The Mastercast

This week we look at Crime Junkie.

If you'd rather read the reviews, check the show out on Instagram, Twitter, or the website.

Music this week: 
Artist: COS & Effect
Song: Inside
https://soundcloud.com/cosandeffekt\
https://www.instagram.com/cosandeffekt
https://www.facebook.com/cosandeffekt

Links and sources:
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/themastercast
https://crimejunkiepodcast.com/
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crime-junkie/id1322200189
https://variety.com/2019/digital/news/crime-junkie-podcast-ashley-flowers-plagiarism-1203302072/

Transcript: 

A 50/50 review Crime Junkie - No Spoilers! 

It’s time! I’ve put off doing this review for a long time because of the complicated nature of this podcast’s impact on the podcasting world. I still have reservations about coming out and recommending it so I’m going to start what I’ve been calling 50/50 reviews for podcasts I’m on the fence about. What’s to be on the fence about? We’ll get into it in this episode of The Mastercast. 

Crime Junkie is a very popular true crime podcast produced by Ashely Flowers and Brit Prawat that covers a variety of well known and not so well known missing, murdered, and mysterious death cases. Some are solved, some or not, and I like listening to the episode not knowing which it’ll be. There is the very rare conspiracy episode but these cover crime related conspiracies not like big foot or anything. They’re more like cover ups and things of that nature. With over a billion downloads and placing consistently in the top five of various podcast charts since their debut in 2017, very popular might be an understatement. It’s as widely known as Serial, the podcast that let’s face it - got us all into true crime podcasts. There are over 412 free episodes and  new ones come out weekly on Mondays. The show has 4.7 stars and over 350,000 ratings on Apple Podcasts. That’s almost triple the amount of reviews Chartable and Rephonic report for globally beloved podcast This American Life. In addition to the public available episodes, there’s over 150 bonus episodes. To prepare for writing this review thoroughly I actually signed up for the monthly subscription that give access to them all, thinking that I would get through them in a few weeks. It’s been two months and I’ve only gotten through back to 2021. Not only are the founders good at storytelling but they’re very smart business women. Everything they do is perfectly executed to generate a profit. This includes a well organized and supplied website. Their subscription plan and separate app locks down bonus episodes. Their merch store only opens for highly anticipated limited releases. Subscriptions are tiered to allow accumulative access to bonus episodes, videos, fan meet ups, and early access to merch releases. The show also expanded to become a network with some other really good shows like Anatomy of Murder and Counterclock. Wrestling with the ethicacy of review those shows is a big reason I choose to review this one. That being said, there are plenty of great free resources on the websites! There’s the famous “If I go missing folder” template, newsletter, and craft patterns. 

Now I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the plagiarism scandal which stopped me from listening to the show for a long time. The challenge didn’t necessarily come from liking the show (although I do admit that bias) but from lack of citation standardization in the podcast community. I won’t go into much detail of the scandal’s whole story, for that I recommend the Let’s Taco ‘bout True Crime episode titled Let's Taco ‘Bout the Crime Junkie Plagiarism scandal where multiple hosts that had their work plagiarized spoke about it. But for a very short summary in 2019 the podcast was found to have clearly and knowingly plagiarized former Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reporter, Cathy Frye’s work. After this accusation came out, others came to the surface as well. It’s important to note that the work Crime Junkie plagiarized was not the result of one website copying another copying another, but came from boots on the ground, never heard before investigations. Frye and other spent time and money over decades. investigating these cases and Crime Junkie presented their conclusions like they were a result of their own work. While many were understandably upset by the plagiarism itself, there was the insult of no apology which was what stopped me from listening. I expected them to apologize for the action but it wasn’t until someone pointed out to me, that they probably didn’t at the advice of a lawyer, that I started to wonder if maybe they didn’t realize the gravity of what they had done. Before this is was extremely rare for a podcast to cite it’s sources, in the show notes or in the audio. It was and still is a new medium and like where art doesn’t cite its inspirations, I wasn’t sure if there was an established custom for citing sources in a podcast. Also, Crime Junkie did start doing its own work, hiring a team of reporters that investigates for the show. That being said, what Crime Junkie did was knowingly wrong, period. There are other common complaints about the show including scripted commentary from Prawatt. As Flowers tells the story, she’s there to interject with questions that that audience might be asking. It does come across as scripted and pointless at times but is meant to break up Flowers telling an hour long story. 

But that’s the complicated nature of Crime Junkie. I’ve been listening since the show started. It’s captivating and has remained on the top of the charts through all of this. They do a ton of advocacy work but the scandal when paired with their business sense makes me wonder if they’re are an option that doesn’t feed into the exploitative nature of true crime of if they are just really good at doing it. 

Similar pods: Court Junkie, This is Actually Happening, and Morbid.

As an aside the podcasts I found that were plagiarized by Crime Junkie include: Without Warning, The Murder Sheet, Trace Evidence, and Southern Fried True Crime. You should definitely check them out. 

All right, guys, that’s all for this week but remember if you want to see the cover art, sources, or the written transcript for this episode be sure to check out the show notes. You can also send us an email at [email protected]. There you can tell us if you have music you would like played on the show or submit a podcast to be recommended. This week’s music came from COS and effect and the song is Inside. Please check out the show notes for how to find them and their music!  Remember to share the show with the pod lovers in your life and tune in next Monday. Thanks for listening.

This week we look at The Agent.

If you'd rather read the reviews, check the show out on Instagram or Twitter. 

Links and sources:
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/themastercast
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-agent/id1587714169

Transcript: 

Hey Pod lovers. I’m your host Marie and  If you’re joining us for the first time: Welcome! The Mastercast is a podcast recommendation show that brings you a brand new non-spoiler binge-worthy review every week of the best podcasts in a short and sweet 2-3 minute summary on everything you could want to know, from the number of hosts to on average how long you can expect each episode to be. New episodes come out every Monday. You can find the week’s other reviews on the show’s social on Instagram @themastercast and Twitter @mastercastpods. If you like what you hear and want to help out with this independent show you can find me on Buy me a coffee by searching The Mastercast. I’d really appreciate it. This week’s review is on

The Agent - No spoilers ! 

It’s been a minute and to welcome us back is a really good one. The Agent is a 2022 Webby Award honoree and so good that I had to borrow his book “Deep Undercover: My Secret Life and Tangled Allegiances as a KGB Spy in America” from the library. The 15 episode series tells the true story of Jack Barsky’s life as a KGB spy during the cold war when he spent 10 years undercover leading two very different secret lives. It’s this amazing narrative told by Barsky himself that weaves together Jack Barsky the person and Jasck Barsky the spy until something happens that leads him to have to choose between the two. The story is so immersive and wraps you up in his life. I didn’t want it to be over even though in total the podcast is over 3 days’ worth of audio content. It really does look at his whole life and not just what he did for work. That might be too much backstory for some, but I love glimpses into the lives of others, especially one this fascinating. It’s a production of Imperative Entertainment and Windjoy and was the brainchild of Jason Hoch. Barsky, of course, plays a huge role in how the story is told. It has 4.7 out of 5 stars with 1,100 ratings but still had some common themes in the reviews. First, I think the show was once paywalled but isn’t anymore. I was able to listen to all of the episodes on PocketCasts. Then there’s some reviews about the Jack Barsky as a person but honestly we’re not there to like Jack. Like most people his not a villain or a hero, he’s just a person and this is his story. I don’t think people get very far or learn anything from someone they just write off as one or the others and I encourage you to listen to the story holistically. I really appreciated his authenticity and humility. He’s honest and acknowledges bad choices he’s made and how that effected others. Some have labeled this as ego but putting asisde the fact that he was a spy and I’m sure that’s a job requirement, I did not feel the same. 

Similar pods: Agent of Betrayal, To Die For, and The Miami Chronicles.

All right, guys, that’s all for this week but remember if you want to see the cover art, sources, or the written transcript for this episode be sure to check out the show notes. You can also send us an email at [email protected]. There you can tell us if you have music you would like played on the show or submit a podcast to be recommended. This week’s music came from Seasoned Souls and their brilliant song is called Haze. Please check out the show notes for how to find them and their music!  Remember to share the show with the pod lovers in your life and tune in next Monday. Thanks for listening.

This week's artist: Seasoned Souls
Song: Haze
https://www.instagram.com/seasonedsoulsofficial/?hl=en
https://soundcloud.com/seasonedsoulsmusic/haze-1?in=seasonedsoulsmusic/sets/cryptic-defects-ep

This week we look at Have Murder Will Travel.

If you'd rather read the reviews, check the show out on Instagram or Twitter. 

Links and sources:

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/themastercast
https://havemurderwilltravel.buzzsprout.com/
https://www.instagram.com/havemurderwilltravel/
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/have-murder-will-travel/id1634439656

Have Murder Will Travel - No spoilers! 

This week we’re looking at an American crime show that travels internationally to tell stories from every part of the globe. Like many of its fans, I found this podcast by recommendation from the Morbid podcast, who like me, is a big fan. The true treasure of this pod is its host Valeira Drake who is also a St.Louis based actor and dancer! She is so funny and charming and I love her voice. Some don’t care for her tangents but I think they are hilarious and make the show. She’s just saying what we’re all thinking. I even named my monstera plant after her. So there hasn’t been an episode in a while since May of 2023 actually but Valeria has mentioned on the show before about depression. Let’s just be hopeful and supportive and maybe another episode will bless our feeds soon. There are episodes to burn through though! 43 in fact and I binged all of them in a couple of days. Most are about crimes. There are few disappearances, the rare spooky episodes, and even rarer still a survival story. My favorites are Episode 33: Deadly Cruise Ships: The Disappearance of Tammy Grogan, and Episode 12: Guatemala: Rodrigo Rosenberg although there are too many to name. Usually each episode has a great instagram post with it. When the show was really active they came out once a week. Apple Podcasts has a 4.7/5 with 94 ratings. 
There is swearing and of course the normal trigger warnings for true crime. 

Similar pods: Location Unknown, Lost in the Woods, Twisted Travel and True Crime. 

This week we look at The Frankston Murders.

If you'd rather read the reviews, check the show out on Instagram or Twitter. 

Links and sources:

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/themastercast
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-frankston-murders/id1678816681

Transcript:

The Frankston Murders - No Spoilers ! 

From Casefile Presents this gripping podcast looks at the serial murders of three women that took place over seven weeks in a suburb of Melbourne, Australia, a case unfamiliar to most in the US. Its creator and host Vikki Petratis reported on the crime as it was happening and later wrote the best-selling book The Frankston Murders. In this podcast, she speaks with an array of people including family members, police officers, and prison guards to uncover unheard material and new victims stalked before the murders. It is a longer podcast made up of 11 episodes. I honestly usually avoid single-crime podcasts of this length because they tend to use a lot of filler but the pace and layout of this pod was incredible. Informed complete reporting with no repetitive information. It is one of the best-produced podcasts I’ve heard all year and with a rating on Apple Podcasts of 4.7 it’s safe to say I’m not the only one who thinks so. There have been updates in the case as recent as this year which leaves Petretis asking for the listener's help. I do need to give a trigger warning for animal abuse. 

Similar pods: The Detective’s Dilemma, West Cork, and Bowraville

This week we look at Bad Seeds.

If you'd rather read the reviews, check the show out on Instagram or Twitter. 

Links and sources:

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/themastercast
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bad-seeds/id1680791653

Transcript:

If you’re a true crime fan who loves plants, this might be your new favorite podcast. From iHeartPodcasts and School of Humans, Bad Seeds looks at what happens when living things become trendy. Every year millions of plants are poached to feed the black market that makes it possible to get whatever variety you’d like with a short trip to the store. Hosted by plant lover, author, and youtuber Summer Rayne Oakes, this podcast looks at the whole purchase process from smugglers to everyday buyers to shed light on the biological, ecological, and cultural exploitation that most who take part in the industry are unaware of. Personally, I had no idea plants were smuggled like animals but as this show explains even cartels are cashing in on the lucrative trade. It’s an intersection of passionate hobbyists and harmful crime that I’m not sure I’ve seen in a lot of other instances. While this information is common knowledge to professionals in the field, this podcast makes it easy to understand the gravity of what is happening to everyone else. For its efforts, it’s been well received with 4.8/5 stars and 149 ratings. The series has 8 parts that are about 32 minutes long and must be listened to in order. 

Similar pods: In Defense of Plants, Big Sugar, Field Trip

This week we look at Food, We Need To Talk.

If you'd rather read the reviews, check the show out on Instagram or Twitter. 

Links and sources:

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/themastercast
https://www.foodweneedtotalk.com/
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/food-we-need-to-talk/id1490621476

Transcript:

Hey Pod lovers. I’m your host Marie and  If you’re joining us for the first time: Welcome! The Mastercast is a podcast recommendation show that brings you a brand new non-spoiler binge-worthy review every week of the best podcasts in a short and sweet 2-3 minute summary on everything you could want to know, from the number of hosts to on average how long you can expect each episode to be. New episodes come out every Monday. You can find the week’s other reviews on the show’s social on Instagram @themastercast and Twitter @mastercastpods. If you like what you hear and want to help out with this independent show you can find me on Buy me a coffee by searching The Mastercast. I’d really appreciate it. This week’s review is on

Food We Need To Talk - No Spoilers! 

This is a health podcast unlike any other. It really sucks to be despite to find facts and have to sift through clutter, hype, and misinformation. I’ve tried so many and it seems like everyone has a doctor from a prestigious school saying the opposite of what the last one said. I still don’t know who to trust but over time I’ve come to believe common tips from trustworthy sources. This is one of the sources I’ve come to trust. Since saying it’s science-based doesn’t mean much, I’ll just say I really think you should give this one a try. It was started in 2019 by Juna Gjata, a Harvard graduate in Cognitive Neuroscience and Evolutionary Psychology and a minor in Music, and Dr. Eddie Phillips who has a long list of credentials. In every episode, they pick a topic such as genetics, stress, and exercise and speak to each other and experts on it. I love shows that take information and make them into beautiful tiny documentaries about everything you need to know and this show does it very well. Another thing that makes the show so relatable is how Juna sprinkles little bits of her experience throughout the episode and shares thoughts and questions I’ve heard everyone I know have. Produced by PRX, the show has a rating on Apple Podcasts of 4.7/5 with 1,800 ratings. Episodes used to come out biweekly but now come out once a week on Mondays. They’re on average about 40 minutes long which makes it easier to capture all the information without being overloaded. I still really enjoy listening to the episodes twice, once to hear and think about what’s said and another to better remember it. Also super helpful are the transcripts for every episode that can be found on their website. It really helps to look up the information mentioned. You can tell the pod is a little scripted but it’s barely noticeable. My favorite episodes so far have been “Doomed If You Diet, Doomed If You Don’t” and “This Is Your Brain On Cheesecake.” There have been accusations of harmful diet rhetoric but not only do I not feel this way, I think it’s bluntly false. This show makes you feel like it’s okay to mess up but with the correct information, you can make healthier choices for YOU. It tells you all the things you need to hear that are hard for you to believe but are true. 

Similar pods: Huberman Lab, Life Kit: Health, Making Sense with Sam Harris 

All right, guys, that’s all for this week but remember if you want to see the cover art, sources, or the written transcript for this episode be sure to check out the show notes. You can also send us an email at [email protected]. There you can tell us if you have music you would like played on the show or submit a podcast to be recommended. This week’s music came from Universal Music Productions because I forgot to find an artist for this week. Remember to share the show with the pod lovers in your life and tune in next Monday. Thanks for listening.

This week we look at Hillside: The Investigation and Trial of the Hillside Strangler.

If you'd rather read the reviews, check the show out on Instagram or Twitter. 

Links and sources:

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/themastercast
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hillside-the-investigation-and-trial/id1623494682
http://www.hillsidepodcast.com/
https://rephonic.com/podcasts/hillside
http://www.josephrodota.com/

Transcript: 

Hey Pod lovers. I’m your host Marie and  If you’re joining us for the first time: Welcome! The Mastercast is a podcast recommendation show that brings you a brand new non-spoiler binge-worthy review every week of the best podcasts in a short and sweet 2-3 minute summary on everything you could want to know, from the number of hosts to on average how long you can expect each episode to be. New episodes come out every Monday. You can find the week’s other reviews on the show’s social on Instagram @themastercast and Twitter @mastercastpods. If you like what you hear and want to help out with this independent show you can find me on Buy me a coffee by searching The Mastercast. I’d really appreciate it. This week’s review is on

Hillside: The Investigation and Trial of the Hillside Strangler

Between October 1977 and February 1978 Los Angeles, California witnessed a group of serial killings that would leave 10 women assaulted and murdered in just a year. Due to many of the bodies being discovered among the city’s surrounding hills, the linked murders were named by the media as the “Hillside Stranglings.” Since the crime and its record-long trial which lasted two years and two days, countless documentaries, books, films, and podcasts have been made about it. This 2022 show from Last 5 Percent Media uses narrative as well as interviews with family members of the victims, lawyers, prosecutors, jurors, and investigators to give a fascinating but respectful look at the case. I really appreciated that host and author Joseph Rodota gives a warning about the outdated language used in older recordings as well as graphic content warnings. The podcast has 4.9 stars on Apple Podcasts with 64 ratings. There are 10 episodes in the series, all about 39 minutes on average. My only critique would be there is music playing in the show when there shouldn’t be. It just plays quietly in the background for most of the time. 

Similar pods: The Clown and The Candyman, Mind of a Monster: Aileen Wuornos, and Atlanta Monster 

All right, guys, that’s all for this week but remember if you want to see the cover art, sources, or the written transcript for this episode be sure to check out the show notes. You can also send us an email at [email protected]. There you can tell us if you have music you would like played on the show or submit a podcast to be recommended. This week’s music came from Universal Music Productions because I forgot to find an artist for this week. Remember to share the show with the pod lovers in your life and tune in next Monday. Thanks for listening.

This week we look at Lore.

If you'd rather read the reviews, check the show out on Instagram or Twitter. 

Links and sources:

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/themastercast
https://www.lorepodcast.com/
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lore/id978052928
https://www.youtube.com/@lorepodcast
https://www.unit5.org/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&ModuleInstanceID=22832&ViewID=5C8B25C6-C8F8-4BD5-923B-8A7C70A93DDA&RenderLoc=0&FlexDataID=31141&PageID=14927&Comments=true

Transcript: 

Hey Pod lovers. I’m your host Marie and  If you’re joining us for the first time: Welcome! The Mastercast is a podcast recommendation show that brings you a brand new non-spoiler binge-worthy review every week of the best podcasts in a short and sweet 2-3 minute summary on everything you could want to know, from the number of hosts to on average how long you can expect each episode to be. New episodes come out every Monday. You can find the week’s other reviews on the show’s social on Instagram @themastercast and Twitter @mastercastpods. If you like what you hear and want to help out this independent show you can find me on Buy me a coffee by searching The Mastercast. I’d really appreciate it. This week’s review is on

Lore - No Spoilers! 

From Grim & Mild Entertainment and host Aaron Mahnke, this week’s review is on the award-winning podcast Lore. It is proof that history isn’t just events and dates. Myths, legends, folk tales, and creatures are woven throughout our collective history no matter where you are from. In each episode, Mahnke picks one and dives into it, making a snapshot of its culture and psychology. Mahnke isn’t just the host but is also the creator, writer, producer, and founder of its network Grim & Mild Entertainment. For those unfamiliar Mahnke has a distinct, divisive, but much-loved diction. If you find it bothers you, try to listen to only a couple of episodes at a time. I will say that so many people love the show it was adapted for television by Amazon, has a Youtube channel, and Penguin Random House has published it as a three-book set. It won Best of 2015 for iTunes, Best History Podcast for the iHeartRadio Podcast Awards as well as a handful of others. Some schools have even incorporated it into their curriculum. On Apple Podcast the show has 4.6 out of 5 stars with 43K ratings. So far there are 227 episodes available for free everywhere with paid episodes sprinkled in on Apple Podcasts. On average they are about 30-35 minutes long and release about once a week. A note on the factual nature of the show… It's a great starting place. It’s well-researched and it can be hard to get everything into a 30-minute episode. The subjects it covers are also pretty subjective. That being said there have been many times where people have pointed out missed or falsely interpreted parts. I think it’s a great introduction but definitely not the bible. The show’s episode sources page on its website is huge and could be a great place to dig deeper if you’d like. Also, be aware a common complaint of the show is the jarring volume of the ads so sleepy listeners beware. My favorite episodes have been Episode 170: Into the Wild, and Episode 42: In the Bag. While there is no swearing the spooky nature of the show might require discretion for younger listeners. 

Similar Pods: Myths and Legends, Destination Terror, and Let's Talk About Myths, Baby! 

All right, guys, that’s all for this week but remember if you want to see the cover art, sources, or the written transcript for this episode be sure to check out the show notes. You can also send us an email at [email protected]. There you can tell us if you have music you would like played on the show or submit a podcast to be recommended. This week’s music came from Universal Music Productions because I forgot to find an artist for this week. Remember to share the show with the pod lovers in your life and tune in next Monday. Thanks for listening.

This week we look at Bomber from Vault Studios.

If you'd rather read the reviews, check the show out on Instagram or Twitter. 

Links and sources:

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/themastercast
https://www.bomberpodcast.com/
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bomber/id1455252144

Transcript: 
Hey Pod lovers. I’m your host Marie and  If you’re joining us for the first time: Welcome! The Mastercast is a podcast recommendation show that brings you a brand new non-spoiler binge-worthy review every week of the best podcasts in a short and sweet 2-3 minute summary on everything you could want to know, from the number of hosts to on average how long you can expect each episode to be. New episodes come out every Monday. You can find the week’s other reviews on the show’s social on Instagram @themastercast and Twitter @mastercastpods. If you like what you hear and want to help out this independent show you can find me on Buy me a coffee by searching The Mastercast. I’d really appreciate it. This week’s review is on

Bomber - No Spoilers! 

In March of 2018, the city of Austin, Texas was rocked by a serial bomber who for 19 days used homemade explosive devices to kill and injure in the city’s neighborhoods. Hosted by Jason Puckett and KVUE News Director Tim Ryan the 2019 series is produced by Vault Studios who is known for making popular true crime podcasts such as Bardstown and The Officer’s Wife. Even for those who might have been living in Austin at the time, it’s possible you only recall what needed to be communicated at the time. In each of the six gripping episodes of this podcast, you’ll hear from eyewitnesses, victims, and investigators as they give an inside look at what it took to find and capture the perpetrator. Apple Podcasts has a rating of 4.6 out of 5 with only 459 ratings, a surprisingly small number of ratings for a network known for well-received podcasts. There was some discussion about how suddenly the series ended without much insight into who the bomber was. Many felt this was anticlimactic but I think the pod was just focused on not glorifying him in any way. By not mentioning the details of his life they were saying he didn’t matter which I think was the proper way to handle such a sensitive topic. My only issue with the show was the music seemed a tad too dramatic although not intolerable. 

Similar Pods: Darkness: Austin Bomber, The Tylenol Murders, and Timothy McVeigh vs. The USA

All right, guys, that’s all for this week but remember if you want to see the cover art, sources, or the written transcript for this episode be sure to check out the show notes. You can also send us an email at [email protected]. There you can tell us if you have music you would like played on the show or submit a podcast to be recommended. This week’s music came from Universal Music Productions because I forgot to find an artist for this week. Remember to share the show with the pod lovers in your life and tune in next Monday. Thanks for listening.

This week we look at investigative journalism piece Sold a Story from APM Reports.

If you'd rather read the reviews, check the show out on Instagram or Twitter. 

Links and sources:

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/themastercast
https://features.apmreports.org/sold-a-story/
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sold-a-story/id1649580473

Transcript: 

Hey Pod lovers. I’m your host Marie and  If you’re joining us for the first time: Welcome! The Mastercast is a podcast recommendation show that brings you a brand new non-spoiler binge-worthy review every week of the best podcasts in a short and sweet 2-3 minute summary on everything you could want to know, from the number of hosts to on average how long you can expect each episode to be. New episodes come out every Monday. You can find the week’s other reviews on the show’s social on Instagram @themastercast and Twitter @mastercastpods. If you like what you hear and want to help out this independent show you can find me on Buy me a coffee by searching The Mastercast. I’d really appreciate it. This week’s review is on

Sold a Story 

This mind-blowing, action inspiring podcast from APM Reports focuses on the alarming lack of literacy in the United States, a substantial issue for everyone to be concerned about. Hosted by Emily Hanford it investigates how methods sold by a handful of companies set the reading skills of millions of children irrevocably back years, wasted taxpayer money, and engrained false research into the American education system despite it being disproven decades prior by cognitive science. With 4.9 average stars from 4.6K ratings, the reaction to the show has been strong and positive. Reviews are filled with students, parents, and teachers realizing why so many around them seemed to have a hard time with reading comprehension. Instead of learning phonics many children were sight memorizing and fooling mentors until they were years behind where they should be. In this podcast you hear from parents and teachers who explain how unbelievably easy it was to miss this oversight. The original release of the show included six, one hour long episodes and later 6 more bonus episodes were published. Be sure to check out the show’s website which includes supporting articles, a reading list, and a discussion guide for teachers and parents. This quality reporting is absent of any political agenda and is highly recommended for those with school aged children. It also begs the question..what about basic math? 

Similar Pods: Science of Reading: The Podcast, Educate, and MindShift Podcast

All right, guys, that’s all for this week but remember if you want to see the cover art, sources, or the written transcript for this episode be sure to check out the show notes. You can also send us an email at [email protected]. There you can tell us if you have music you would like played on the show or submit a podcast to be recommended. This week’s music came from Universal Music Productions because I forgot to find an artist for this week. Remember to share the show with the pod lovers in your life and tune in next Monday. Thanks for listening.