This Scene-- Saint Paul's Podcast : July 2014

This Scene, Test Podcast

Audio File: Seeking co-hosts! (16:08)

A presentation to campaign workers for Andy Dawkins, Green Candidate for Attorney General. Recorded at Gandhi Mahal, June 23, 2014.

Featuring music by The Great Datescapade, c. 1999, Bert Records

SYNOPSIS:

How to Fail At Podcasting and be Proud of It.

1. All of the worst live radio embarrassing moments that can happen DID happen to me. With a podcast, you can erase things, not that you generally should. You interviewed the Green candidate for President for an hour and forgot to hit record? He was very nice about giving a second interview.

2. Being "the media" or "not the media" is all in your head. The only thing that makes "the media" is attitude and rules. You have more control outside the media. Example: NPR couldn't tie Benghazi to 9/11, even on the anniversary of 9/11 because “it had been officially denied”. They were not promoting Al Qaeda as editorial policy. Government and public radio shouldn't promote terrorist organizations, one could argue. Though they can't connect dots, you may.

The Pioneer Press believes that the power of the press belongs to those who own the press. But, in a blogging/podcasting world, the power of the press actually belongs to everyone who is willing to share their voice. The Pioneer Press responds to my wife's stories, stories they previously ignore, by putting their own spin on them.

Council members, authors and famous people don't get interviewed that much. They will give a better interview to you than to a big name because they will be less guarded and more themselves.

3. The best interviews are not in a studio. Background noises are interesting. Public radio experts recommend recording extra background noise and editing it into broadcasts. They go really overboard to make sure you hear every sound of a place. Meet someone somewhere, talk for 1/2 hour and you're probably good. If not, break it up with some music.

4. Technical details. We can talk. You already have the technology.

5. Co-hosts? Important. If you can't laugh, the least you can do is find a co-host who can. Keep people awake. If you're boring and deadly serious, no one wants to listen. Be conversational. No one wants to hear a 150 word per minute debate. Pause once in a while. Laugh once in a while.

6. People will do your work for you. Want to review political movies? Do it. Pretty soon, you'll be getting calls from people who make political movies, and you'll be going to screenings. The Main Stream Media Project was sending me a long list of name people in the news, desiring to be interviewed.

7. What makes you stand out is research. Spend four hours researching a topic. Find two really good quotes. Have some written questions, but if you don't ask them, all the better. This minimal preparation makes you a much better talk show host than most. Casey Kasum understood the formula.

8. Local non-celebrities are best. You can showcase them. The editor of the Berkeley Daily Planet was the most brilliant person I ever met. Find a Becky O'Malley to show up once a month and let her talk as much as she wants.

9. Stick with it. If you consistently put on a show, your show will just get better and better, and your audience will appreciate it and build. Someone you talk to might end with a Pulitzer or a Nobel!

This Scene by David Rasmussen is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at thisscene.blogspot.com.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at bertrecords AT gmail.com.

Why?
To create an authentic weekly podcast that informs on topics of local and/or general interest

How?
Our discourse will be informed, conversational and inclusive without falling over backwards to be "neutral."

In addition to our own research, we will interview a broad variety of guests to provide topical knowledge-- some who have never been interviewed before, others who may be on their way to a Nobel or Pulitzer.

We are people who live in real places, who have actual experiences, who are still developing nuanced points of view. We should be perceived that way.

We will include some laughing and some humor, we surely hope.

Who?
David Rasmussen was a founding co-host of Soap Box Derby. A cast of three to four co-hosts has been recruited to date. We'll see who shows up!

Friday, July 11, 2014

Ice Cream, Peanut Butter and Jam Event, August 2, 2014

Test Podcast-- Seeking Cohosts (a presentation to under 30's)

Friday, July 4, 2014

This Scene-- Saint Paul's Podcast.... Why?