Best of cast: 2006

The staff at iTunes has released its Best Podcasts of 2006 list (go to iTunes music store to search for the individual casts). If you have your own set of favorites, send them our way.

The iTunes staff favorites, in no particular order:

National Geographic’s Atmosphere, PopSci Podcasts, The Fader, Garrison Keillor’s The Writer’s Almanac, Jimmy Pardo’s Never Not Funny, The Show with zefrank Ask A Ninja, The Street’s The Real Story with Aaron Task, TedTalks, Pod Surf TV, Channel 4’s thisisaknife Mad Decent Worldwide, Espn:PTI (Pardon the Interruption), Cool Hunting Video, Alive in Baghdad, The Onion Radio News, Goodnight Burbank, American Public Media’s Marketplace, Ira Glass’s This American Life, LSAT Logic in Everday Life, and The Brickfilms.com’s Podcast.

Our favorites from that group: PopSci Podcast, This American Life and The Street’s Real Story.

Most of the choices by the iTunes staff dwell on pop culture. The Street’s Real Story is the only one catering to the business community. What did you expect from the Apple staff — cool podcasts for hedge-fund managers?