If you're still somehow in a Serial slump, NPR's new proferring might be just the cure for you: the news source/site's Arts, Books and Culture Desk has released Earbud.fm, its ultimate guide to the best podcasts around, featuring 200+ sample episodes and shows for the delight of your aural and cerebral faculties.

Earbud.fm is as varied as it is enthralling, featuring a wide range of topics and genres that, according to NPR's official blog post, "cover everything from breakfast to nuclear arms control to Saved By the Bell," with storytellers as diverse as Roxane Gay, Marc Maron, Neil Patrick Harris and P!nk. 

The selections were cultivated with input from NPR listeners and readers, who sent in suggestions for what would make the final cut for the guide. Each blurb per entry even features input from listeners themselves.

In a statement released by its press room, NPR Senior Vice President of News and Editorial Director Michael Oreskes underscored the now-imperative utility of podcasts in journalism, as well as their significant cultural relevance:

"Podcasts as a form of mainstream journalism and entertainment have reached a level of influence in our culture that deserves the kind of editorial attention our cultural news department gives to books, movies and music. We understand this is a particular challenge since NPR and public radio are among the largest producers of podcasts, so we devised a system to use audience recommendations vetted by a team of external and internal reviewers to come up with the most interesting and impartial recommendations. We are confident that earbud.fm will provide users the same kind of quality recommendations our Book Concierge does every year." 

Even though Earbud.fm is now available to use, it doesnt mean that the list is finite: NPR is still accepting content suggestions for the guide.

"We are open to all topics, we want to hear about big and small podcasts," said NPR Senior Editor Ellen Silva, who deals with all arts-related content. There is one caveat, though: podcasters can't submit their own work.

"Just please if you are a podcast producer don't send us your own," cautioned Silva. "Recommend your favorite podcast that you did not produce yourself." 

Via: NPR

Photo: Patrick Beitenbach | Flickr