Blogging from the Alley » Podcasting News

2 More Weeks of Voting for Your Favorite Podcasts!

theferf — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:06:46 +0000

As mentioned previously, the 2009 Podcast Awards are now open for voting! It is super easy to do, and you can return daily to vote for all of your favorite shows.

Shows are categorized into 22 different categories and all you need to do is select one of your favorite podcasts from each of the categories and be proud knowing you are supporting the shows that create great content for you!

The image here is an example of one group of shows that are up for voting this year…. so you can see there is a good assortment of well known and more independent shows to choose from.

To Vote:

Go to www.podcastawards.com
Choose the shows you want to win by checking the box (choose 1, or 1 from each category)
Add your name and email at the bottom
Submit the form
Return again tomorrow to vote again!

Voting ends November 30th, 2009 — so make sure you get your votes in now for your favorite podcasts!

Mashable Publishes Their Complete Guide to Video Blogging? Not Quite.

theferf — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:05:54 +0000

Video Blog Green Screen

In a recent post on Mashable, Leah Betancourt (digital community manager at the Star Tribune in Minneapolis) dove head first into what it takes to be a video blogger. With the low cost of entry and the enumerable places to get free hosting (like Mevio), there is no reason why everyone couldn’t produce a video blog if they so chose! I mean seriously, all you really need to do is point the camera in the right direction and hit record!

Ok, so maybe it is a little harder than that. While people are successful at video blogging or podcasting without a plan (essentially just running out and recording things that happen), most people need a plan for compelling content if they really want anyone to pay attention to them. And while there are many free resources out there to help people create, edit, distribute and promote their videos for cheap or free, it can be really hard to find them! Thankfully, Mashable jumped in to create the “Complete Guide to Video Blogging” showing you the following:

How to choose good content
Examples of software and hardware for creation
Where to host your videos
… other tips as well

I don’t agree that this is the complete guide to video blogging, but it does at least cover the fundamentals needed to point you in the right direction. What we need here for the n00bs is a listing of free hosting, free software, cheap hardware, editing tips, audio tips, video tips and more! While the forums here at Podcast Alley cover a lot of these topics, we have never created a field guide for it… hmmmmm.

Stay tuned.

BlogWorld & New Media Expo: October 15-17, 2009

theferf — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:50:16 +0000

What was the leading podcasting event for the last 4 years, the New Media Expo, has now become part of the premier expo on blogging… the BlogWorld & New Media Expo. This year the event will be hosted at the Las Vegas convention center from October 15th to the 17th and will features all the heavy hitters from the worlds of blogging, podcasting and social media. For as little as $75 (and up to $1200) you can start to be a part of the event that is sure to be a smash hit.

Why Should You Attend?

If you are into podcasting and blogging, this is the leading even for many reasons. Not only do they have killer tracks focusing on audio and video podcasting, focused community building, and the fundamentals of social media… they also have a huge exhibition floor, panels and discussions from leaders in blogging and podcasting (including Robert Scoble, CC Chapman, Chris Pirillo and dozens more) and the opportunity to connect with some of the greatest minds in social media from around the world.

Will Podcast Alley Be There?

Regretfully, no. I was asked to sit a few panels but had to decline. You know I love podcasting and blogging as much as (or even more than) every other nerd out there, but unfortunately the timing did not work out. I am sad, but while you suckers are listening to Guy Kawasaki, Leo Laporte, Cali Lewis and Chris Brogan, I will be on vacation with the people I love and admire most… my family.

Now wipe your tears and go register for your ticket to the BlogWorld Expo… and if you do, use code RICKNDAVE20 for an extra 20% off your pass to BlogWorld & New Media Expo or any Partner Program.

6 Podcasts on Barefoot Running and the Vibram Five Fingers

theferf — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 18:00:17 +0000

One of the hottest trending topics recently in the news has been the Vibram FiveFingers. So I thought I would go out and try to find podcasts talking about them, barefoot running and more.. but it was kind of difficult to find!

Vibram Five Fingers

People are on both sides of the fence on weather or not barefoot running is good or bad for you, and I am experimenting myself as well. I have just bought a pair of these funny little shoes and have been wearing them for a few weeks. So far, I love them… but how do you learn how to use them properly? How do you train to run long distances in them? Where do you learn how to change your running style to not get injured? If you know of a podcast, blog or webpage that teaches these things, leave it in the comments!

Podcasts Talking About the Vibram Five Fingers

Podcasts About Running & Barefoot Running

Watch the Wired Magazine Description of the Vibram Five Fingers

Also, if you want to read a quick review of a fitness experts pros and cons of the Vibram Five Fingers, check out WithAmyMac.com. Finally, good luck trying to get your hands on a pair of these shoes, they are ONLY available at specialty shoe shops, and even then many sizes are sold out! I had to have mine shipped in from a dealer in a different state, not even the manufacturers website had my size. Maybe you will have better luck, buy your FiveFingers online or find places to buy them from the manufacturer.

Leave your reviews in the comments!

The 2009 Podcast Awards Start in Less Than 1 Week!

theferf — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:00:40 +0000

Podcast Awards 2009

In less than 1 week, the 2009 PodcastAwards.com submissions and voting starts again.

For those of you who don’t know what the Podcast Awards are, it is an event featuring 20+ categories of top fan podcasts. The listeners submit their favorite shows to the site for consideration of the award. The polls open for a few weeks and fans & listeners can vote for their favorite shows in each category. The coveted spot, of course, is the Peoples Choice award as it highlights the best of the best of all submitted podcasts.

What the Founders Say about the Podcast Awards

We have taken great care in the design and launching of this site to give all podcasters an equal chance in the opportunity to win a People’s Choice Podcasting Award in their specific category. This is the Fifth annual event that will recognize the best podcasters in the world by allowing the people (Listeners and Podcasters) to nominate, and then vote for their favorite podcast.

The nomination submissions start Oct 4, 2009 followed by voting in early October. The site will see over 350,000 hits per day based upon 2008 levels.

Make sure you follow @podcastawards on Twitter to stay abreast of whats going on at the Podcast Awards.

EVENTS: 2 New Podcamps in October – Philly and Pittsburgh

theferf — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 20:43:55 +0000

Planning your evens for the coming month and need something new and interesting to do? Don’t forget to add the new PodCamps to your calendar if you live in Philadelphia or Pittsburgh! Events were just announced, so check out the links below for more information.

About PodCamp

For those of you who are unfamiliar with PodCamp, it is a usually free BarCamp-style community UnConference for new media enthusiasts and professionals including bloggers, podcasters, YouTubers, social networkers, and anyone curious about new media. And it’s not just for podcasters, its for anyone interested in producing content for the web for social networks, podcasts, music, blogs, tweets… pretty much everything awesome.

Upcoming Events in October

Podcamp Philly 3- October 3 & 4th, 2009 at Temple University.
PodCamp Pittsburgh 4 - October 10 & 11, 2009 at Art Institute of Pittsburgh

A Step Above – Mevio Produces Daily Videos to Promote Top Content

theferf — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 03:54:38 +0000

I have talked about Mevio.com (formerly PodShow) many times here on the Podcast Alley blog. When they started out they were known as the first company to host podcasts, but they have evolved quite a bit over the years. I would like to take a minute to talk about one of the things I like about what they are doing these days.

Lots of New Content, Every Single Day

While they still offer free podcast hosting to anyone who wants it, they also have a full promotions team that sits around all day, every day, and finds great new content to feature throughout the site. For those who may not know, Mevio has 4 networks they actively promote content to daily: men, women, tech and music. Pretty basic, but it covers the needs of quite a large audience out there. But this also means that they have to find fresh and interesting content 7 days a week to keep the 6 million+ monthly visitors happy.

On top of what people see every day by clicking through the site (that being dozens of featured audio and video shows as well as indie musicians), they also create unique promotional videos every day too (found on the homepage of the site). These videos promote new content loaded into each of their four networks, and are created in house in Mevio’s production studios. Check out the video below to see an example of one days production to feature a bit of content from each of their networks.

See It In Action

I have not seen this kind of promotional work done online with any other media network (new or traditional) with the exception of a few major networks who have tried, failed and stopped trying to produce content daily. It really is a tough thing to do, but Im glad Mevio does it. It gives lots of opportunity for promotions of both Mevio’s in-house podcasts, and new podcasts as well.

About Mevio

MEVIO hosts networks of personality-driven episodic entertainment to best engage our customers-comprised of viewers, producers, advertisers and partners. Mevio also has a platform that allows podcast producers to host and deliver their shows for free, while being presented with an opportunity to make money with their show as well.

Freelance Switch Offers Up List of 31 Podcasts for Freelancers

theferf — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 04:48:34 +0000

One of the blogs/websites I am a big fan of, Freelance Switch, empowers freelancers around the world. Not only is it a great place to find & promote freelance work, they also work hard to keep their users engaged and up to date with the latest happenings in the independent world (including many resources, an active forum, job boards, a podcast and much more). But lets get on to the reason I am telling you all of this site…

While the folks at Freelance Switch have been podcasting since 2007 (find their podcast here), they have been helping freelancers for even longer. Most recently, they published an article titled 31 Podcasts That Keep Freelancers in the Loop where they highlighted some great podcasts for their loyal site visitors. I was surprised to find out how many of these shows I was actually subscribed to!

My Favorite Shows from Their List:

Kudos to the guys at Freelance Switch for their freelancers podcast short list! But also a big thanks for their years of service in helping indie content creators, coders, designers and more keep on doing what we love doing… Freelancing :)

EVENTS: 4 Upcoming PodCamps – Atlanta, Montreal, Barcelona and Topeka

theferf — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:16:32 +0000

Upcoming PodCamp Events

September is a big month for PodCamp fans… especially those in Atalanta, Montreal, Barcelona and Topeka… PodCamp is coming to your town!

September PodCamp Calendar:

PodCamp Atlanta 2 – Location TBD – September 17-19, 2009
PodCamp Montreal - September 19-20, 2009, Montréal, Canada
PodCamp Barcelona 2009 – September 19, 2009, El Masnou, Barcelona, Spain
PodCamp Topeka – September 19, 2009 at Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library in Topeka, KS.

Keep tabs on upcoming PodCamps, and maybe one will show up in your town!

Here is a promo for the upcoming Montreal PodCamp… (note: partial nudity).

A New Chapter in the Life of Podcast Alley – 5 Years in the Making

theferf — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 21:26:42 +0000

Chris McIntyre

Many of you may have noticed an increase in content coming out of Podcast Alley recently. More podcaster interviews, more featured podcasts, more forum moderation and posting, more blog posts and more general activity. This is not a fluke… I am back!

I started Podcast Alley in 2004 and helped build many of the early concepts that made podcasting what it is today. I partnered with iTunes when they were first learning what podcasting was and provided them with their initial directory of shows to launch their podcast section of iTunes. I helped Todd Cochrane, a podcasting pioneer, with the first ever podcasting book titled “Podcasting – The Do It Yourself Guide”. And later I went on to partner with Mevio (then PodShow) to help them build their service to host podcasts and provide a way for podcast producers to make money with their shows if they chose to. It has been one hell of a ride the last 5 years.

But a new chapter is starting now as we approach the 5 year anniversary of Podcast Alley. I am focusing on rebuilding Podcast Alley to help producers make better content (and helping them learn how to make money) and will still be promoting more shows to the loyal PCA fans who look to this site every day for new audio and video entertainment. I still work with Mevio because I believe in what they do to help producers with free hosting, promotion and revenue opportunities (they are much different now than they were in the early days of podcasting). But Podcast Alley is now my focus, and I no longer help design and build the products and features for Mevio.

Thanks for all the kind emails and tweets through the transition, keep the content and new feature suggestions coming! More news coming soon.