Thursday, December 11, 2008

PODCAST!!!

Wikipedia defines Podcast as, “A podcast is a series of audio or video digital-media files which is distributed over the Internet by syndicated download, through Web feeds, to portable media players and personal computer”.

It’s really just an mp3.

You will:
- Find a podcast
- Listen to it
- Write a summary and include the necessary technical information

ALL THIS IS ITEMIZED BY THE EXAMLE BELOW. FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE

“Can I find a podcast that is interesting to me?”

Oh my GOD!!!!

- Heavy Metal Podcast! – In about 15 seconds I found 20 podcast dedicated to the Metal, One even has head-banging licks in GREEK!

- Fashion – “takes an in-depth look at the world of high fashion. We introduce you to the people who are the driving and creative forces behind the shows”

- Football - I found so many. Paul, I listened to one dedicated solely to Arsenal

- Literature - I told you I could find a podcast about Twighlight
Lord of the Rings Radio!!!

- Travel – Lonely Planet?

- Jonas Brothers? Yes, really, the Jonas Brothers

- Gaming – World of Warcraft

- Humor- “Cartalk” radio program with two brother mechanics taking calls from troubled car owners.

- Real Life Stories – “This American Life” the best!

- Personal Interest - “The Working Actor Podcast”


Where to find podcasts?
Itunes – search for podcast at the itunes store, hundreds of thousands
Podcast.com
National Public Radio - www.npr.org/rss/podcast/podcast_directory.php
BBC - www.bbc.co.uk/radio/podcasts/
Podomatic.com
Podfeed.com

The podcast you review must be:

1- Audio (not a video podcast. These are great, but a videopodcast can simply be an mp3 video file. Such as “South Park Video Podcast”, is nothing more than the show.

2. At least 20 minutes in length

3. Conducted in the English language

4. presented in the same format as below; with an image

Title – Music Week


Episode – Chinese Democracy
Date – November 23, 2008
Time – 26:53
Website - http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/shows/music_week/ http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/podcasts/musicweek/

Description of Episode (from the Podcast producers) – “On this week's Music Week Podcast we celebrate the release of Guns N' Roses 15 years in the making Chinese Democracy. We also get reactions to the return of Top Of The Pops and play Mr. & Mrs. with Travis.”

Why I picked this podcast? (Summary)

I like music and the BBC has really high quality productions. I listen to this programme quite a bit. It often covers musicians and bands I’m a fan off and others I have never heard before and strike my interest. This particular episode seemed interesting as it documents the long awaited release of Guns and Roses album Chinese Democracy. I’m not really a huge G&R fan, but this is too crazy to ignore. This album has been fifteen years in production. It’s “making” is older than some of you. They give a timeline of what’s happened to the once very successful band since their last album and curiously I found out that the band no longer is the “band” as only one original member, Axel Rose, is still present. They also provide a number of interesting on the street interviews with G&R fans. Apparently 15 years wasn’t long enough.

They also have an interesting segment with
Travis. I like Travis. Music Week asks the members to quiz one another on certain intimate details that one would expect to know after playing together for ten years.
“What’s his favorite song to play live”?
“What’s his favorite color”?

What a plonker I am! I had never heard their non-singing voices and never knew they were Scottish! Go Miss Kate!

Later they conduct an interview with
TV on the Radio , a band I didn’t really know anything about. Obviously I was curious and sought out their music… very cool.

Part three discusses the historical relationship between artist and musicians citing such figures as John Lennon. Music Week interviews a number of famous artist cum musicians and dabbles into why they straddled the two disciplines.

“Top of the Pops”! I know this show even from a childhood in this States. The quintessential English music television show, Top of the Pops was fundamental in forming youth culture. BBC has it scheduled for a return of the programme for the annual Christmas schedule. Can’t wait!

As I frequently listen to this programme I can say it is definitely enjoyable. I would suggest to any fan of modern music. When you find a podcast you really like you can subscribe to it. Subscribing will allow itunes to automatically download each week's episode. Easy, informative, and entertaining, podcast keeps you in touch with the rest of the world.