ctrp361 Flattering the Internets

Berlin, last day of 2010It wouldn’t be the proper start to a new year if there weren’t a podcast featuring Tim Pritlove on citizenreporter.org.  Recording from Berlin on the last night of 2010, Tim and I sit back and dig into the issue of supporting content you appreciate and want to see continue.  More specifically we explain what Flattr is.  This little button that appears more and more throughout the internet and gives people the option to “flattr” content that they enjoy. What is it? How does it work? And why is this a growing service in some parts of the world?

Whether you produce content for the internet, or you enjoy things people are doing on the internet, I highly recommend listening. Plus, I believe Tim is one guest you’ll truly enjoy.

ctrp324 Podcasting in 2010

Tim Pritlove has been involved in podcasting since the early days. Like so many early adopters, he has stayed committed to his goal of having is own program which he can bring the way he wants to his audience. But how does he do it? How does he make it as a full time podcaster at a time where many have given up or been forced to give up the idea.
Sitting in his recording studio we discuss how he does what he does, as well as why and how he see’s the future for both personal media creators and himself specifically.

To hear Tim’s work, you can listen (in German) to Chaos Radio Express or simply type his name into the search box in itunes.

ctrp300 Scott Lockman and Podcasting Roots

To celebrate 5 years and 300 podcasts, audio pioneer Scott Lockman joins me from Japan for a podcast!

Story Core Time

Unfortunately my macbookp is in the shop getting some minor battery issue looked at, in hopes of avoiding larger problems later.? This means podcasting and vlogging are delayed and ye olde powerbook overheats and shuts down periodically.

But using my old computer also led me to go looking around for other podcasts from various sources, including that old American standby – National Public Radio.? To my surprise, one program I had once heard about but didn’t realize was a podcast is called Story Corps.? You may recall hearing about Story Corps, these audio recording booths deployed around the US where people could make appointments to come in and interview whomever they wanted: teachers, parents, siblings, neighbors, etc.

In each Story Corps podcast episode you get to hear one of these interviews, and thus far the result is inspiring and powerful.? I recently listened to a daughter interviewing her father about having served in the Vietnam war, and what is was like when he returned. Previously I’d heard an elderly couple, where the wife interviewed the husband about how he first met her and what his life was like at that time and what he was thinking.

Besides reporting and investigating, story telling is by far my most favorite use for podcasting. I think there is so much to learn and experience through anyone and everyone’s story, and hearing someone close to that person conduct that interview adds yet another layer to it.

Therefore while my computer is in the shop, I recommend you listen to Story Corps.

bm282 Making Your Way as an Independent Podcaster

Veteran podcaster and new media pioneer Richard Bluestein joins me on the podcast today as we discuss staying free and making your podcast into a career.

Tony Schwartz on Audio

He walked around with a recorder in a little sidebag, recording the sounds of everything. Kids in the playground, a conversation with a taxi driver, personal life histories… the list goes on and on.? He also contacted other audio recorders in his day, people who had bought the same recorder, and would send them his audio by post… all over the world.

Tony Schwartz was a podcaster before there was internet.. before there was podcast.? He understood the value of everything, and dedicated his time and energy to capturing audio glimpses of everything around him, and sharing them with complete strangers or friends alike.

Up until a week ago, i didn’t know who Tony Schwartz was.? Now, I think of him as an audio idol, with a style and a mission that I can relate to and hope in some way to be emulating.? No I don’t record the sounds of everything, but Tony’s spirit and drive, I feel a lot of that with what I do here on this blog.

To hear about Tony Shwartz’s life and also hear his beautiful audio recordings, i recommend two podcasts this week:

1 – On the Media dedicates much of their latest program to his story. If you like what I do, I think you may love what he did.

2 – My friend Chris Lydon over at Radio Open Source, sat down with a documentary film maker who’s film Guerilla Media, is all about Tony. High recommended listening.

As for Tony Schwartz, my new audio idol, I’ll be shopping around for his work and soaking it in.? I may not have known him or known about him when he was alive, but I’ll sing his praises from now on whenever someone brings up the sounds of life.