With the invention of personal MP3 players like the Ipod comes a new wave of broadcasting everything from television news and entertainment programs to a sci-fi geeks revival of science fiction laden news and story time. Podcasts are available from many sites including I-Tunes, Podcast Alley, Podcasts.net and even the individual websites and blogs devoted to the programs. These broadcasts can be downloaded and played on nearly any MP3 player and/or computer.
My first experience with Podcasts came when I received my Ipod. My friends had finally convinced me to check into NPR programs and it just happens that NPR podcasts most of their programming. This meant that I could download the material and then take it to work to listen to at my leisure. How convenient! Most podcasts are free of charge, just like radio and like radio programming; some segments do include advertising spots depending on the availability of a promoter. NPR, sponsored by Acura, usually just gives a 20 second spot at the beginning and/or end of the program.
Once I got used to using my Ipod to catch up on Global news and Politics, I wanted to see what else was out there. So, I started investigating. To my surprise there is a whole world of independently produced podcasts all over the Internet. Even more surprising, it is these independents that spawned the interest in this technology. Of course the corporate world took note at its steadily rising figures and have since decided to join the club either by sponsoring or by broadcasting their own programs.
It appears, at least at this point, that podcasting enjoys a certain level of creative freedom from censorship making it twice as appealing as conventional airwaves. While traditional radio jockeys have to watch their mouths at every turn for fear of fines and other repercussions, Podcasting jockeys can pretty much say what they want. Furthermore, podcasts are not relegated to signals and towers, instead they exist via the internet making them accessible to anyone, anywhere on the planet with a modem.
And so, in honor of this new age of media broadcasting, let me introduce you to a couple of my favorite podcasts:
First of all, though NPR is not independent, per se, for those of you living in the US, this is your best bet for unbiased reporting of the goings on around the globe on all manner of topics. You can find a listing of NPR podcasts by visiting their website. For those of you in the UK and surrounding areas, the BBC also has podcasting available for all your news and political needs.
Now, my pick-this month - for an independent podcast worth every minute of the time it takes to find it, download it and enjoy is Feast of Fools hosted by Marc Felion and Fausto Fernos, a gay couple talking it up in Chicago. One of the first of its kind, the show airs five days a week and includes a cast of zany characters that perfectly accentuate the easy banter between the dynamic-duo themselves. So far, my favorite is the clever, in-your-face diva by the name of Miss Ronnie.
Not only do they chat it up about their lives and experiences; they discuss some of the topics going on in the world from politics to wedding dresses accessorized with birds. They also give listeners a chance to hear some independent musicians and give movie reviews of the quieter gay persuasion. They have an increasingly large fan base so much so in fact that recently, HBOs Big Love series sponsored the show, for about a month. These guys are witty, intelligent and definitely worth a listen.
So, go to the website Feast Of Fools, poke around and enjoy some quality entertainment. Buy a t-shirt (though the price is a bit steep) and get to know this funny cast from the windy city. If youre so inclined, feel free to buy Miss Ronnie an Ipod (shes a working student after all). New Yorkers have a chance of meeting the cast live and in person on April 13th, 2006. Details can be found on their website.
Other podcasts worth a mention here
Urban Coffee
The Bitterest Pill
~Originally featured in the April, 2006 edition of the Street Voice Newsletter.
The Bitterest Pill
~Originally featured in the April, 2006 edition of the Street Voice Newsletter.
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