The Obligatory
"Play safe. Ski only in clockwise direction. Let's all have fun together."
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Late To The Game: Podcasting
The concept of the podcast initially seemed very interesting to me. An explosion of user-created radio shows, narrow-casting to the infinite, bizarro underground wonderlands!
Unfortunately, most of what came out of the podcasting craze (2005 New Oxford American Dictionary word of the year!) was unremarkable. Much in the same way we're seeing with YouTube'd videocasts today, the first podcasts were too long, too self-indulgent, and not very interesting. So, as I do with everything I don't understand, I ran far, far away.
Until last night.
Earlier this week I'd read an article on a very interesting-sounding BBC podcast called "In Our Time," a sort of weekly audio documentary on the history and implications of a specific idea or set of ideas. I still haven't been able to listen to it, so I can't give a pass or fail ... but next week's topic is Anarchism and I am crazy interested.
Last night, on a whim, I decided to browse through the iTunes Podcast section, looking for some short, free 'casts of things that would be interesting to listen to on the drive to work. And there it was. Garrison Keillor's "The Writers' Almanac." A concise, well-produced 5 minute podcast that features literary birthdays, little-known historical events of the day, and a poem for good measure. And of course it's read by Keillor, which already puts it well above any other non-Keillor podcast.
It's the podcast designed for me, begun the day before I decided to start looking for good podcasts. Coincidence? OR FATE?!?
But seriously, it's great. And a very nice way to start the day. If anyone has other podcasts they dig, please share.
Unfortunately, most of what came out of the podcasting craze (2005 New Oxford American Dictionary word of the year!) was unremarkable. Much in the same way we're seeing with YouTube'd videocasts today, the first podcasts were too long, too self-indulgent, and not very interesting. So, as I do with everything I don't understand, I ran far, far away.
Until last night.
Earlier this week I'd read an article on a very interesting-sounding BBC podcast called "In Our Time," a sort of weekly audio documentary on the history and implications of a specific idea or set of ideas. I still haven't been able to listen to it, so I can't give a pass or fail ... but next week's topic is Anarchism and I am crazy interested.
Last night, on a whim, I decided to browse through the iTunes Podcast section, looking for some short, free 'casts of things that would be interesting to listen to on the drive to work. And there it was. Garrison Keillor's "The Writers' Almanac." A concise, well-produced 5 minute podcast that features literary birthdays, little-known historical events of the day, and a poem for good measure. And of course it's read by Keillor, which already puts it well above any other non-Keillor podcast.
It's the podcast designed for me, begun the day before I decided to start looking for good podcasts. Coincidence? OR FATE?!?
But seriously, it's great. And a very nice way to start the day. If anyone has other podcasts they dig, please share.
Labels: Internet
that one guy you know, 11:14 AM
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