Our newsletter may be signing off for now, but our writers continue their work. — When Bello first launched in 2016, there were few other publications like ours dedicated to both marveling at and critiquing the podcast medium. Since then, coverage of podcasting has expanded in many new and interesting directions, and we take pride in having initiated some of that coverage here at Bello…

There can never be too many podcasts. — Dear Bellos, The Bello Collective was launched in a very different podcast universe. It was 2016: public media ruled, indies were fewer and farther between, and it was a rare and exciting event to find oneself in a conversation with a fellow podcast fanatic. …

Our favorite podcast episodes of the year, as chosen by the Bello Collective and friends —

A meditation on September 11, 2001 — twenty years on. — When I got home from school on 9/11/2001, my parents forbade me from watching TV. I could hear the news through the doorway, but I couldn’t see what was undoubtedly on the screen: the planes, the fire, the jumpers, the smoke that was pouring uptown toward our home, just two…

A lyrical, fictitious audio re-imagining of a real relationship at the heart of Singapore’s independence story — “Fever Dream” is a lyrical, fictitious audio re-imagining of a real relationship at the heart of Singapore’s independence story. Dancing between the graceful and surreal, the piece explores an unimaginable relationship through its quietest moments. This piece was created by Roshan Singh Sambhi, Andas Productions. [Transcript]

Wonderful podcasts from the end of a terrible year — This piece is written by Elena Fernández Collins and Amber Bulinski. You can see last month’s debuts here. We all heaved a collective sigh of relief when 2020 finally loosened its grip on the timeline, but it didn’t do it quietly nor with grace. What was wrong continues to be…

Michael McDowell looks at a trend long in need of disruption. — It’s been nearly eight years since executive producer Radiotopia executive producer Julie Shapiro noticed that 70% of the most popular podcasts were hosted by men; six years since journalist and audio editor Charley Locke argued that podcasting’s biggest problem isn’t discovery, but diversity; and it’s approaching three years since podcast…

It can only go up from here, right? — Dear Bellos, Last year looked nothing like we had imagined, and with so much still out of our control, it is a little comforting to know we still get to choose what appears in our podcast feeds. In this issue, we share our predictions for the year ahead, including all…

Meet our new friends, in podcasts and IRL — This piece is written by Elena Fernández Collins and Amber Bulinski. You can see last month’s debuts here. If you remember the beginning of the pandemic, you’ll likely recall that a lot of people brought home new pets. I hope those animals are doing alright; that their homes are still…