One of the best ways to get to know a city is by hearing its stories. In the past, this may have been the job of a bard travelling from town to town with the latest news. In modern times, it's the humble podcast that we turn to - so let's listen to the local people that make Bristol a special place to be.
Your Bristol Life
First up and brought to us by local news provider The Bristol Cable, Your Bristol Life uncovers aspects of Bristol’s past and present that are often underrepresented. For new listeners, give the episode Bristol Food Famiglia by Steven Mitchell which takes a deep dive into The Bianchi’s Group which operated many of our most loved restaurants including Montpellier's Italian restaurant Bianchi.
Bristol Unpacked with Neil Maggs
Presented by journalist Neil Maggs, Bristol Unpacked features a varying roster of sometimes difficult, sometimes enlightening conversations with all kinds of Bristolians. Check out Magg's first episode with Tom Morris, the artistic director of The Old Vic in which they discuss the role of the arts in modern life.
12 Communities 1 Bristol
Described as a 'local oral history podcast', in the 12 Communities 1 Bristol podcast host Marcus Smith tells the news stories of the city, focusing on specific neighbourhoods, from Avonmouth to Stockwood. Produced by Bristol24/7’s community reporters scheme, the episodes take the form of 12 discussions that share 'the human stories that are so often overlooked.' Well worth your time!
Watershed Cinema Podcast
Operated by staff and guests of Bristol's creative powerhouse, the Watershed podcast is a great place to learn about new films & cinema, alongside wider cultural projects. With short monthly episodes that are led by the in-house Cinema Curator Mark Cosgrove (who has been with Watershed since 1994), check out the recent August episode which covers the films of Kinuyo Tanaka.
Transforming Society Podcast
Produced by Bristol University Press and taking on big topics through the eyes of authors that have written on specialist topics, the Transforming Society podcast is a top-notch listen. Explored via host Jess Mile, some great episodes are 'China's rise and the liberal demise' with Chris Ogden and 'Six new rules of democracy for a fairer world' with author Marcial Bragadini Boo. With built-in content variety, this podcast will help keep you informed on the biggest social discussions of our times!