Some podcasts directed at Orthodox audiences are extremely popular. They get thousands of views within days of going up, much more than any Torah shiur will get.
These podcasts are not necessarily bad [although some are quite problematic for various reasons]. But I wonder - Talmud Torah Ki-neged Koolam. Why would one listen to a podcast if at the same time he could be learning? [I listen on rare occasions in a place where Talmud Torah is forbidden...]
One possibility is that people need to relax and wind down. This is their kosher way of doing so.
Another possibility is that there are lots of people out there who just prefer hearing interesting people [sometimes more interesting sometimes less] shoot the breeze than they want to learn Chumash or Nach or Gemara or Chasidus or Mussar etc. etc. from the endless sfarim that are available both at home, in any Beis Medrash or on line - for free. And more than they want to here a shiur from the hundreds and hundreds of thousands that are out there on any Torah topic under the sun. This is a failure of our educational system. The number one goal of education should be to instill within the student a passionate desire to spend a lifetime increasing knowledge.
So here is my pitch. If you have free time and are able to - learn Torah. It is the absolute best thing for you both in this world and for eternity. It is also extremely beneficial to society at large. Limmud HaTorah brings down great material and spiritual bounty [שפע] to the world.
I will add that if one is inspired by a podcast to be a better Jew or to improve middos or the like then it definitely would not be classified as Bitul Torah. I am sure many podcasts fulfill those goals. I am sure that others are just a waste of time.
So beware. Life is shooooooorrrrrrrrttt and a minute wasted is a minute gone .... forever.
