Month: May 2017

From Length to Limbaugh? – PCN 042

~ jen

PCN iTunes artworkIn this episode, Shawn and Jen discuss the idea that there is a perfect length for a podcast episode. We mention the potential future of podcasting for Conservatives. We also talk about why a brand could benefit from having its own podcast – and end with an example of how NOT to do that.

Links mentioned in this episode:

* Podcasting gives brands a voice. So why don’t more companies podcast?
By Chris Lee for City A.M.

* Podcast Suicide: 5 Errors to Avoid
By Charlotte Micklewright for the Spreaker Blog

* Sorry Virginia there is no such thing as the perfect length for a podcast
By Rob Walsh for Podcast411

* Will Podcasting Bring Us the Next Rush Limbaugh?
By Stephen Kent for The American Conservative

* Ivanka Trump had aspirations for a women-in-business podcast, but alas
By Tonya Riley for Death and Taxes

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

iTunes Will Soon Be Available in the Windows Store

~ shawn

Windows Store logoMicrosoft’s new “streamlined” operating system, Windows 10 S, is being touted as the company’s attempt to compete more directly with Google’s Chromebook and Apple’s MacBook computers. Windows 10 S is aimed at the education market, and to a lesser extent, large businesses who are looking to minimize some of the headaches that can occur when users are allowed access to a full-featured operating system like the standard version of Windows 10.

The one thing that really makes Windows 10 S stand out from its predecessors is that the operating system will only allow applications to be installed from within the Windows Store. Taking a cue from other OS developers, Microsoft will fully vet all applications that are aded to the Windows Store, in the hopes that this will minimize operational problems like viruses and malware. Having this level of control will make it easier for hardware suppliers to sell and deploy computers at an institutional level.

And while the vetting process that comes with the Windows Store is likely to be a welcome change for system administrators, it may leave some individual users in the cold. Especially those who’ve been relying on the Windows version of Apple’s iTunes to consume media like music and podcasts. Fortunately, it was recently announced that Apple is working with Microsoft to bring iTunes to the Windows Store.

That means iTunes podcasts should be available on all modern versions of Windows for some time to come. Now that this has been taken care of, can Apple get to work on porting its Podcasts app to Android? It’s seriously overdue.

Podcast Subscription Code Discovered in Google Beta App

~ shawn ~ 1 Comment

Google Play logoWhen Google announced it would be bringing podcasts to its Google Play Music app, many hailed this as the arrival of podcasting in the Googlesphere (including the Android and Google Home operating systems), likening it to the support Apple has provided for podcasting thru its desktop iTunes application and iOS Podcasts app. At the time, it felt like Google’s aversion to supporting podcasts had truly come to an end, and that having podcasts available thru the Google Play Music app would cause a massive stream of new listeners to come flooding into the podcasting space. But podcasting’s entry into Google Play Music came off with more of a whimper than a bang. Since then, very little has happened with podcasting and Google.

A recent teardown of the APK (Android application package) for the beta version of Google app 7.3 uncovered code within the app that appears to provide one-click style subscriptions to users of the app:

Last year, Google took a (half-hearted) stab at supporting podcasts with the Play Music app. The same day, in a much less expected move, it also became possible to listen to individual episodes right from a Google search. Fast forward several months and Google Assistant also gained the ability to play podcasts, which turned out to be a fairly natural feature for Google Home.

While Play Music allows users to subscribe to podcasts, listening to one through Google Search or Assistant meant asking for shows by name, and may also require a specific episode number if you want to hear anything but the most recent recording. Now it looks like Google is going to close that gap with built-in podcast subscriptions.

By all appearances, podcast subscriptions will be accessible in Google Assistant settings and will likely be treated much like subscriptions to news sources. The one obvious difference is that Google will track which episodes have been played so you won’t miss any or have to listen to repeats.

It’s unclear if this new functionality will automatically sync with users’ current Google Play Music libraries, or if it’ll be completely separate from that service. Regardless, it’s good to see some progress being made by Google in terms of podcast consumption.

Adam Curry’s Podcaster Pro is on Indiegogo

~ jen ~ 1 Comment

The Podcaster Pro is a USB Audio device that has been over a decade in the making by Adam Curry. All you need to make podcasts is the Podcast Pro, your laptop, and an XLR mic – and your podcast will sound like it was recorded in a professional recording studio! The Podcaster Pro is now on Indiegogo.  At the time I am writing this post, the campaign has 2 months left.

The Podcaster Pro is designed from the ground up to provide the best possible audio quality for either live streaming or recording. Every component, from custom chip programming, to board design, to case design, to custom knobs, has been rigorously engineered to Adam Curry’s specifications, giving you his years of experience in radio and television to create the single most ergonomic all-in-one processing device for podcasters and voice over talent.

Podcaster Pro Features:

  • 2 Analog 48v Mic Inputs
  • Digital Stereo Master Input
  • Digital Stereo Skype Input
  • Digital Master Output
  • Analog Master Output
  • Digital Mix Minus Output
  • Podcaster Room Tune
  • DSP Master Noise Gate
  • DSP Skype Noise Gate
  • DSP EQ Mics
  • DSP EQ Skype
  • Dual Headphone Jacks
  • Cough Switch
  • No Driver/Software required

The Podcaster Pro lets you tailor recording options using an intuitive interface of just 2 dials and 3 soft buttons. All parameters can be adjusted and then saved to memory for later recall. You can also reset the box to Adam’s personal presets at the push of a button!

Podcaster Pro Audio Specs:

Input channels

  • 2x XLR Mic inputs with 48vPhantom Power
  • 1x stereo skype/voip USB input
  • 1x stereo computer/soundboard USB input

Output channels

  • 1x stereo Mix Minus for Skype via USB
  • 1x stereo Main via USB
  • 1x stereo Main analog out

Additional Audio Specs

  • 2x headphones with independent volume controls
  • 4x independent noise gates
  • 5x compressors/limiters
  • 2x A class preamps
  • 5x independent EQs
  • 2x cough switches

There are a variety of awesome perks in this Indiegogo campaign.  Some of the most interesting ones involve signatures.  It is possible to get special Podcaster Pro signature edition with one of the following signatures laser inscribed on premium sides of the device: Adam Curry, John Lee Dumas, Todd Cochrane, Dan Benjamin, Mike Koenigs, Brian Brushwood, or with the Podcast Movement logo. Check out the Indiegogo campain for full details.

Jules & James Podcast Lets You Interact with the Characters

~ jen

Jules & James is a podcast created by Through the 4th Wall. It is a fiction podcast about two strangers falling in love with each other. The unique thing about this podcasts is that it is going to allow listeners to interact with the characters.

Jules & James is a weekly, half-hour long podcast; a narrative fiction between two artists connected by fate. One part Before Sunrise, one part Griffin & Sabine, Jules & James captures the charm of falling in love with the unknown.

The characters meet as a result of a misdialed phone number. Jules is a British writer and director who is currently making a film in London. James is an American who’s given up his 9-to-5 life in the states to become a painter living in Paris. The two have weekly phone calls where they talk about their lives, dreams for the future, the world around them, “and everything else that the comfort of speaking to a stranger allows you to reveal.”

The Creative Directors of Through the 4th Wall are Jennifer Schwed and Doug Bradshaw. They create sophisticated, elaborate, and thematic stories while building a mythology and a mood around them. This makes the experience of listening to a podcast go beyond the physical barriers of the performance itself.

As such, Through the 4th Wall is creating Facebook and LinkedIn accounts for Jules, and for James, (the characters in the podcast). The social media accounts give listeners the ability to peek into the lives of the characters a little bit more.

Fans can interact with the characters while their relationship blooms. Through the 4th Wall will pay attention to how fans interact with the characters on the character’s social media pages. Those interactions will be taken into consideration and will bend the story arc of Season Two of the podcast.

Members of AIR will Speak at Podcast Movement 2017

~ jen

Podcast Movement 2017 has announced that some of the members of The Association of Independents in Radio (AIR) will be speakers at the event. There is a special discount code that people can use to get 20% off a one-year AIR membership.

AIR was founded in 1988 by ten independent radio producers at a kitchen table on Murray Street in New York City. Their international network has expanded to 1,100 makers powering public media and podcasting. AIR is based in Boston, and it identifies, cultivates, and deploys storymakers who create innovative work and find resources in digital, broadcasting, and podcasting.

Want to become a member of AIR? There is a special discount code you can use that is on the Podcast Movement 2017 website. It gives you 20% off an AIR one-year individual membership.

Featured AIR Speakers at Podcast Movement 2017:

  • Eric Nuzum – SVP of Original Content, Audible
  • Lauren Ober – host of The Big Listen
  • Samara Freemark – Senior Producer of In The Dark

Recently, Podcast Movement 2017 released a list of Speakers, Panelists, and Session Leaders.  Since then, they have announced that the following people will also be speakers at Podcast Movement 2017:

  • Cathy Heller – Host of Don’t Quit Your Day Job
  • Chuck Bryant – Host of Stuff You Should Know
  • Corey Coats – Co-Founder of PodFly Productions
  • Dan Klass – Host of The Bitterest Pill
  • David Raphael – Founder of Public Media Marketing
  • Elle Martinez – Host of Couple Money Podcast
  • Helen Zaltzman – Host of The Allusionist
  • Jesse Thorn – Host and Founder of Bullseye & MaxFun
  • Joe Saul-Sehy – Host of Stacking Benjamins
  • Josh Lindgren – Touring Agent at Billions Corporation
  • Madeleine Baran – Host of In The Dark
  • Mark Asquith – Founder of Podcast Websites
  • Michelle Jackson – Host of Girl Gone Frugal
  • Nick Loper – Host of The Side Hustle Show
  • Rae Livingston – Producer and Talent Buyer for Another Planet
  • Rockie Thomas – VP of Business Development at Adswizz
  • Ryan Grey – Founder of Meded Media Network
  • Tim Street – VP Influence & Production at Authentic

Norman Lear has Launched a Podcast

~ jen

Norman Lear is the producer of TV shows such as “Good Times”, “All in the Family”, “The Jeffersons”, “Maude”, and more. He is also the producer of “The Princess Bride” movie. Norman Lear has now launched his own podcast, which is on PodcastOne. This is an accomplishment that few 94-year-olds can claim.

All of the Above with Norman Lear takes listeners on an enlightening ride of conversation, from comedy to family, current events, music, social issues, and more. The show will always feature the unique perspectives of celebrities, politicians and everyday folk. Celebrity guests include Julia Louis Dreyfus, Jerrod Carmichael, Amy Poehler, and more.

The podcast released a trailer on May 1, 2017, and has had four episodes since then. The newest one (at the time I am writing this blog) features actresses Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda. They are there to talk about “Grace and Frankie”, a Netflix original series that is now in its third season. This episode of All of the Above with Norman Lear also includes discussion about how laughter keeps you young, how social media affects activism, and the state of America’s affairs today.

New episodes of All of the Above with Norman Lear will be available every Monday on PodcastOne.com, the PodcastOne app, and iTunes.

Henley Business School Africa Launches #HBR Podcasts

~ jen

Henley Business School Africa is the only international school that boasts triple-accreditation status from the foremost accreditation bodies in the United Kingdom, Europe, and the USA, along with accreditation by South Africa’s Council on Higher Education. The school has announced that it has launched a new podcasting channel, #HenleyBusinessRadio (#HBR).

#HBR will produce two weekly podcasts designed to bring intelligent, informative, provocative and entertaining insights to a wide variety of topical subjects for the business world and beyond. #HBR will be broadcast via podcasts on its website and available for download via iTunes or your favorite podcasting software. The launch of the podcasts is a first for Henley Business School Africa.

#What’s Trending will be a topical look at important issues of the week. It is hosted by Dean of Henley Business School, Jon Foster-Pedley. The podcast will offer listeners the opportunity to develop a comprehensive, 360 view of what is going on in the world, and will feature analysis from top leaders across the fields of business, education, arts, culture, and science as guests.

#AskAnExpert is a tie-in with regular breakfast discussions such as the Africa Series and Leaders for a Future World, which are held at Henley’s Sunninghill, Johannesburg campus. Speakers at previous events include comedian John Vlismas and entrepreneur Stafford Masie. Listeners will be encouraged to submit questions to experts via social media which will be answered during the podcast.

AMI-audio Podcasts Now Available on iTunes

~ jen

Accessible Media Inc, (AMI) is a non-for-profit multimedia organization serving more than five million Canadians who are blind, partially sighted, deaf, hard of hearing, mobility or print restricted. AMI-audio has announced that AMI-audio shows Live from Studio 5 and Kelly and Company will now be available to download as podcasts on iTunes through the podcasting app.

Research conducted last year indicated that AMI’s core audience, the blind and partially sighted community, regularly incorporates podcasts as part of its media consumption. More than one quarter surveyed participants confirmed that they spend approximately one hour listening to podcasts each day – and that number is growing.

Vice President of Programming and Production at AMI, John Melville, encourages feedback from their audience.  He said:

Whether it be through research or direct feedback through social media, our audience is telling us that podcasting on their mobile device is one of the best says to access their audio information and entertainment wherever they go. By subscribing to AMI podcasts listeners can count on receiving their favorite AMI audio shows on their timetable and can listen back to the AMI audio shows they may have missed, wish to share, or play again.

Live from Studio 5 on AMI-audio is AMI-audio’s daily live morning program. Listen for news of the day, technology and current events. Hear regional information from the blind and partially sighted community as well as segments with political commentator Craig Oliver, environmental commentary with blind fisherman Lawrence Gunther and described video picks with TV, eh?’s Greg David.

Kelly and Company is AMI-audio’s daily live afternoon program. Listen for interviews and discussions about arts, entertainment, and lifestyle information directly affecting the blind and partially sighted community. Contributors from across the country share information on everything from parenting and finance to fashion and gaming. Plus, catch live performances from Canadian musicians, comedians, and actors.

Now Hear This 2017 Will be in New York City

~ jen

Now Hear This Fest 2017 will be held at the Javits Center in New York City on September 8-10, 2017. There will be 25 live podcast performances headlining the second annual Now Hear This podcast festival.

Some Featured Podcasts include:

  • Comedy Bang! Bang! – Scott Aukerman and Special Guests
  • How Did This Get Made? – Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, and Jason Mantzoukas
  • Lovett or Leave It – Jon Lovett and Friends
  • Criminal – Phoebe Judge and Lauren Spoher
  • Politically Re-Active – Kamau Bell and Hari Kondabolu
  • StarTalk All-Stars – Neil deGrasse Tyson
  • The Cracked Podcast – The team from Cracked.com
  • Who Charted? – Kulap Vilaysack and Howard Kremer
  • Found – Davy Rothbart

Set times for the performance schedule at Now Hear This Fest 2017 will be released at least a month before the festival. The reason for waiting is because performer’s schedules change, production requirements shift, and the Now Hear This Fest would hate to tell people a set schedule and then have to change it later.

Tickets for Now Hear This Fest 2017 are available. At the time I am writing this blog, the Super Early Bird 3 Day GA Pass is $110, and the Super Early Bird 3 Day VIP Pass is $260. Those prices are going to increase on May 29, 2017.

The Super Early Bird 3 Day GA Pass gives you general admission seating to all performances, and allows you to participate in select autograph opportunities.

The Super Early Bird 3 Day VIP Pass gives you speed-line access into all podcasts, preferred seating for main stage performances, and group meet and great photo opportunity with select talent. It also gives you access to the VIP Lounge with complimentary food and beverage service, and 2 vouchers for alcoholic beverages.