Over the past few days I’ve been consumed with the idea of starting a podcast, but it’s one of those things you don’t want to yap to everyone about because if you never end up doing it then you’re just one of those people who yaps about doing something they never do. But here I am, a-yapping.
Every podcast should be weekly, but everyone knows I don’t have time to set aside an evening every week so I’d probably do a long recording once every 3 weeks and edit it into 3 separate downloads over the course of 3 weeks. I also don’t have time to set up the recording, edit the recording, upload the episode and nurture the associated web site/facebook group/forum/whathaveyou. So what I’m saying is, I need help.
Plus every podcast is best with at least minimum 2 people (maximum 3). I occasionally listen to WFMU’s The Best Show and the first quarter is useless because the host just talks to himself and it’s just not entertaining. So optimally whoever handles the technical aspects would also be a bitchin’ co-host. I don’t want it to be The Toren Atkinson Podcast.
Speaking of which, I find introductions and theme songs a real drag. More wasted time and bandwidth. Expecially when I’ve got 20 pods on my mp3 player and I’m trying to figure out which ones I’ve already listened to, I have to fast forward through a minute of “this podcast is brought to you by” and bad music and “welcome to episode 45 my name is Jonny Dull and I’m here with Sammy O’Predictable JUST LIKE EVERY TIME!” One thing I like about the Speedway Squad podcast is they don’t introduce themselves until well into the episode.
On my podcast we’d shoot the shit, talk about current events (especially in science), criticize people on the bus who eat tuna, interview guests, and have lots of wacky segments. Even a little music maybe, but again – NOT at the beginning of the show. I’d been toying with the idea of having a setting, as if the podcast was recorded in a post-apocalyptic future and somehow sent backwards to the present, but that would kind of preclude having guests that want to promo their own real-life stuff, or talking about current events.
What would I call our podcast? The Secret Underground E-Bunker? Signal to Noise? Claw Claw Bite? Congeries Quisquiliarum (latin for pile of crap)?
BLOG ENTRY PART 2: What existing podcasts are the good ones?
ASTRONOMY CAST – I love science and space! But the downside of this is it can be dry, especially if you’re not well versed in astronomy. I usually tune out when they talk about theoretical quantum mechanical-type stuff. I just want to know cool facts about stars and planets.
COMEDY DEATH RAY – This podcast is almost flawless. Great comedian guests.
DISCOVERY NEWS ‘FRIDAY NEWS FEEDBAG’ – Three guys from the Discovery Channel compete with science news stories. Besides the science angle which as I said, I like, the hosts do not take their podcast seriously – as well they should not!
NEVER NOT FUNNY – another comedy podcast. Always entertaining, but this is one of those podcasts with an annoying theme song and only the first half of the show is free.
NPR SCIENCE FRIDAY – Ira Flatow is one of those interviewers who does his job well enough, but like Bob McDonald from Quirks & Quarks, his jokes are never funny. Great science though!
QUIRKS & QUARKS – See notes on Bob McDonald above. I usually only listen to the episodes that have topics that interest me, and there are some doozies, like the Aug 19 2006 show on happiness & evolution.
SCIENCE WEEKLY (UK’S THE GUARDIAN) – Another science news podcast that is actually entertaining, no small thanks to the youthful glibness of Alok Jha.
SKEPTICALITY – content is hit and miss, and more dry than Astronomy Cast as the hosts just read off of paper. Not sure why this is still on my list.
SKEPTICS GUIDE TO THE UNIVERSE/SGU 5X5 – Fascinating, nice and long, and again mixing science with hosts that are entertaining to listen to.
SPEEDWAY SQUAD – Drunken ramblings and not of it politically correct.
STOP PODCASTING YOURSELF – local comedians – get to know them!
TEDTALKS – arguably the most enlightening seminars you’ll ever hear. Also on youtube and tedtalks.org or some such.
THIS WEEK IN SCIENCE – Sciencey, sometimes entertaining, always stilted & awkward.
WFMU’S THE BEST SHOW WITH TOM SHARPLING – Worth listening to when there are good guests like Paul F Tompkins or John Hodgman.
YOG-SOTHOTH.COM CTHULHU PODCAST – sketchy production values but content of interest for the true Lovecraft fan.
I’ve felt the same desire, but have no idea what I’d have to offer over every other Internet-savvy geek out there.
Likewise, plus Speedway Squad was created by our peers and it would seem like just jumping on the bandwagon, unless you brought something really unique to the Intertubes.
Jim I think you just came up with the name: Podcast Bandwagon
This would be a hoot and a hauler! I’d help in a pod-beat, so feel free to encourage my cheezie smooze gene.
Also, for the name, Tastes Like Squid! Get it? Tastes, via podcast, cuz you can’t…. ah nevermind…. punk kid…
PS this isn’t about pleasing the internet, it’s about pleasing ME!
YOG-SOTHOTH.COM CTHULHU PODCAST – sketchy production values but content of interest for the true Lovecraft fan.
Could you explain what the “sketchy production values” values so we can make improve it please.
Thank you.
Paul is that you?
To clarify what I called “sketchy” production values in the YSDC podcast, briefly: inconsistent mic levels between the various hosts/guests, compression issues with skype…that sort of thing. Nothing extraordinary, just the usual pitfalls that really are to be expected on an indie budget. Content of course makes up for the technical shortcomings!
If you do this, I’d like to blog the Conan short stories. You know, talk about each one, how they differ from the depilated Arnold version, the racialism, the good stuff, the bad stuff, and of course, how to model said story in various roleplaying games.
I forgot to add, but real quick-like. Ten minutes, tops for each story/epilode.
I would suggest podcasting on something you do frequently. Off the top of my head, I’d suggest a comic book/drawing show. You could interview local comic artists/writers as well as people who just love comics. It’s general enough that anyone could come on and co-host.
You definitely want to have more than one person on the podcast if you can help it. One person doing all the talking is pretty tough to pull off for any length of time.
A format I like is “I Love Movies” by Doug Benson. He has 2-3 guests. They talk about movies they saw, etc. Then the last bit is a movie game Doug made up called the Leonard Maltin game. Funny, relaxed atmosphere. Nothing too indepth but definitely fun to listen to.