Friday
Brian has a new podcast available in which he talks with Antoine Clarke about elections around the world, the libertarian case for democracy and some juicy tidbits. Apparently. Meanwhile, I talk with Neil O’Brien of Open Europe on whether the European social model really is social and whether science should be funded by the EU.
This post has been up a while and no-one has bitten. Is this perhaps because podcasting is not exactly an innovation. Audio files have been available for download since time immerorial (at least since the 90s) so what's to get excited about?
Posted by Nick M at April 7, 2006 05:32 PM
Nah, it's just that we all want to do audio comments, not this olde worlde text commenting.
Posted by Jackson at April 8, 2006 09:36 AM
A great example of how to NOT to do it. Bad accoustics, bad speaker throwing most of his syllables away. Couldn't be bothered to listen. It may have had great content but there is no way it is going to have any impact.
Posted by John Rippengal at April 8, 2006 09:51 AM
I'm very keen - and I'm sure Brian is very keen - on feedback about how to improve podcasts.
Posted by Alex Singleton at April 8, 2006 10:59 AM
Alex, podcasters need to have a few words with some broadcast studio engineers before making recordings and then get them listened to by independent listeners before disseminating. Broadly you need a low reverberation time and rather 'dead' accoustics. But I'm no expert; consult the engineers who know. You also need to practice delivery and get some critical feedback on it.
Having said that I query the use of 'podcasting' at all. Isn't it just latching on to the almost universal and moronic constant Ipod wearing habit that seems to have overtaken much of western society. The wearers surely cannot be using the sound for anything but a sort of soothing mind fodder. Not really a medium for sensible intellectual discussion.
Posted by John Rippengal at April 8, 2006 07:34 PM
I enjoyed listening to Brian and Antoine. The sound quality was acceptable. I listened to it all because I was interested to hear two people whose postings I have been reading for some time however I would have liked to hear a little more at the beginning and end by way of an introduction and a summary respectively.
If one is going to take the time to listen one wants to know a bit more of the aim of the talk up front. One can skim through the written word. With a broadcast/podcast one has to make a commitment in time and then concentrate. One wants to have some idea that it is going to be worth the effort at the beginning.
Posted by Nick Timms at April 8, 2006 10:06 PM
