For the last two weeks I have introduced and reviewed two true crime podcasts that I enjoy listening to on a weekly basis in, The Trail Went Cold and Once Upon a Crime. This week I will be discussing the first true crime podcast that I ever listened to that got me hooked on the genre.
Casefile is an Australian based podcast that debuted on January 8th, 2016 and has covered over 100 cases as of 2019. They release a new episode, three out of four weekends a month, and most episodes are over an hour long. On Apple’s Podcast App, they are currently the 75th overall most listened to podcast. Their website boasts numerous awards they have received, such as being ranked amongst the best podcasts of 2016 and 2018 from Apple. Weekly episodes are available on casefilepodcast.com, the Apple Podcast App, TuneIn App, and many other podcast locations.
A unique twist about Casefile is there is an anonymous host who, throughout the last three years, has not been named publicly. A younger sounding man with an Australian accent provides the narration for each episode. He tells each story with a tremendous amount of well researched detail. Each case is presented to the listener with plenty of background information, so you can almost feel like you are at the scene. The cases that are covered range from a variety of true crime topics such as missing or unidentified persons, unsolved murders, and biography type episodes about serial killers.
Casefile is very good at producing multi-episode series as well concerning the same case. These are stories provided with deeper detail about more high profile cases that many listeners may have heard of. Some of the better ones include a five part series about the East Area Rapist /Golden State Killer in the 1970’s, a three part series about Jonestown, and a three part series about the creation and downfall of Silk Road.
Due to the fact Casefile is an international podcast there are more cases covered from countries other than the United States, especially Australia and Great Britain. While this may sound unappealing to some listeners, it provides an opportunity to hear stories you otherwise may never learn about. Additionally, it can be interesting to learn about policing and laws in other countries.
Casefile, along with the other two podcasts I have featured, has a strong presence on social media and a well developed website. Their twitter account, with almost 31 thousand followers, interacts with fans as well as recaps episodes, updates on past cases, and previews upcoming events. The website allows listeners to go back and revisit any episodes they may have missed or they wish to hear again. There is also a shop where fans can buy Casefile merchandise such as t-shirts, sweatshirts, and coffee mugs.
As Casefile has grown and gotten more popular they have looked for ways to profit off making episodes. One of the ways they have gone about doing this is including advertisements from sponsors in the middle of episodes. While this is understandable considering how much time and effort must go into producing such a high quality podcast, it is frustrating as a listener to be invested in a case and hear an advertisement break in at the climax of an episode.
Overall, Casefile remains my favorite true crime podcast to listen to. Every episode provides the opportunity to escape life’s problems for about an hour and immerse yourself into a fascinating case.
