1. SERIAL
The first ever spin-off show from the long-established US podcast This American Life, Serial quickly overtook the success of its well-regarded parent. Presented by journalist Sarah Koenig in weekly instalments, Serial re-examines the real-life murder of student Hae Min Lee in 1999 in Baltimore. It is this year’s most significant radio innovation: for listener involvement, for raising questions about justice, journalistic boundaries and whether all stories should be sewn up before they’re told. And for taking podcasts slap into mainstream culture.
2. LAUREN LAVERNE AND 6 MUSIC
Reaching a record audience of almost 2 million listeners a week, 6 Music is the BBC’s biggest digital success story. It’s a lovely story too, though Lauren Laverne’s triumph – her mid-morning programme is now the network’s most popular – is even better. A radio show hosted by a solo female (above) becoming the most popular on a station dominated by male presenters? Has this ever happened before?
3. RADIOTOPIA
A selection of independent and independently minded podcasts gathered together into one website family. Roman Mars, creator of the 99% Invisible podcast, has made a new destination – almost a new channel – for lovers of intelligent, story-based podcasting. Radiotopia recently raised more than $650,000 (£415,000) in a Kickstarter campaign, so expect more clever, warm, offbeat podcasting soon (including a new show from UK’s podcast queen, Helen Zaltzman).
4. DIGITAL ADAPTOR FOR CARS
Only a prototype, but Radioplayer’s proposed gadget-plus-app marries a small black box with an app on your mobile so that you can access all FM, internet and DAB audio stations in your car via your phone. We might even get a decent signal for 5 Live.
5. LBC’S FARAGE/JOHNSON/CLEGG PHONE-INS
LBC’s breakfast show host, Nick Ferrari, has co-hosted Call Clegg and Ask Boris – where listeners phone in to talk to Nick Clegg and Boris Johnson – for some time, but with Phone Farage he actually got the Ukip leader to turn up regularly (fortnightly) and answer direct questions. The station’s live debate on Europe between Nigel Farage and Clegg, in March, was a scoop that TV was desperate for and a sure sign that LBC’s decision to broadcast nationally, rather than just in London, was justified.
