I don't particularly like the podcast format either, but it's not inherently less efficient. You can potentially do other tasks while listening to one which would be difficult while reading. I personally find it difficult to concentrate on the content of the podcast when I do this (I don't take in information well from auditory sources), but others don't (and some actually find it hard to remember things they read).

I sympathize, but just happened to listen to this episode over several days. The discussion actually adds a lot to the paper, and they seem very qualified to critique it. One of the guests(?) has written several esolangs. There must be a way to generate a transcript.

Slight spoiler: they have lots of criticisms of the paper.

I really enjoy listening to people talk about things. I get the same enjoyment out of talk radio and any news radio that is editorialized. I enjoy lots of shows on the various NPR member stations.

This format isn't inefficient, you're just judging it based having a different goal than it does.