The Wilson FM podcast app does not use algorithms, but manually selects a collection of the best episodes every week. It is therefore a breath of fresh air in the podcast landscape.
Wilson FM: The podcast app that’s all about discovery
Podcasts are more popular than ever. Riding on this success, new playback apps seem to be coming out every week. Although these are often of good quality, they do little new. The standard podcast app has a simple interface, lets you subscribe to your favorite shows, and has a home screen displaying some popular shows.
That kite does not apply to Wilson FM. This podcast player describes itself as a “magazine, but for podcasts.” The idea is very simple: every week you will be presented with a new selection of shows, collected around a specific theme.
For example, when the app was just launched, the theme was ‘getting started’. The playlist was therefore packed with first episodes of popular shows, such as ‘This American Life’ and ‘Startup’. In June, Pride month was central, and you could listen to shows that focus on the lgbtq community.
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No algorithms
The special thing about Wilson FM is that these playlists are composed by hand: no algorithm is involved. In an interview with Nieman Lab let founder, Allan Yu, know that this is a conscious choice. According to him, the current podcast apps fall short when it comes to submitting new shows.
According to him, they are all built around the ‘subscription model’, where you automatically receive new episodes of shows. Instead, Wilson FM is built around discovering new interesting episodes. So you do not have to register, for example.
Furthermore, the design of the app feels simple, but innovative. Anyone who has tried multiple podcast apps will immediately see that Wilson FM works differently. The simplistic design is refreshing and gives the app a unique look touch. Sure, looks are a matter of taste, but we think you should at least give the app a shot.