Rabbit’s hole

Podcasting

I listened today to my first podcast (actually a mp3 reading of a story I liked) - and it stinks. Not the message itself, because I already liked the story, but as a way to get information. So I’ll still not change my opinion - podcasts will not take off in great numbers. Even if it sound like the well known “640kb should be enough for anybody”, I think it is right. Why ? Because of human nature.

Listening to a podcast is getting information - you’re not discussing something, there is not interaction. Think, if you will, of a website - text only - that contains some information. And now imagine the creator designed it however he wants - 8 point or 36 points fonts, long or short spaces, whatever. A podcast is worse - the reader not anly imposes his / her style, but also his rithm and attitude.

There will however be people with great podcasts - but these are the people that could get a job at a radio station. These are the ones you see with a crowd around them in the park, naturally leading the conversation. These are the natural speakers.

For the rest, I think we’re safer with websites - at least somebody can scan the text and pass on if they’re in a hurry. There’s a reason why narrators for movies and voices for cartoon characters are carefully chosen : not everyone can express the right emotion.