Draft:The British History Podcast
Template:AFC submission/created
| The British History Podcast | |
|---|---|
| Presentation | |
| Hosted by | Jamie Jeffers |
| Genre | History |
| Language | English |
| Updates | Current |
| Length | Usually 25-30 minutes (range 9:00-2:08:00) |
| Production | |
| Production | Meagan Zurn, PhD |
| Audio format | MP3 |
| Publication | |
| Original release | May 28, 2011 – present |
| Website | Official website |
The British History Podcast, often abbreviated as the BHP, is a weekly podcast created by Jamie Jeffers which first launched in 2011. Its stated scope begins in the Ice Ages and is intended to continue through to the dawn of World War I. As of November 12, 2017, it has reached the 10th century and has 292 episodes. It is known for being meticulously researched and for having a quirky off-beat delivery [1].
The BHP has ranked #12 in British iTunes, #15 in American iTunes, and #6 in Canadian iTunes.[2].
The BHP was a Finalist for Best Educational Podcast in the Podcast Awards in 2012 and 2013.
Beginning the Podcast[edit | edit source]
Jeffers decided to launch the BHP when he lost his job as an attorney in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. "I had a tremendous amount of free time to fill, and wasn’t sure what to do with myself. Something that many people don’t realize is that attorneys don’t really argue for a living. They research, but suddenly I didn’t need to research legal issues for a client, and instead I could research anything I wanted." As a British Ex-Pat, Jeffers chose to return to the stories he grew up hearing from his Grandfather. [3] He began with Churchill’s A History of the English-Speaking Peoples but quickly moved on to other sources from there.
The inspiration to create an audio project came from two Podcasts that Jeffers was a fan of: The Memory Palace and Stuff You Should Know. He decided that he wanted to "tell stories the way Nate DeMeo does, but maybe with a little more of an irreverent tone." [3] He also felt that history has become too distant from every day people and wanted to "break some of those barriers and make these stories accessible to as many people as possible"[4]
The first episode launched on May 28, 2011.
Researching the Podcast[edit | edit source]
Jeffers relies on primary sources whenever possible, but turns to scholarly articles, secondary sources, archaeological data, and even literature and oral histories in his research.[3] He describes his method of research as "drilling down" and carries out research for the show on a rolling basis, with the research becoming much more granular as individual topics or eras approach. [5] Jeffers estimates that about 40 hours a week goes into the research and production of the show. [6]
A partial list of research materials used to create the show has been made available on the British History Podcast website.[7]
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ "4 Can't Miss Podcasts - Parade Magazine".
- ↑ "The British History Podcast International iTunes Chart Performance".
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Medievalists Interview with The British History Podcast".
- ↑ "Reddit History AMA: The British History Podcast".
- ↑ "The British History Podcast Q&A episode".
- ↑ "Reddit AskHistorians AMA: The British History Podcast".
- ↑ "Research Materials and Further Reading".
