Archives for February 2008

Pods and Blogs has been running for quite a frighteningly long time now, nearly 3 years by my calculation. We've been podcasting for rather less time (since August 07) and I'd like to make that element of what we do a priority as it represents a new audience for the programme and the network. With that in mind I'm considering a few changes. I'd like your thoughts on what I'm planning, please add them to the comments, or email them to me at podsandblogs [at] bbc.co.uk

• Have a stronger focus on stories that are generating interest in the blogging / podcasting community, even if that means doing more news about blogging/podcasting, and fewer stories which react to the traditional news agenda.
• Do fewer interviews over phone-lines, more where I or Jamillah, or one of our contributors record the interviews in person or via skype or a studio. My feeling is that phone-lines are a hard listen on headphones
• Cut the length to 30mins and run from 0230 to 0200. This is really required by the above. At present the 0210 start forces us to lead with an item reflecting the main news of the day which may date too quickly for the podcast. Starting at 0230 would allow me to run more in-depth features that wouldn't date so quickly. It also means that I can devote more time to the stories we do run, and to developing them online
• Use more podcast specific show furniture. Rather than use the standard Five Live radio idents, encourage more podcasters to create show furniture for us
• Do more on podcasting! Which as a listener mentioned to us the other night, we have rather neglected.

I'd be interested in knowing what you think about these ideas. As well as these changes I'd love to know what you like about the segment, and what you don't like about it. What do you want to hear more of? Constructive criticism is very welcome.

UPDATE: Comments not really working so please email. Blogger Doctorvee asks that we continue to reflect the wider world of blogging. Of course, that's central to what we're about. P&B isn't going to become a pure tech show, but I would like to dig a little deeper into "off-diary" stories not covered elsewhere.

Right click this link to download to your computer or the blue arrow to listen.
If you'd like to subscribe to the podcast, by far the easiest way to get it, click here: This week we featured:

• Mitchell Baker Chairperson of the Mozilla Foundation joined us to talk about Firefox, Netscape and the browser wars


• Arif Rafiq of The Pakistan Policy Blog spoke about YouTube in Pakistan


• An interview with Bill Lamin (not on the podcast but you can find it here)


• The Britblog Roundup with The Chameleon


• Geography2.0 with Andrew Hudson-Smith


• Ebay Boycott with Josh Catone of Read Write Web


• Blind podcasters and Blindcooltech (in which some sheep make a guest appearance)

If you have a suggestion for next week's programme please email podsandblogs [at] bbc.co.uk

You can suscribe to the podcast via iTunes: MyYahoo: Googlereader

Please note the podcasts are only available for 7-days - so please download early for your later listening pleasure.

Right click this link to download to your computer or the blue arrow to listen.
If you'd like to subscribe to the podcast, by far the easiest way to get it, click here: This week we featured:

• Reaction to events in Pakistan with bloggers behind Teethmaestro and Meanderings


• Jasmina Tesanovic reflects on Kosovo's declaration of independence


• Sex and Silicon Valley with Valleywags Melissa Gira Grant obviously adult themes dealt with in Melissa's blog so click advisedly


• Britblog roundup with Mr Eugenides. You can see the video mentioned in the round-up on his site


• Fighting the botnets. Longer versions of the interviews we played available here


• Gay bloggers in Africa. A roundup from Andrew Heavens with a clip of one of the bloggers mentioned in his piece


• Clark Boyd looks at the world of speed cabling

If you have a suggestion for next week's programme please email podsandblogs [at] bbc.co.uk

You can suscribe to the podcast via iTunes: MyYahoo: Googlereader

Please note the podcasts are only available for 7-days - so please download early for your later listening pleasure.

Right click this link to download to your computer or the blue arrow to listen.
If you'd like to subscribe to the podcast, by far the easiest way to get it, click here: This week we featured:

• Research from Waxy.org on film piracy, very timely following The Times Green Paper leak


• Neil Gaiman on blogging as an author and why he is giving away a book online


• Amira Al Hussaini editor of Global Voices/Reuters new Voices Without Votes project provided a global perspective on continuing developments in the US primary race


• Matt Wardman did this week's Britblog Roundup


• Peter McGrath spoke about the Beagle Project. More on that here. The picture is of one of Darwin's pigeon specimens at the Natural History Museum


• An evening of food blogging thanks to the folks at the Frontline Club. We heard from Malcom Gluck, Blogjam, Spittoon and Cooksister
  
• And how a podcast about Ebbsfleet United made it into the podcasting premiership

If you have a suggestion for next week's programme please email podsandblogs [at] bbc.co.uk

You can suscribe to the podcast via iTunes: MyYahoo: Googlereader

Please note the podcasts are only available for 7-days - so please download early for your later listening pleasure.

Right click this link to download to your computer or the blue arrow to listen.
If you'd like to subscribe to the podcast, by far the easiest way to get it, click here: This week we featured:

• Stephan Beckert of TeleGeography spoke about the internet cable breaks affecting the middle east and India


• Chris and Joanne of Pitpass.com talk about breaking the Lewis Hamilton racial taunting story


• Afghani Blogger Sanjar talks about the death sentence issued against an Afghan journalist and tells us about working in Afghan radio (apologies for saying Sanjay on the tape - as slip of the mind I'm afraid)


• Amira Al Hussaini editor of Global Voices/Reuters New Voices Without Votes project provided a global perspective to Super Tuesday. We hope this will be a regular feature as the race continues


• Alexander Rose of the Long Now Foundation spoke about Long Bets


• Jamillah Knowles spoke with Jamie King, the director of Steal This Film 2


• And a short feature with a young film-maker who is part of YouTube's new revenue sharing system

If you have a suggestion for next week's programme please email podsandblogs [at] bbc.co.uk

You can suscribe to the podcast via iTunes: MyYahoo: Googlereader It's always available in itunes first thing in Tuesday morning. Ideal for the Web2.0 commuter.

Sadly the powers that be will not let you "Steal this Podcast" and they are only available for 7-days - so please download early for your later listening pleasure.

If you've an idea for the next edition of Pods and Blogs please feel free to leave a note in the comments below or email me at podsandblog [at] bbc.co.uk I do read all the emails that I get sent, and do really value your ideas for stories. Generally speaking we're looking for news stories under-reported in the traditional media, coverage of major breaking news in the blogs which throws a different light on the issue and good human interest stories. If you run a blog, vlog or podcast which you think merits coverage do please get in touch.

You can see the other stories I'm looking at, which may make the programme, by checking our del.icio.us links below: