I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the future of what we now know as Podcasting. As most of us who are familiar with it will know, it is an online Radio (or TV) type show that is produced, uploaded and delivered to a person’s computer or mobile device by syndication (RSS).

I got hooked right at the beginning of podcasting. I started listening to podcasts in 2004 and in early 2005 did my first one. Over the years I have dabbled in it, sometimes podcasting a lot, and sometimes just a little. I’ve started shows and stopped producing shows (Podfading) over the years on various subjects. I’ve listened to shows that were started and then after a while go away. I know the ups and downs of doing a regular show on a schedule. I am currently working in the new media industry (as well as the old media).

When Adam Curry was doing one of the first shows out there (The Daily Source Code) I was caught up in the hype. I saw a bright future in this new medium and figured all it would do is get more and more popular. In a way, it is. But in other ways, it’s not. There are not a whole lot of people out there that “could quit their Day Jobs” as Curry said there would be. There are a few, and those few are the ones that take it very seriously. Sure, the dream of 1000’s of podcasters making a nice living off of talking into a cheap computer in their basement is sort of dead. It’s not unheard of, but not very likely.

I was in on a facebook discussion with one of the podcast pioneers, Mark Yoshimoto Nemcoff from Pacific Coast Hellway and Word Sushi, and he has declared podcasting dead. I like Mark but I will have to disagree with that diagnosis. It’s not dead, it’s changing into something other then what the first bunch of podcasters thought it was going to be become.

Today, those who are making a living in this medium are very dedicated, talented and do more then just talk into a mic and post it to the web. Most do Live Streaming Video (which is not podcasting) and a video version of their shows in addition to the audio. They also invest lots of time and money into their equipment, their website and most even have staff. The really successful ones had some fame before podcasting such as a lot of comedians who are now podcasting or Leo Laporte of TWIT.

It’s also true that there are 1000’s of really crappy podcasts out there. Sorry, but it’s true! The old saying (OLD?) is that content is King. Sure, that’s true if and only if the quality isn’t too bad. I won’t listen to lousy audio for very long no matter how good the content is.

So I’m rambling on…. My point is that I think it may be time to re-brand Podcasting. The problem with the word Podcasting is, as it always has been, that people think you have to have an Apple iPod to either listen to or produce podcasts. (Ironically, it’s still not in most spell checkers!) I suppose, back in 2005, that might have been true. Now days, every smart phone platform has 3 or 4 different ways to listen to podcast content. There are smart TV’s and set top boxes that will get podcasts. Of course, the computers we use all the time can play podcasts. It’s not just itunes and ipod anymore. The other problem with podcasting is that it’s still not that easy. To listen to podcasts the way it was invented, you must have a podcatching program, know the RSS Feed for the shows you want to “Subscribe” to and set that all up to sync with your device of choice. It is getting a bit better with apps like Sitcher. Sticher works a bit more like a radio. You “tune” it to a station and it plays podcast content (although not the same as RSS) right to your device.

I propose we look at new words that more accurately describe what we are doing as podcasters. I have switched my branding on Mike Dell’s World to an “online radio show”. When you do a radio show, you are broadcasting. So how about “Internet Broadcasting” or “Micro Broadcasting”? I can think of a lot of other names for it I’m sure, but we should make it a friendlier and less geeky way of explaining what we are doing. I think that somehow we need to get the term broadcasting into the name. Just like Bloggers want to be called journalists just like their cohorts in the print media (magazines and newspapers) we should be called broadcasters like our Radio and TV colleagues.

Leo Laporte at one time suggested “Webcasting” as a good name. I don’t think webcasting is any better then podcasting as a term because it still doesn’t describe what we do as content producers. It might confuse people almost as much as podcasting does.
In the age of all the set top boxes and smart TV’s and Phones, our content can be just as easy to get as any TV or Radio channel. We (as podcasters) have the added advantage (although the old media producers are starting to get the picture) of time-shifted content. We should just embrace the fact that we are positioned just about the same as the big broadcast and cable networks when it comes to internet delivered content and just call ourselves what we are. Broadcasters that don’t buy $1,000,000 transmitters, but instead send our stuff out via RSS, Ustream, YouTube and other ways, which is just about as good as a transmitter (better really, because you don’t have to pay the electric bill for a 50,000 watt transmitter!)

So, I am going to refer to myself as a broadcaster and a broadcast journalist from here on out and my “shows” are Online Radio Shows and Online TV shows. Come to think of it, we do use transmitters… Like WiFi and 3G/4G but we still don’t have to pay the electric bill.

What do you think?

-Mike

Just a quick test podcast using a service called buzzsprout.com.

Don’t know if I will use this for anything, but would like to figure out how it works and if it’s worthy…

-Mike

I will be live on the Crossroads show from 5pm – 7pm (eastern time) and the Folk Aire show from 7pm – 9pm Tuesday night…. 4 full hours of playing blues, folk, some rock and bluegrass. Tune in if you are local on 90.7 FM in Traverse City. You can listen live online at wnmc.org

This was recorded while I paced around the house on a snowy day here in Traverse City. I talked about the Vegas trip from a Non-tech perspective.

If you want to hear what we were doing out there, go watch the video over at GeekOfTheNorth.com.

Catch me later!
-Mike

Go check out this episode over at GeekoftheNorth.com

As I type this I am in the Hotel room after we finished with the Tech Podcast Network coverage of the 2012 Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas. I’m beat up and tired. I’m looking forward to getting back to my normal sleep schedule. As tough as the schedule was, I’m very happy at how the coverage turned out. We shot over 250 product interviews both in our booth (also streamed live) and on the show floor with our 3 film crews.

The Experience of going to CES and going with such a diverse team was the highlight of my year so far (yeah, I know it’s only January). Meeting the people I’ve interacted with online for (in some cases) years and also re-meeting others that I’ve met before is a great honor and pleasure. It’s amazing to me that such a group can come together for a common goal and produce 40 plus hours of HD video content from all over a trade show that is the size of over 35 football fields.

I will talk a lot more about how all this came together and a bit of history about the Tech Podcast network’s coverage over the last 7 years on the next Geek Of The North which will be out on Tuesday Evening.

Till then, Catch me later!
-Mike

Be sure to check out Tech Podcast Network’s Coverage of the 2012 Consumer Electronic Show. I will be streaming it live on geekofthenorth.com and retrotechpodcast.com.

I will be in Vegas behind the scenes helping get all the great content out to you. Also check out TPN.TV for the Backchannel video all next week LIVE from Vegas!

I also discuss changes in my podcasting lineup. I’m dropping 3 shows and keeping 3 shows.

Catch Me Later!

-Mike

Geek of the North is back!

After working on the studio setup for the last 3 months, I’m very excited to be back on the Mic and Camera for Geek of the North Podcast.

I talk about my Galaxy Nexus and Kindle Fire (both are new to me) and my trip to Ford plus, the upcoming trip to Vegas and CES 2012 with Tech Podcast Network.

Hope you enjoy the show.

Let me know!

Follow me on Google Plus, Facebook and Twitter.

Today I play some music and chat about a few things going on.

Relaunch of Geek of the North on Jan. 3rd
Relaunch of Aviation History this Week on Jan. 4th
Going to CES with Tech Podcast Network
I got to go to Ford for a press event

Man in the Mirror – By Song of the Lakes
The Splendor of the Bender – By The Deadly Gentlemen
Every Color – By Matthew Ebel (.net) (.com)
Taylor’s Freebird – By Todd Taylor

Happy New Year! Drive Carefully!

-Mike

Today I talk with C.C. Chapman. CC is a podcast pioneer, marketer, speaker, author, Dad and a few hundred other things I’m sure.

CC and I first met at one of the Podcast Expos (whatever it was named that year) and bump into one another every so often. CC was kind enough to give us a bit of his time in this episode of RetroTech.

You can find CC’s work at all of these sites:
cc-chapman.com
DigitalDads.com
managingthegray.com
contentrulesbook.com

I’m trying out the new galaxy nexus phone using the WordPress app. Also doing this using voice dictation which seems to work reasonably well. Overall I’m really liking this phone so far. I will have a complete review over at geek news central in the next few days.

Merry Christmas and a happy new year to you!

-Mike

Just a quick test video playing with the green screen in the new studio.

ANYWAY

-Mike

Today I’m talking about a lot of different stuff plus I play an old “Little Tom” song. Enjoy!

Today I talk to Jeffery Powers.

Jeffery is a musician, blogger, podcaster and video guy from Madison, WI. He does several audio and video shows about technology and also covers the CES shows along with the Tech Podcast Network.

You find Jeffery on all the social networks with the name @geekazine

You can find Jeffery’s podcasts over at www.geekazine.com and at www.tpn.tv

Next week I will have CC Chapman as a guest.

Today I interview Ham Radio guy, Ducky Salesman and broadcast engineer, John Martin.

John and I talked about a lot of old broadcasting things from old Radio Stations and networks to some of the strangeness of TV broadcasting these days. We even had a visit from the Studio Cat (Scooter).

John was the co-host of the Ham Radio Podclass with me (and we may update it sooner or later) and also has his own new podcast. “The US Broadcast Engineer“. John also sells rubber ducks (yes, rubber duckies!) at rubberduckland.com

This was a fun interview and we will defiantly have John back in the future!

This is another “on-the-road” podcast. I recorded most of this at the end of a 3600 mile road trip to Texas and back. I was on the last leg of the trip heading home form Grand Haven after picking up a New to me car (or should I say a car that I had before and got back).

Anyway, at the end of the podcast there is a funny radio thing to do with Voiceover work.

Enjoy!

Catch me Later!
-Mike

Today my guest is Daniel J. Lewis aka “The Ramen Noodle”. Daniel and I met a few years ago at the first Podcamp Ohio in Columbus. Daniel is one of the younger people I have interviewed for the RetroTech Podcast so far and he had an interesting perspective of what is “retro”.

Enjoy the podcast and please visit Daniel’s websites linked below!

*** Sorry for the “Skype issues” we had durring the interview. Daniel sounds a lot better on his podcasts! As they say in podcasting “Content IS King!”

A “how-to” podcast about podcasting and using Audacity
Movie reviews with critical thinking for Christians
Clean-comedy podcast
Freelance web and presentation design
Custom podcast cover art design
Noodle.mx Network of podcasts to make you think, laugh, and succeed

Go check it out over at www.retrotech.com. This week I interviewed the Podcast Answer Man, Cliff Ravenscraft. Enjoy!

This one with Mark Yoshimoto Nemcoff.

Enjoy!

The Retrotech Podcast 002 with Steve Lee is out. Check it out over at www.retrotechpodcast.com for the full show notes.

-Mike

Welcome to the RetroTech Podcast!

In this first episode, I talk to Dr. Bill about Early email, BBS systems, FidoNet, Gopher and the VW Beetle.   We even touch on the start of AOL.

You can contact Bill at DrBill.cc

If you would like to be a guest on the RetroTech Podcast, please email Mike@mikedell.com

Catch us Next Week!

Next week we talk with Steve Lee from Netcast Studios.

This is a road podcast. Working on my rental house I had to make a trip to town and back so I figured I would do a podcast.

Catch me LATER!

-Mike

The RetroTech Podcast will be interviews with Geeks and Tech leaders about the technology they used in the past. Things like phone systems, Airplanes, Cell Phones, PDA’s,Video Games and Computers from the past.

On the website here, I will feature videos and pictures of old technology and post some my memories about how things used to be.

If you would like to be interviewed, please send me an email: mike@mikedell.com and we can schedule a call.

Catch you in a little while!

-Mike
Host of RetroTech Podcast

** RetroTech Podcast is a proud member of the Tech Podcast Network. Find more family and work-safe podcasts about technology at www.techpodcasts.com **

A traditional, old-school Benzoid Report type podcast today. I found myself with some extra time and figured it had been long enough since I have done this kind of show.

Enjoy!

I played:

Thank You Gilligan by Money Shot cosmonauts
People of Walmart by Jesse Smith
Before he Tweets by Steve Goodie
All the above come from the Funny Music Project (FuMP)

Thanks to Keith and Richard for the liners!

Catch me Later!
-Mike

All ham radio today!

Reposting this file because of a hosting change.. Sorry for the double file!

I’m testing out the new media hosting account.

Catch me later!

-Mike

Aviation History This Week is out now:

Geek of the North is out now. Check it out over at GeekoftheNorth.com

Read the transcript here.

I talk about my business and how I want to educate the masses about all the scams that are out here on the interwebs.

I played a couple of songs from Matthew Ebel

- Let it rain
- A cautionary tail

Check out Matthew’s stuff over at Matthewebel.com and Matthewebel.net

This is a produced podcast. Stay tuned for the next Mike Dell’s World which maybe produced (with music) or non-produced (no music)

Catch me later!
-Mike

A new Aviation history this week is out now. Enjoy!

An update after so long away from THIS microphone.

I give you updates about what’s been going on over the last however long it was since the last podcast. I also made the decision to pull the plug on the Unplugged feed. That’s All Folks! I will be putting all my podcasts into the main feed at http://mikedell.com/feed/podcast/. The Radio Mike Dell feed will stay active to catch all the other podcasts I do and the Video feed will stay active although, I’m guessing I won’t be putting a lot in there. We will see.

Otherwise, it was a nice drive in the woods and good to get caught up!

Catch me later!

-Mike

Aviation History This Week 7-25-2011

Go check out Aviation History This week over at FlightRadio.com