4 ms·

I only recently warmed up to Podcasts, actually wrote a blog post with short "reviews" of my subscription list this weekend: http://neubertify.tumblr.com/post/4

by jonemo 14y ago

I only recently warmed up to Podcasts, actually wrote a blog post with short "reviews" of my subscription list this weekend: http://neubertify.tumblr.com/post/41503145301/podcasts http://neubertify.tumblr.com/post/41503145301/podcasts I think of all online publishing media, podcasts are the hardest to execute well, harder than blogs, and harder than video. This might not be true for everyone, but while I can tolerate shitty writing and shitty video editing, I just can't stand bad audio production. Bad speaking, weird accents, breathing sounds, "uhm", each of those steal divert my attention from the content. If you decide to start a podcast, please get some professional production help. One podcast I found that is not produced by NPR but still doing a good job (as well as being relevant to the HN crowd) is "This Developer's Life" (http://www.thisdeveloperslife.com http://www.thisdeveloperslife.com).

Fuzzwah 14y ago
"weird accents", really? Where are you from and what do you think is "normal". I'm an Australian (currently living in America) who has traveled a lot, I have a lot of friends from all over the world. I've never considered any one of them to have a "weird accent". Can you give me examples of podcasts which you've found difficult to listen to due to "weird accents"?
- jonemo 14y ago
  Weird wasn't in a negative sense, just as a qualitative descriptor of difference from what happens to the kind of English I hear every day. I am from Germany and I would probably find it difficult to listen to myself in an English language podcast due to my accent. What sounds familiar and what strange or plain wrong is probably highly personal. For example, I've heard enough Australians speak to have a feel for that particular variant of English. When I hear it, I notice the different "melody" of it, but there usually isn't a sound that surprises me or comes unexpected. It's like when I go into the Biotech building on our university campus: They have a weird floor layout and the main staircase isn't anywhere near the main door, but I find my way around because I got used to it. However, when I had just moved to London as a freshman and first heard my Australian professor speak, every other word seemed out of place. That was just like my first trip to the Biotech building where the simple process of walking through the corridors was constantly interrupted by doors covered 100% in hazard signs and trying to remember the turns I took. Sure I could understand the Australian professor just like I could find my way around the Biotech building back then. But it took more energy than listening to a well produced radio program or walking around the building I work in every day. In a podcast, ideally you'd want a speaker whose voice sounds natural and familiar so that their words convert into thoughts effortlessly, yet there are so many different ways to speak. This is a problem you have to deal with as a podcast producer that writers rarely have (except when writing about aluminum/aluminium).
  - kranner 14y ago
    Fair enough, but have you considered that an unfamiliar accent may give a podcast a unique personality for free? That may require extra cognitive effort for the listener, but it is possible that it could lead to better retention in the long term. Just speculating.
casjam 14y ago
Totally agree. Getting good at podcasting takes a lot of practice. It's a lot harder than it may seem. Writing the topics and talking points — and sticking to them — is also a tricky task. In my first podcast series, we tended to ramble off-topic making for some pretty boring segments.

by jonemo 14y ago

Fuzzwah 14y ago

"weird accents", really? Where are you from and what do you think is "normal". I'm an Australian (currently living in America) who has traveled a lot, I have a lot of friends from all over the world. I've never considered any one of them to have a "weird accent". Can you give me examples of podcasts which you've found difficult to listen to due to "weird accents"?

jonemo 14y ago
Weird wasn't in a negative sense, just as a qualitative descriptor of difference from what happens to the kind of English I hear every day. I am from Germany and I would probably find it difficult to listen to myself in an English language podcast due to my accent. What sounds familiar and what strange or plain wrong is probably highly personal. For example, I've heard enough Australians speak to have a feel for that particular variant of English. When I hear it, I notice the different "melody" of it, but there usually isn't a sound that surprises me or comes unexpected. It's like when I go into the Biotech building on our university campus: They have a weird floor layout and the main staircase isn't anywhere near the main door, but I find my way around because I got used to it. However, when I had just moved to London as a freshman and first heard my Australian professor speak, every other word seemed out of place. That was just like my first trip to the Biotech building where the simple process of walking through the corridors was constantly interrupted by doors covered 100% in hazard signs and trying to remember the turns I took. Sure I could understand the Australian professor just like I could find my way around the Biotech building back then. But it took more energy than listening to a well produced radio program or walking around the building I work in every day. In a podcast, ideally you'd want a speaker whose voice sounds natural and familiar so that their words convert into thoughts effortlessly, yet there are so many different ways to speak. This is a problem you have to deal with as a podcast producer that writers rarely have (except when writing about aluminum/aluminium).
- kranner 14y ago
  Fair enough, but have you considered that an unfamiliar accent may give a podcast a unique personality for free? That may require extra cognitive effort for the listener, but it is possible that it could lead to better retention in the long term. Just speculating.

casjam 14y ago

Totally agree. Getting good at podcasting takes a lot of practice. It's a lot harder than it may seem. Writing the topics and talking points — and sticking to them — is also a tricky task. In my first podcast series, we tended to ramble off-topic making for some pretty boring segments.