A Theory of [Podcasts]

[A]udio demands certain things. It demands plot in a pretty straightforward way, or it demands authentic emotion in a pretty serious way, or it demands companionship. So those are the three reasons that I think people listen to audio. They want to be told a story, they want to feel a very personal connection, or they want to hang out with friends that they feel like they have. And the best shows do all three. And that’s what we’re going to be going for.

– Alex Blumberg, Gimlet Media

Sounds about right to me.