Podcasting II
Now that it’s been brought up . . .
The My ‘Lanta podcast isn’t just recorded in Atlanta. It’s exclusively about Atlanta — Atlanta news, music, history and culture. There’s no ranting, no rambling, and absolutely no “listen while do something that’s interesting to me, but boring to you since you can’t see it”- type recordings.
We find odd and interesting Atlanta things to read (our most popular segment, as judged by listener feedback, is our Best of Atlanta Craigslist segment, where we read the best Atlanta Craiglist postings that we could collect over the previous couple of weeks.
And the bits with Lisa Baron aren’t actually Lisa Baron. It’s me pretending I’m her while reading her “Lisa Baron On Marriage” Sunday Paper newspaper column while my co-host Phil “interviews.” Phil and I have been appalled/fascinated by her column since its inception. It’s a gruesomely bad column that I can only assume is allowed in print because The Sunday Paper’s publisher figured that it would get his new newspaper mentioned a lot on the air by Lisa’s husband, 99X’s Jimmy Baron.
We wanted to parody the column, but realized that it’s nearly impossible to parody something that’s already so over-the-top awful. The solution of course was to simply read the column in its entirety, using the nagging, simpering voice it deserves.
And if that’s not enough “me” talk for you, I’m gonna be on the radio tonight (Thursday). Click here for details.
I like your Lisa Baron much more so than Lisa Baron’s Lisa Baron.
Saaaayyyyyy, what’s wrong with a little ranting?
There’s nothing inherently wrong with a little ranting.
It’s just that so much of what constitutes blogging and podcasting is just uninteresting, unoriginal, uninformed rants. Sometimes, I think that the entire Internet-connected world is turning into that guy who stands up during every TV talk show, points at the guest he doesn’t like, and says something like, “What y’all need is to start having from self-respect for yourself and start takin’ responsiblity y’all’s actions.”
My description of My ‘Lanta was merely an effort to differentiate. We don’t just hit record and start talking about what’s on our minds.
The beauty and appeal of blogging/podcasting to me is the ability to say what is on your mind (if it is a rant or not). If your primary reason is to attract viewers/listeners (for what reason; self indulgence? money? advertising? crappy over priced T-shirt ads?) then it starts to become more of a business model, that doesn’t mean it still isn’t a blog though. It’s all still a dance with egotism regardless. I like dancing.
-E
That’s asinine.
The beauty of blogging/podcasting is not “the ability to say what’s on your mind.” Presumably you had a mind and something on it before you had a computer, therefore it’s not blogging or podcasting that gives you that ability.
The beauty of blogging/podcasting is simply that it allows people to be heard — people who otherwise would not have an outlet to spread their words beyond their immediate circle of friends and acquaintances.
However, just because the media of blogging and podcasting gives you the ability disseminate your thoughts widely, doesn’t mean your thoughts will have any value beyond that same circle of friends you were ranting to before you got a blog.
And furthermore, trying to make sure that what you have to say on your blog/podcast is worth listening to isn’t tantamount to selling out, or as you put, adopting a “business model.” The difference between having something interesting to say on your blog or podcast vs. posting your every thought online is the difference talking and communication.
99.5% of blogs or podcasts are never listened to beyond the creator’s immediate circle of friends. The reason is that these sites typically have nothing to offer to someone who doesn’t already know the person who made the site. There’s nothing wrong with that, but to suggest that trying to craft something that appeal to strangers is somehow a perversion of the Internet’s “beauty” is dumber than dumb.
>but to suggest that trying to craft something >that appeal to strangers is somehow a perversion >of the Internet’s “beauty”
I must have missed where I said that.
>”then it starts to become more of a business >model, that doesn’t mean it still isn’t a blog >though.”
To make a blog or a podcast marketable doesn’t mean it still isn’t a blog. Calm down. I am actually on your side, if you read my post.
Andy,
You write: “99.5% of blogs or podcasts are never listened to beyond the creator’s immediate circle of friends. The reason is that these sites typically have nothing to offer to someone who doesn’t already know the person who made the site.”
Hmm – where did that come from? No seriously! That number is not factual. Neither is that statement.
The beauty of blogs and podcasts is that you can write and/or say whatever the hell you want on any random topic – like say, Dating in Atlanta (http://themaddater.bl*gsp*t.com) and eventually thousands of people will find it and read it.
I’ll use my blog on real estate marketing (http://onlinerealestate.bl*gsp*t.com) as an example. Come on, how many people would actually read that? I thought the same thing. Then I did a test shortly after I started that blog and gave away invites to the Yahoo New Blogging System. I got many emails asking for invites. Obviously those people were reading that blog.
Since you write here about your Podcasts… and I know you love dogs. (Yes, I am a big fan of your writing. I thought you and or your dog might like to check out the new Purina Dogcasts (http://www.purina.com/downloads/Podcast.aspx?DCMP=RAC-PUR-Podcasts&HQS=Home).
While I’d rather hear more ranting and less marketing (eg: “trying to craft something that appeal to strangers” – that must be right out of The TV/Movie Exec Guide To Making Mediocre Programming), I’m still a fan….
Did I just say “less marketing”? The Marketing Gods will get me for that one.
Natasha Robinson – That Girl From Marketing
Recently read a column by Lisa Baron on how she got drunk with her 25-year old neighbor while Jimmy was out of town. That’s not a rumour – it’s what she actually published. This woman is the communications director for Ralph Reed’s campaign? Is anybody on this?
I suspect that Lisa Baron might stop by My ‘Lanta Studios soon and talk about that.