How to Cite a Podcast in APA

• Tomas Elliott (MA)
• Published on 04/27/2024

In academic and professional writing, it’s essential to provide accurate citations for all sources, including podcasts. Podcasts are increasingly becoming sources of valuable information, interviews, and discussions, and citing them correctly is crucial for maintaining academic integrity and giving credit to the creators. The American Psychological Association (APA) has specific guidelines for citing both podcasts and individual podcast episodes. This article aims to provide a detailed guide on how to cite podcasts and podcast episodes in APA format.

CITING A PODCAST

When citing a podcast in APA format, it’s essential to include the following citation elements:

• Author/Producer: Identify the individuals responsible for the podcast’s creation or production, listing hosts or executive producers by name.
• Host(s)/Executive Producer(s): Clearly denote the role of the individuals responsible for hosting or executive producing the podcast.
• Year Span: Include the duration of the podcast’s airing, noting the years it began and, if applicable, indicating it’s ongoing with “present” in place of an end year.
• Podcast Title: Provide the title of the podcast in italics, ensuring it’s accurately conveyed for clarity and easy identification.
• Type of Podcast: Specify the format of the podcast, such as [Audio podcast] or [Video podcast], using square brackets for clarity.
• Production Company or Platform: Provide the name of the company responsible for producing or hosting the podcast, or the platform where the podcast is available for streaming or download.
• URL: Conclude the citation with the podcast’s URL, if accessible, facilitating easy access for readers to locate the source.

EXAMPLE CITATIONS FOR A PODCAST

Citation	Cohen, J. (Host). (2024). The Tim Ferriss show [Audio podcast]. Tim Ferriss Productions. https://tim.blog/podcast/
Structure	Host Surname, Initial. (Host). (Year). Podcast title [Type of podcast]. Production Company. URL

In this example, the Tim Ferriss show, hosted by J. Cohen, began and concluded in 2024. It’s an audio podcast produced by Tim Ferriss Productions and can be accessed through the provided URL.

Citation	Raindrop, P., & Harry, L. (Executive Producers). (2024–present). Your guide to summer getaways [Video podcast]. Chillax Studios. https://www.chillaxstudios.com/sunny-escapes
Structure	Executive Producer 1 Surname, Executive Producer 1 Initial., & Executive Producer 2 Surname, Executive Producer 2 Initial. (Executive Producers). (Year–present). Podcast title [Type of podcast]. Production Company. URL

In this example, your guide to summer getaways, executive produced by P. Raindrop and L. Harry, has been airing since 2024. This video podcast is produced by Chillax Studios. The citation indicates its ongoing status by using “present.”

EXAMPLE IN-TEXT CITATIONS FOR A PODCAST

Parenthetical citations appear within parentheses and include the host(s) or producer(s) and the publication year. 

Example	(Raindrop & Harry, 2024–present)
Structure	(Contributor 1 Surname & Contributor 2 Surname, Year-span)

Narrative citations integrate the host(s) or producer(s) and the publication year into the sentence itself.

Example	Raindrop and Harry (2024–present)
Structure	Contributor 1 Surname and Contributor 2 Surname (Year Span)

Span of Years: When citing a podcast, it’s important to provide the span of years during which the podcast aired. For ongoing podcasts that continue to release new episodes, use “present” in place of the end year. This indicates to readers that the podcast is still actively producing content and helps them understand the timeline of its availability. Using “present” eliminates the need for frequent updates to the citation and ensures its accuracy over time. Specify Episode Titles Descriptively: Ensure that the episode title you include in your citation accurately reflects the content discussed in the episode. This helps readers understand the focus or theme of the episode at a glance. If the episode title is particularly long or descriptive, consider paraphrasing it to maintain conciseness in your citation. Include Titles in Sentence Case: When citing a podcast, ensure that the title is formatted correctly in sentence case. Sentence case means capitalizing only the first letter of the first word in the title, along with proper nouns and any other words that would normally be capitalized in a sentence. Consistent formatting enhances readability and professionalism in your citation. Use Square Brackets for Clarifications or Additional Information: If you need to provide additional information or clarification in your citation, such as specifying the podcast format or indicating if the podcast episode is part of a series, use square brackets. This helps differentiate the added information from the main citation components and ensures clarity for readers. Host’s Name is Unavailable: If the host’s name isn’t known for a podcast, citing the executive producer(s) serves as a suitable alternative, given their substantial involvement in creating the podcast. Adhering to these guidelines promotes accuracy and consistency in citations, upholding academic integrity and making it easier for readers to access the content referenced.

CITING A PODCAST EPISODE

When citing a specific episode of a podcast, include the following citation elements:

• Author/Producer: List the names of the hosts or executive producers responsible for the episode.
• Host(s)/Executive Producer(s): Clearly denote the role of the individuals responsible for hosting or executive producing the podcast episode.
• Date: Provide the specific date on which the podcast episode first aired.
• Episode Title: Include the title of the episode, and if applicable, include the episode number alongside.
• Type of Episode: Specify the type of podcast episode using square brackets, for example: [Audio podcast episode] or [Video podcast episode].
• Title of Podcast: Italicize the title of the podcast and precede it with ‘In’ when mentioning it.
• Production Company or Platform: Specify the name of the production company or platform responsible for creating or hosting the podcast episode.
• URL: End the reference with the URL of the episode, if available.

EXAMPLE CITATIONS FOR A PODCAST EPISODE

Citation	Lawrence, M. (Host). (2024, April 26). Unraveling mysteries (No. 8) [Video podcast episode]. In Behind the scenes true crime edition. CrimeWatch Productions. https://www.crimewatchprod.com/podcast/unravel-mysteries-episode-8
Structure	Host Surname, Initial. (Host). (Year, Month Day). Episode title (No. Episode Number) [Type of podcast episode]. In Podcast title. Production Company. URL

In this citation, M. Lawrence is the host of the podcast episode titled Behind the scenes true crime edition. The episode number is No. 8, and it’s a [Video podcast episode]. The production company is CrimeWatch Productions, and the URL for the episode is provided.

Citation	Davis, S., & Lewis, J. (Executive Producers). (2024, April 26). The art of storytelling (No. 18) [Audio podcast episode]. In Creative Minds: Inside the Studio. Artisan Productions. https://www.artisanproductions.com/podcast/the-art-of-storytelling
Structure	Executive Producer 1 Surname, Executive Producer 1 Initial., & Executive Producer 2 Surname, Executive Producer 2 Initial. (Executive Producers). (Year, Month Day). Episode title (No. Episode Number) [Type of podcast episode]. In Podcast title. Production Company. URL

In this citation, S. Davis and J. Lewis are listed as executive producers of the podcast episode titled The art of storytelling, which is part of the Creative Minds: Inside the Studio. The episode is a [Audio podcast episode] and was aired on April 24, 2024. The production company is Artisan Productions, and the URL for the episode is provided.

EXAMPLE IN-TEXT CITATIONS FOR A PODCAST EPISODE

Parenthetical citation:

Example	(Davis & Lewis, 2024)
Structure	(Contributor 1 Surname & Contributor 2 Surname, Year)

Narrative citation: 

Example	Lawrence (2024)
Structure	Contributor Surname (Year)