Coaster/Park Podcasts

Would be nice if Jeff, with the help of some others, had a weekly or monthly podcast available, looking in-depth at some of the coasterbuzz topics, as well as some reviews and coaster-con events. Also, possibly someone might consider joining the podcast crew at www.CoasterRadio.com

For those not familiar with podcasting, it is scheduled audio broadcasting, usually (for now) using the mp3 format, that the user can download directly from the website, or have scheduled to download using software like ipodder http://ipodder.sourceforge.net/index.php

Podcasts can be transferred to your portable mp3 player, and you do not have to have an ipod, like the name might imply.

*** Edited 5/27/2005 4:33:05 PM UTC by midwave***

I saw that on the news last night. I though it was very intresting. I was thinking about doing it for my hockey club.

As someone with a broadcast background, working in both radio and TV, I can assure you that not everything translates well to a particular medium. No disrespect to the CoasterRadio guys, but I can't imagine there's a huge demand to listen to a bunch of guys talk about coasters for 40 minutes. It's hard enough some days to read the forum for ten minutes, and I think we have one of the more normal communities here.

But in the general sense, podcasting suffers from a certain degree of one-sided interaction. The Internet cuts into TV viewing because of the interactivity. Podcasting is still a one-way affair like radio, with the one difference being anyone can do it (not necessarily a good thing) and you can time-shift it. And actually, if radio has any redeeming quality, it's that you can call the station.

I don't think people want to be talked at, and that's what most podcasts do. People want to be talked to. There's a difference, and most of the podcasts I've listened to don't know the difference. Like every new form of Internet-related media, this one needs to find purpose and definition.

Aww, Jeff beat me to it. I agree with everything he said. I've seen a couple audio shows and that one video show pop up recently covering enthusiast stuff and quite frankly I don't get it. I'm not sure I need someone reading the various coaster forums to me. Although if I do, the podcast makes sense in its portability. Downloading and watching a video seems to take as much time in front of my PC as just reading the news myself and at least I choose what I want to see when I read it.

Again echoing Jeff here kinda - just because a technology is available doesn't mean it makes sense to use it.

*** Edited 5/27/2005 6:47:20 PM UTC by Lord Gonchar***

Jeff, the best podcast I've come across, is also done by former tv hosts at TechTV (which was later purchased and destroyed by G4TV)

Check out http://www.thisweekintech.com for the best podcast that talks to us :)

Yeah... that's the only one I've been listening to. What makes it worthy is that these are guys are established authorities that people generally like, especially since Comcast killed TechTV. Kevin Rose is now done with G4 as well, got out of his contract.