Connection, storytelling and laughter: if book clubs aren't your thing, I urge you to join a PodClub
We meet at a pub every six weeks to discuss a podcast, reflect on life and share stories – it's like a book club, only for podcasts.
Formed eight years ago by a couple of podcast-loving colleagues, PodClub quickly grew into a beautiful entanglement of friends of friends connected by shared values and a mutual love of podcasts. I joined the club a year ago, and it's become a highlight of my social calendar.
We are listening to more podcasts and reading less. Australians are some of the top podcast consumers globally, with 43% of Australians listening to podcasts monthly in 2023, more than double 2018, according to The Infinite Dial 2023. However, the number of regular readers appears to be declining. A 2019 study found that 92% of Australians read at least one book in the previous year. By 2021 this has fallen to 75%, according to the Australia Reads national survey.
Book clubs didn't work for many of our members because having to read to a deadline proved difficult or unenjoyable. Some struggle to finish reading books due to ADHD, health conditions or because they can't find the time between full-time work, caring commitments and study.
But you can listen to a podcast anywhere, which means they are more accessible than reading. The Infinite Dial 2023 report found that at least one in two Australian podcast listeners tune to podcasts in cars or on foot. I listen to podcasts while cleaning – improving a dull task by combining it with an engaging one. Of course, audiobooks are another option, but they require more time than podcasts. At PodClub, we typically choose a contained podcast series or a selection of 'best of' episodes from a series, totalling about four to five hours, compared with the 10 hours required for most audiobooks.
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Books have been discussed and debated at book clubs for years; I think it's time we gave podcasts the same platform.
At a typical PodClub, we meet at the pub at about 6pm and, after a quick hello and a chat about food, we place our orders and send podcast-related questions to the group chat to be asked at the table throughout the night. These usually begin with Did you like the show? And What did you think about the format? Then we turn to more personal queries: How would you react if this happened to you? Can you relate to these experiences? If you had to create an episode, what would you focus on?
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Just like in a typical book club, we've listened to podcasts that we all loved, couldn't stand, and some that divided the group. Members decide which podcasts to listen to next at the end of each club meeting, and we diversify our listening. We've tried investigative journalism, fictional stories, comedy and educational podcasts. From listening to the experience of living on a simulated Mars in The Habitat, to the debunking of wellness and weight loss myths in Maintenance Phase, our taste is broad.
What makes PodClub truly special is the meaningful personal conversations and storytelling sparked by the content we listen to. Our conversation is initially about the podcast, but it often becomes personal, from delving into complicated family relationships to discussing struggles with body image.
And we laugh a lot. At one PodClub, 10 of us shared a long table at a busy Adelaide pub, discussing Normal Gossip – a podcast featuring juicy, strange and funny anonymised gossip. We were in fits of laughter as we debated the viability of a vulva stamp (yes, you read that correctly, listen to episode 'The Chair Saga' to join the debate). We were so loud that a member's smart watch warned us that the decibel level was unsafe. At the end of the night, we shared our own podcast-worthy stories (and explained the commotion to enquiring pub staff).
I leave these evenings feeling as if this is what life is all about – connection, storytelling and laughter. If book clubs aren't your thing and you're in need of a laugh and regular company, I implore you to start your very own PodClub.
Nicole McKenzie is a freelance writer based in Adelaide
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