I'm sure Amanda has already talked to you about This American Life. Along with its regular host, Ira Glass, TAL has become a kind of multimedia phenomenon in the States, though it started out as (and remains) an inspirational radio show.
The TAL website admits that it's hard to describe what they do. Each week they start out with a theme and then develop different stories connected to the theme. The site adds that perhaps that it's easier to say what TAL is not:
"We're not a news show or a talk show or a call-in show. We're not really formatted like other radio shows at all. Instead, we do these stories that are like movies for radio. There are people in dramatic situations. Things happen to them. There are funny moments and emotional moments and—hopefully—moments where the people in the story say interesting, surprising things about it all. It has to be surprising. It has to be fun."
Perhaps the best explanation is just to listen to an episode - for example, Return to Childhood, which looks at childhood and how you remember it. It's available online either as a streaming MP3 or as a downloadable podcast.
The site has a great archive of past shows, though they recommend that if you're new to the show, you start with the page that collects some of their favourite shows.
Have a listen - but if you like it and want to keep one of the podcasts you will have to make a donation, which seems only fair - TAL is a US public radio production, which means it survives on charitable donations.
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