Craft & How-To
Transom
A showcase and workshop for new public radio. The deepest free library anywhere on interviewing, story structure, and microphone technique — written by working producers. If you read one site on audio craft, read this one.
NPR Training
NPR's public training arm: practical guides on field recording, mixing, ethics, and the editing voice. Built for broadcast standards but applies to any podcast that wants to sound professional.
The Podcast Host
Beginner-friendly tutorials covering format, planning, gear, and growth. Less about radio prestige, more about getting an independent show launched and sustained.
Ira Glass on Storytelling
The classic four-part talk on the gap between taste and ability, and the anecdote-plus-reflection structure. Required watching for narrative podcasters; search "Ira Glass storytelling" if the link drifts.
Recording & Editing Tools
Descript
Edit audio by editing the transcript: delete a word, delete the sound. Filler-word removal, multitrack, and AI voice tools built in. The fastest path from raw tape to a clean cut for most independent shows.
Riverside
Browser-based remote recording that captures each guest locally in high quality, so a bad connection doesn't wreck the file. The go-to for video podcasts recorded with someone across the country.
Audacity
Free, open-source, cross-platform audio editor. Not pretty, but it does everything a first season needs and costs nothing. Where a huge share of podcasts still get cut.
Auphonic
Automated post-production: loudness normalization to broadcast standards, noise reduction, and leveling. Run a finished mix through it and it comes out sounding consistent across episodes.
Hosting & Distribution
Buzzsprout
The easiest on-ramp to podcast hosting: upload, get an RSS feed, and submit once to every directory. Clear analytics and a free tier to start. A common first host for new shows.
Transistor
Hosting built for running multiple shows under one account — networks, agencies, and branded podcasts. Flat pricing regardless of downloads and solid private-feed support.
Libsyn
The veteran host, online since 2004. Battle-tested distribution and monetization tools. Less flashy than newer platforms, but it has hosted more episodes than almost anyone.
Spotify for Creators
Free hosting and distribution from Spotify (formerly Anchor). Unlimited uploads, simple recording tools, and direct placement in Spotify. The zero-budget starting point.
Industry News & Community
Podnews
The daily newsletter of the podcast industry. Deals, platform changes, hiring, and data, summarized every morning. The single best way to keep current with where the medium is going.
r/podcasting
The largest open community of working and aspiring podcasters. Gear debates, growth questions, and brutally honest feedback. Search before posting — your question has been answered a hundred times.
Podcasting 2.0
The open index and namespace behind the "Podcasting 2.0" movement — transcripts, chapters, and value-for-value features outside the big platforms. For builders who care about an open RSS ecosystem; see podcastindex.org.
Podcast Movement
The largest podcasting conference in the world, with events that have run in Texas. Sessions span craft, business, and tech; a good place to meet the people behind the shows you listen to.
Podchaser
"The IMDb of podcasts" — a searchable database of shows, episodes, and the people who make them, with credits and reviews. Useful for research, booking guests, and tracking who worked on what.
Transom Tools
Transom's standing gear reviews, written by field producers who actually use the kit on assignment. Honest, long-term takes on mics, recorders, and accessories — not sponsored roundups.
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