In 2015, a US business publication released an article titled, “The Future of Media is Podcasting”.  At the time of publication, America and other Western countries were looking for new sources of media to promote, and podcasting quickly became one of the fastest growing platforms to share information with the public.

Within four years of the above publication’s release, three out of every four digital US news outlets had created podcasts. This episodic audio platform offers brands, media outlets, and other businesses the opportunity to raise awareness around social issues, discuss relevant topics, and share information about anything from mainstream to niche interests.

However, the rest of the world isn’t as excited by podcasts as the US is. In Ukraine, there is less interest shown towards podcasts, with loyal listeners sitting between 10,000 and 15,000 per weekly podcast – numbers that are extremely low considering the country’s population of 40 million.

But change is on the way. Despite podcasting being far from Ukraine’s mainstream media services, news and media outlets are preparing for a shift in perspective from locals. In 2020 and 2021, Ukrainian radio and online publications have been actively engaged in the production of podcasts.

Podcasting is now being looked at as a unique and accessible means to connect with Ukrainian communities. In times of global crisis (such as the Coronavirus pandemic), citizens from around the world are seeking comfort in the form of information and engagement with others.

Podcasting could be the key that allows media companies to engage with the public in a simple, fun, and accessible way. That being said, Ukrainians can expect to see a rise in national podcast production over the upcoming years.

But which podcasts exist now that Ukrainians can listen to from home, for free? We’ve rounded up four of the best news and culture-focused podcasts operating within Ukraine in 2021.

  • WAS.media

WAS.media is a pioneer in the Ukrainian podcast community, one of the first in the country to air successfully. With a strong focus on news and information, WAS.media started in 2018 by reading aloud popular articles for the public’s interest.

The convenience of being able to stay updated on the news of the times without needing to physically read lengthy articles is what makes this podcast such a hit amongst Ukrainian citizens. It’s must the same as being able to enjoy the convenience of playing at onlinebingoaustralia.co rather than having to leave the house.

  • Podcast Pidkast

Oleksiy Kushnir and Oleg Idolov are the brains and the brawn behind Podcast Pidkast. Together they tackle Ukraine-focused politics, interspersed with interviews featuring nationally acclaimed figures.

Kushnir notes that Ukrainian podcast charts has “almost no Ukrainian content”, prompting him and Idolov to create something by Ukrainians, for Ukrainians.

  • Vertigo

Yuri Povoroznik is the co-founder of Vertigo, a cinematography and pop culture themed podcast. On his platform, Povoroznik discusses new and old films as well as news pertaining to the film and media industries.

Filling a much-needed gap in the market for Ukrainian film and media consumption, Vertigo has a growing audience of both young and old citizens that look forward each week to learning about modern and historical film news.