Head-to-head comparison
Out on the Wire (Book) vs Podnews
Two of the resources tools podcasters reach for. Here's how they differ on pricing, features, audience, and the trade-offs that actually matter day-to-day.
Graphic-novel guide to audio storytelling craft based on interviews with top radio producers.
Best for: Storytelling craft book
Daily podcast industry news read every weekday morning by working podcasters.
Best for: Industry news
At a glance
The honest trade-offs
Out on the Wire (Book)
Pros
- Unique illustrated graphic-novel format
- Real producer interviews including Ira Glass
- Deep story-structure focus
Watch-outs
- Published 2015 — pre-video-podcast era
- Narrative podcasts only
- Not a practical step-by-step how-to
Podnews
Pros
- Updated every weekday since 2017
- Genuinely global coverage
- Free with no paywall
Watch-outs
- Inside-baseball tone
- Not for casual listeners
- Light on creative craft topics
Which one should you pick?
Pick Out on the Wire (Book) if
You’re building around storytelling craft book. Jessica Abel's illustrated book unpacks how This American Life, Radiolab, Planet Money, and others actually construct stories. The graphic-novel format makes it readable in a sitting.
Pick Podnews if
You’re building around industry news. If you only read one podcast newsletter, this is it. James Cridland's daily dispatch is short, dense, and global — heavy on platform moves, hires, and tech changes.
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Frequently asked
What does Out on the Wire (Book) do better than Podnews?
Out on the Wire (Book)'s standout is "Unique illustrated graphic-novel format". Podnews doesn't make that promise — it leans into "Updated every weekday since 2017" instead. If the first sentence describes your workflow, pick Out on the Wire (Book); if the second does, pick Podnews.
What are the trade-offs?
Out on the Wire (Book): published 2015 — pre-video-podcast era. Podnews: inside-baseball tone. Whether either matters depends entirely on what you actually need — neither is a deal-breaker by itself.
Can I use Out on the Wire (Book) and Podnews together?
Both are resources tools so most teams pick one. Some workflows do combine them — for example, using Out on the Wire (Book) for one show or episode type and Podnews for another. Worth trying both free tiers before committing.