Podcasts can be seen through its trends in India. It has been seen through the Media and Entertainment Outlook 2020 Report by PWC. According to this report, India is the third largest listener of Podcasts in the world. Other 2 countries on First and Second Number are China and US respectively. Besides this, it is also predicted by Technology experts that it will rise to almost double by the year 2023.
Summing up
Now it’s very clear that Podcasts are no doubt a very best medium to enhance skills and also as a listening medium. So keeping in view its popularity and benefits, I would just advise you to start listening to them. I just hope that it will prove beneficial in your life.