The Evolution of Radio: Podcasting
I love podcasting. I’m totally addicted. Podcasting has done to radio what TiVo did to TV. No longer do you have to listen to a show on the station’s time table. You can subscribe to your favorite podcast and listen on your own schedule.
Most podcasts are independent. Some of the big media shops are producing podcasts as well, but most of the content comes from normal people who have day jobs like you and me. The benefit of this is that a podcast is usually focused on a very specific topic. This meets the needs of a targeted audience. There isn’t the same pressure that the big media shops have to produce content for mass appeal.
For those of you who haven’t tried podcasting, you really should. You can listen to podcasts on your computer or on your mp3 player. It is much more convenient to use your mp3 player if you have one (c’mon, join the media revolution and get an iPod).
Finding quality podcasts can be difficult, though, since there are so many from which to choose. I’ll list a few of my favorites at the end of this post. For those of you that use iTunes, I’ve included the iTunes link. For the rest of you (umm…why don’t you use iTunes? It rocks and it’s free), I’ve included the link to the podcast’s website. I’m going to statically link to them on the right side of the blog as well.
Check these out. If you like any of them, post a comment and let me know. Happy podcasting!!
Coverville
What can I say…I love music and this show is really kewl. Brian Ibbott hosts the show. He always finds new and interesting covers that often blow me away. If you don’t know what a cover song is, check out this definition. Brian is responsible for many of my recent music purchases.
DVD Weekly Podcast
If you like movies, you’ll love this podcast. Don and Jarrod have interesting movie tastes, but they make a good team. They cover new DVD releases and a DVD feature of the week. Don typically reviews TV and Animation and Jarrod reviews the rest. They sprinkle their humor throughout the show which makes for an enjoyable listen.
Grape Radio
For the wine enthusiast, I actually have two podcasts that I follow. The first is Grape Radio. This show is more about the wine industry than about actually tasting and reviewing wine. I have learned so much about wine from this podcast, though. They cover topics like wine and food pairing, tips on buying wine and lot’s of interviews with wine makers. If you want to have a better understanding of that ominous wine list the next time you are at a restaurant, you should check this podcast out.
Winecast
The other wine-related podcast that I listen to is Winecast. Tim Elliott hosts this show which focuses mostly on wine tasting reviews. Tim freely admits that his palette prefers fruit-forward wines which is similar to my tastes. I appreciate his reviews and have made buying decisions based on his recommendations.
Mac Geek Gab
You have to love the modern Macintosh! OS X is the most stable and enjoyable desktop operating system in existence. For my fellow Mac lovers, this is an informative and professionally done podcast. At times I wish it was a little more technical, but it offers a nice mix of expert and novice information about my favorite computing platform.
Reel Reviews Radio
Michael Geoghegan is one of the pioneers of podcasting. He probably wouldn’t tell you that, but that’s how great a guy he seems to be. His podcast, Reel Reviews Radio, is a masterpiece of professionalism and content. He reviews movies that you should see in your lifetime, not just good movies and rarely new releases. These are movies that have probably been out for quite some time but are a “must see.” Of course, this is based on his opinion, but he hasn’t let me down yet.
Five Hundy By Midnight: The Original Las Vegas Podcast
I would be reminisced if I didn’t let you into one of my guilty pleasures, Las Vegas. Melody and I love visiting Vegas. We have very close friends that live there, but that isn’t the only attraction. The food and entertainment is second to none. In order to keep up with the latest Las Vegas news, I listen to this podcast. Tim Dressen does a great job even though he isn’t a local! He visits frequently and presents a vistor’s perspective to Las Vegas.
Well, that’s about it for this post. I do have a few more podcasts on my iPod, but these are my favorites. As I discover new ones, I’ll keep you posted.
