Back in 2014, I started hearing a bunch of hubbub around a popular new podcast called “Serial.” In the 12-part series, a journalist from Chicago dives deep into a murder case in Baltimore from 1999. The true story includes crazy twists and turns, and much of her research seemed to point to a possible wrongful conviction of the man who was sentenced to life in prison.
The story was engaging, and each episode left me begging for more. “Serial” topped the iTunes podcast charts for weeks, and the first two seasons have amassed more than 340 million downloads to date — easily making it one of the most successful podcasts in the platform’s young history.
This story of a real-life murder captured the attention of millions, and it seemingly started a strange entertainment revolution.
Matt Ehresman 