Have you ever wondered why so many people have been tuning in to true crime content? Is it the fascination with things that we find difficult to understand, is it because the truth is scarier than fiction, or is it all about psychology and wanting to make yourself safer?
When it comes to why true crime podcasts are so widely followed across the globe, there is a lot to unpack. These podcasts are more than entertainment. They are quality and in-depth insights into human behavior – a side of it all of us want to know about but avoid in real life.
When you search for true crime stories to read online, you will quickly find that the niche is incredibly large, popular, and saturated, with quality content dropping daily. With true crime fascination growing, let’s look at how true crime has been gaining such mass attention.
Why True Crime Content Matters
While some true crime fans may stray away from simply calling the genre entertainment, due to its nature of being based on real-life events, some opt for calling it entertainment. Others refer to it as investigative journalism, truth-finding, psychology of crime, or even justice.
Whatever you decide to think, there is no denying that a growing number of podcasts are gaining a mass following across all entertainment platforms available. But people don’t tune in to this content just as a means of passing time. Many tune in to help bring attention to unsolved cases and to educate themselves on increasing personal safety.
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But recent studies have also successfully argued that true crime content has a wider positive impact. This impact is seen in public opinion as well as justice systems, with true crime content reviewing long-forgotten cases as well as raising awareness about the crime.
The Constructive Role of True Crime Podcasts
There are multiple strong reasons why true crime podcasts carry a positive role in society. Fascination with true crime is not abnormal. True crime books, series, and documentaries have been around for a long time to the point where they have been mainstreamed.
When you think about it, true crime is also part of daily news and true crime content can be found on a majority of TV channels in at least some capacity. So, why is that? People want to take a closer look at events and stories that scare them, that they cannot comprehend because crime is all around us and we want to feel safe and protected.
True Crime Podcasts Teach You How to Stay Safe
Many people who listen to these podcasts as their primary source has stated that this content has helped them be more aware of the dangers we are surrounded with daily.
For example, if someone was open to taking a ride home with a stranger and then heard a true crime story that covers such situations but with a negative and scary outcome, they might think twice next time they think there is nothing dangerous about that.
To give another example, someone might wear their hair up in a ponytail (or bun) all the time. Not much to think about there, is it? Well, not quite. Offenders have repeatedly stated that they sometimes choose their victims by whether their hair is up in a ponytail or not, as it does or does not allow them to easily pull someone away. If you didn’t follow true crime podcasts, you might not have been aware of this simple, yet possibly life-saving information.
True Crime Podcasts Raise Awareness
It is not uncommon to run into old and unsolved cases when consuming such content. While these cases might usually be left and forgotten, true crime podcasts help them to stay relevant with the purpose of helping raise awareness in hopes of seeing them solved.
This is why you will often find crowdfunding for families of victims and their life causes. You will also find that the true crime audience tends to spread awareness and bring attention to unsolved and cold cases, calling for renewed attention from authorities and the public in case of any possible leads, theories, and sometimes even evidence.
True Crime Podcasts Aim to Solve Cases
The myth that true crime podcasts are somehow unethical is far from the truth. The majority of well-established true crime podcasts not only report on the story but aim to solve the cases and help in any manner possible to see them solved.
These gripping stories are put to the light not only to examine a particular crime and its details but also to help crack the mystery and see justice. This is just one of several reasons why true crime podcasts might be for you.