🎧 How to Cite a Podcast: APA, MLA & Chicago Style Examples for 2025
Podcasts have become powerful sources of knowledge and commentary. Whether you’re writing an academic essay, a research paper, or a blog post, you may find yourself quoting insights from a podcast.
But the question is: how do you cite a podcast properly?
In this guide, you’ll learn exactly how to cite a podcast in APA, MLA, and Chicago formats—complete with real examples to make it simple. Let’s get into it! 🎤📚
🧠Why Cite a Podcast?
Citing a podcast is just as important as citing books, articles, or websites. It gives credit to the creator, adds credibility to your work, and helps readers find the original source.
You should cite a podcast when:
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Quoting the host or a guest
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Referring to specific information, statistics, or arguments
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Using ideas or inspiration from an episode
💡 Every citation style has different rules—so always check the one your instructor or publisher prefers.
đź“ť How to Cite a Podcast in APA Style (7th Edition)
APA (American Psychological Association) style is commonly used in social sciences.
🎯 APA Podcast Citation Format:
Host(s) Last name, First Initial. (Host). (Year, Month Day). Title of episode (No. episode number) [Audio podcast episode]. In Title of podcast. Production Company. URL
âś… Example APA Citation:
Rogan, J. (Host). (2023, June 10). Elon Musk on AI, Twitter & the Future (No. 1948) [Audio podcast episode]. In The Joe Rogan Experience. Spotify. https://open.spotify.com/episode/123abc
🧾 APA In-text Citation:
(Rogan, 2023)
🎓 Include episode number only if it’s available. The production company is optional unless it’s relevant.
đź“š How to Cite a Podcast in MLA Style (9th Edition)
MLA (Modern Language Association) style is commonly used in humanities.
🎯 MLA Podcast Citation Format:
Host’s Last Name, First Name, host. “Title of Episode.” Title of Podcast, season number, episode number, Production Company, Day Month Year. Podcast platform, URL.
âś… Example MLA Citation:
Rogan, Joe, host. “Elon Musk on AI, Twitter & the Future.” The Joe Rogan Experience, episode 1948, Spotify, 10 June 2023. Spotify, https://open.spotify.com/episode/123abc
🧾 MLA In-text Citation:
(Rogan)
đź’ˇ MLA likes full names and specific dates. Capitalize podcast titles like book titles.
đź“° How to Cite a Podcast in Chicago Style (17th Edition)
Chicago style offers two systems: Notes and Bibliography and Author-Date. Here’s how to cite a podcast using the Notes and Bibliography format (most common for general writing).
🎯 Chicago Podcast Citation Format (Bibliography):
Host’s Last Name, First Name. “Episode Title.” Podcast Name. Produced by Company Name. Podcast audio, duration. Date. URL.
âś… Example Chicago Citation:
Rogan, Joe. “Elon Musk on AI, Twitter & the Future.” The Joe Rogan Experience. Produced by Spotify. Podcast audio, 2:45:00. June 10, 2023. https://open.spotify.com/episode/123abc
🧾 Chicago In-text Citation (Footnote Example):
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Joe Rogan, “Elon Musk on AI, Twitter & the Future,” The Joe Rogan Experience, produced by Spotify, podcast audio, June 10, 2023, https://open.spotify.com/episode/123abc.
📌 Chicago loves full details, including episode length and producer—when available.
🧩 What If the Podcast Doesn’t List an Author?
If there’s no host or author, use the title of the episode or podcast name as the lead element in your citation.
APA Example (No Host):
The Daily. (2023, April 5). What We Know About the Nashville Shooting [Audio podcast episode]. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/podcasts/the-daily
🗣️ In-text: (“The Daily,” 2023)
🎓 Citing a Podcast Transcript
If you’re citing a written transcript instead of the audio:
APA:
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Cite it like a webpage or article, with the title and URL.
MLA:
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Include “Transcript” after the episode title.
Example: “Inside the Mind of Elon Musk.” The Lex Fridman Podcast, transcript, 20 July 2023. https://lexfridman.com
đź“‹ Summary Table: Podcast Citation Formats
| Style | Format Highlights |
|---|---|
| APA | Host(s), date, episode title, podcast name, platform, URL |
| MLA | Host, episode title in quotes, podcast name in italics, date, platform, URL |
| Chicago | Full details, including duration and producer, plus footnote option |
🚀 Final Thoughts: Citing Podcasts Made Simple
Now that you know how to cite a podcast in APA, MLA, and Chicago styles, you can confidently use audio sources in your academic and professional writing. Just remember to be consistent, include all the required details, and always double-check with your style guide.
🎧 Your voice matters—so cite the voices that inspire you.
✨ Need Help with Citations, Formatting, or Writing?
Whether it’s APA, MLA, Chicago, or something else—Study Doll is here to guide you through every step of your paper.
