When is a Podcast not a Podcast
I listened to a podcast called “Paranormal Radio” with Captain Jack and was all set to write my first bad review. As I began, I realized that what really bugged me was not so much the content, or the voices, but the idea that this show should be called a podcast. What “Paranormal Radio” is, in reality, is just a radio show chopped into sections at passed off as a podcast.
First we should discuss what a podcast is? Is any audio available for download automatically considered a podcast? Technically maybe, but I tend to look at the true spirit of Podcast. So, what is the true spirit?
Podcasting began as was for Internet users to do their blogging with audio files. These files were available for download directly from websites. When RSS feeds became available, it became possible for the downloading of podcasts automatically when a new show was posted.
Once Apple put podcasting on itunes it changed everything. While it made it easier for all of us to find and download shows, it also turn podcasting into something else. Now every radio and TV personally turned the work they were already to into an Mp3 file and called it a podcast. To me, that’s not a podcast.
Back to “Paranormal Radio”. This is a radio show that is put out as a podcast. I could deal with that because it’s not uncommon and it is they way of the medium now. I’ve review others and have given them good reviews. This show, however, is just awful. Apparently they take a long radio show that’s poorly produced, and just chop it into three parts and call it a podcast.
OK, podcast posers, here is the deal. If you are going to take your show and pass it off as a podcast, try presenting itself as such. I listened to part one of this and I heard some news, songs, dead air, and a pause while they tried to figure out what was wrong with the microphone. Do they realize they can edit?
Besides the fact that Captain Jack is very poor host and I found the subject matter laughable wasn’t the big problem. If they took all three parts of this “show” and edit it down to 45 minutes, they might have had a decent show. (For those who believe in this nonsense). But when I hear 10 or 15 minutes of music, or a whole section when the guests get cut out and your trying to figure out why, it gets me mad.
You see, one of the great parts of podcasting is you download a show that is geared to a particular subject and in a decent length. I don’t want to put on a podcast about the “Paranormal” and hear a ten-minute story of an angry letter to Obama. If I wanted a political podcast, I would have downloaded one.
One of my first post was 10 step to podcasting. Here is number 11. Podcasts should be produced as a podcasts!
