the latest Liverpool Social Media Café

About Last night was the latest Liverpool Social Media Café, on this occasion at the Static Gallery on Roscoe Lane and on the subject of podcasts. Keep an eye on their website for news and video of the talks. The general theme was music podcasts, hosts introducing unsigned bands and royalty free tunes they enjoy to sizable global audiences and passionate listenerships, underscoring that such programmes were pioneered by independent broadcasters (because that’s what they are) before the BBC entered the scene.

The inevitable question was asked, does anyone listen to podcasts and I sheepishly raised my hand. I only really listen to a few podcasts on anything like a regular basis, the Kermode and Mayo film review and This American Life, with whatever TV Cream put out and In Our Time. I’m also enjoying Shakespeare’s Restless World, which contrary to my expectations, is covering material which isn’t already in the catalogue for the exhibition which prompted it. Which now that I’ve said that seems like more than I thought.

As all the speakers noted, we all have various reasons for listening to these things. I’ve covered This American Life at length elsewhere, but I do tend to seek out documentaries and knowledge based discussions rather than simple badinage. The exception’s probably the film review which is generally at its best when it’s about two friends, each with their own quirks and prejudices growing old together. When listeners complain that Mark hasn’t had time review such and such a film, they’re missing the point. I also tend to miss the weeks when they’re on holiday.

The main theme of the evening was to promote the idea of podcasting which is something I have considered a couple of times across this blog’s nearly eleven years of service. In the end, I’ve decided to stick to what I think I’m good at, and as anyone who’s watched my desperate hour of One and Other will attest, rambling in public isn’t something I’m comfortable with. I can be energised into verbal action, informing someone against their will, by a topic I’m interested in, but I’m still much happier hiding behind a keyboard, choosing my words carefully.

Which is why you've been reading this and won’t be hearing this blog post as a podcast. And yes, I tried.  Um.  Err.  Right, let's start again.  Um.

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