Thursday, October 30, 2008

Podcasting vs Blogging: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

I just listened back to my podcast and there are parts of it that I am categorizing in there with the "ugly," including my voice. I was sure that I had a refined goddess thing going on and not a nasal Brooklynese thing. Oh well.

As a producer, blogging is easier for me. That is because I write easily and speak poorly (notice all the ummms in my podcast???) It would take lots of practice for me to improve or lots of editing. To create a successful podcast requires a well-written, well-planned script, whereas blogging is more spontaneous. Since blogs can be edited more quickly as you go, they require less planning in advance. I think that this is part of what makes blogging so attractive for personal use. It is an easy and convenient way of social interaction on the web. I am not saying podcasting is hard, only that it requires more effort and planning.

As a consumer, though, I love podcasts. I love the fact that they are portable - that I can listen to things that interest me in my car while I am driving or walking or doing just about anything. I also like the feeling of connection it gives you to the individual speaker. It is much more personalized than a written posting. A voice creates a more vivid image of the person who has created the work. Podcasts also hold my attention better than reading certain subject areas. It helps to have a podcast to listen to in following instructions, for example. For all these reasons, podcasts have great applications in education, business and in the public sector.

No comments: