WHY PODCASTS SUCK
or,
"Don't bother building it, cause I'm not gonna come."
Ah, podcasts.. I’ve tried a sampling of podcasts and have been very disappointed. It seems that learning how to speak clearly, avoid breathing into the microphone, and not saying “um” after every few words are essential skills to producing a quality radio program, and the production landscape for podcasting is severely lacking in this regard. It turns out, quite simply, that owning a microphone and some MP3 recording software doesn’t make you interesting.
We live in a technological era where any Joe Schmoe garage band can burn their own CD and distribute it. That doesn't mean it will be any good.
The real issue I’ve found with the few podcasts I've taken the time to sample is that they’re significantly devoid of substance. Often they spend more time talking about the podcast than the topic, or they are full of off-topic "cutsie" "aren't we kewl" type jokes and the like.
If you are, like me, looking for quality content, this kind of bullshit wears on you pretty fast. It seems that people who are pretty good blog / print authors in their own right just fall to pieces when they start a "podcast".
And the worst thing about podcasts (and even webcasts, like those online Microsoft Multimedia presentations) is the fact that most people with an above-average IQ are going to get bored rather quickly, because you have to either wait until the junk flies by to get to hear the "good part" (if there is any) or you have to skip all over the place trying to find it. In the webcasts, at least there is usually a table of contents and a transcript. Have you ever seen a podcast with these features, indexed by hyperlink to the spot in the audio stream?
At least, with a print article or blog entry, it is pretty easy to quickly scan the whole thing and make a determination if the piece has any real value to you. And finally, pod "Casting" as the suffix implies, is broadcasting -- which is a one-way deal. There's no interaction, no feedback. You can't make a comment, as with somebody's blog.
And finally, before you jump into a new Podcasting career, consider the important fact that the content in your Podcast will never be indexed and searchable via Google or MSN Search as is text content on the web.
So folks, you can podcast until your face turns blue. I really hope you enjoy producing them.
But, Peter Bromberg won't be listening. I might be listening to J.S. Bach, or the Phillip Morris SuperBand, but I won't be listening to your podcast.
"Don't bother building it, cause I'm not gonna come."
Ah, podcasts.. I’ve tried a sampling of podcasts and have been very disappointed. It seems that learning how to speak clearly, avoid breathing into the microphone, and not saying “um” after every few words are essential skills to producing a quality radio program, and the production landscape for podcasting is severely lacking in this regard. It turns out, quite simply, that owning a microphone and some MP3 recording software doesn’t make you interesting.
We live in a technological era where any Joe Schmoe garage band can burn their own CD and distribute it. That doesn't mean it will be any good.
The real issue I’ve found with the few podcasts I've taken the time to sample is that they’re significantly devoid of substance. Often they spend more time talking about the podcast than the topic, or they are full of off-topic "cutsie" "aren't we kewl" type jokes and the like.
If you are, like me, looking for quality content, this kind of bullshit wears on you pretty fast. It seems that people who are pretty good blog / print authors in their own right just fall to pieces when they start a "podcast".
And the worst thing about podcasts (and even webcasts, like those online Microsoft Multimedia presentations) is the fact that most people with an above-average IQ are going to get bored rather quickly, because you have to either wait until the junk flies by to get to hear the "good part" (if there is any) or you have to skip all over the place trying to find it. In the webcasts, at least there is usually a table of contents and a transcript. Have you ever seen a podcast with these features, indexed by hyperlink to the spot in the audio stream?
At least, with a print article or blog entry, it is pretty easy to quickly scan the whole thing and make a determination if the piece has any real value to you. And finally, pod "Casting" as the suffix implies, is broadcasting -- which is a one-way deal. There's no interaction, no feedback. You can't make a comment, as with somebody's blog.
And finally, before you jump into a new Podcasting career, consider the important fact that the content in your Podcast will never be indexed and searchable via Google or MSN Search as is text content on the web.
So folks, you can podcast until your face turns blue. I really hope you enjoy producing them.
But, Peter Bromberg won't be listening. I might be listening to J.S. Bach, or the Phillip Morris SuperBand, but I won't be listening to your podcast.
Peter
ReplyDeleteTry this one...
http://www.hanselminutes.com/
There are 6 episodes so far,
well prepared and presented,
very informative...
Maybe an exception
to prove the rule...
What, are you a podcast evangelist? I know Scott and I am sure his stuff is above average. But I just got finished explaining that podcasts suck!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment.
By the way, Scott starts with the same comment: most of podcasts suck, so he will show the world how it should look (sound) like... And he is doing just fine job with it...
ReplyDeletePodcasts can be useful for those who spend some time commuting...
Next you can expect XM podcasts...
And Now for Something Completely Different...
http://www.itconversations.com/index.html
Recordings of conference talks, some of them very interesting, and some reasonably good interviews with prominent people…
There is many to choose form.
Nice site. Is this like when you go to McDonalds and ask for some fries, and the girl says, "Would you like some fries with that?"
ReplyDeleteAmen, Bro...
ReplyDeleteI cannot possibly imagine a "Strahlcast" anyway. A guy like you, who is a one man show, would immediately realize the utter limitations of an audio-only presentation and simply run the other way!
Yah they suck but don't you wanna have something to listen to good or bad on your subway commute to work, other than your favorite Britney Spears MP3s?
ReplyDeleteAnd did I also mention that podcast listeners tend to be young, obsessed with sex, and ride subways to work?
ReplyDeleteI disagree with you Peter. As an example, I enjoy listening to the Gillmor Gang. For me, it's enlightening to listen to what people on the "cutting edge" are thinking about and doing. Without podcasting, I'd never have this opportunity. Podcasting also allows me to listen to their discussions where ever and whenever I want.
ReplyDeletePodcasts are fantastic for niche hobbies such as boardgames (http://www.thedicetower.com/dicetower.html).
ReplyDeleteI find a statement like "podcasts suck", even with supporting argument, to be pretty devoid of value. All podcasts suck? I can't go with you there. Bluejersey.net is putting up interviews with politicians (two with Congressman and one with a Senator so far) that are substantive and, fortunately, being edited by a good sound editor to take out the "ums" and unpleasant background noise. Actually, all of the podcasts to which I have listened have been uniformly good in quality. In the case of Bluejersey.net (in the interest of full disclosure, I conducted the interview of Congressman Rush Holt), the interviews are being conducted entirely on a little iRiver device you could hide behind two fingers and with no external mic, just the built-in.
ReplyDeleteYour assessment of podcasting could be applied to blogging as well.
The phrase "All podcasts suck" simply does not appear, anywhere in the text of my post.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you are enjoying your new podcasting interviewer career; let us remember that audio presentations of varying quality and social / intellectual value have been available to download in a number of mediums (even before the formalization of the mp3 audio specification) both for free and for pay, long before the term "podcast" became generally known.
The primary difference is that the new distribution mechanism of RSS has made the popularity of production of some of these hideous pieces easier for the average geek "hobbyist".
"The primary difference is that the new distribution mechanism of RSS has made the popularity of production of some of these hideous pieces easier for the average geek "hobbyist"."
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely right about that. However I tend to see that as a good thing. Podcasts are just one of the ways the internet is changing to a more social experience, where it's easier for low-budget hobbyists to be heard. Not only thanks to the podcasts but also because of blogging, myspace, etc. Just like you no longer need to have a single on the radio to become a well known band (clap your hands say yeah, artic monkeys) thanks to myspace, now you no longer need a broadcasting studio to have a radio/video show thanks to podcasting/vidcasting. (ask a ninja/ diggnation/tiki bar tv) I admit that there's a lot of crap podcast out there but its easy enought to find the some good ones. (The Ricky Gervais show is pure genious)
Hi Peter! I have a question about the code in your article named C# SMTP Mail without SMTP Service or CDO. I'm getting an 550 return error when I test. I have entered the sender and the receiver email addresses. What SMTP server should I enter? The one on my machine? I may be a little confused. If we are sending the email without using an SMTP server, what purpose does the SMTP entry serve? I would very much appreciate if you could please explain further. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteJosh
By Gosh, Josh! We've got forums for that on eggheadcafe.com. Please feel free to post there.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree with this. I've listened to podcasts regularly for a few years now, living abroad and missing my good ol' BBC radio. I've tried podcasts about all sorts of subjects - books, film, current affairs, science, writing, music, comedy. But by and large, podcasts are far less edifying than a good article.
ReplyDeleteYour point about them lacking substance really is the truth. Even when a podcast tries to deal with interesting subjects the format always draws discussion more towards casual commentary and knee jerk arguments than proper debate and insight. I'm always looking for podcasts that were thought-provoking but I've finally given up. They're an ok casual distraction, but not much else.