The work I do is strange enough. There are many
facets in play. Sometimes it is necessary to blog about some of
them.
The LISNews Netcast Network is underway. A variety of content is
being presented beyond what I was producing in just LISTen. One of
my biggest fears at the moment is that a very fractured, divided
audience would only be more fractured through having three shows
instead of one. So far, it seems that such is the case. Although
much of the network's programming is geared towards librarians, the
non-librarian presenter is the most popular! This is a strange
thing.
Right now a goal is the diversification of content. While Blake
issued a call for more
bloggers for LISNews, it takes a bit larger of a skill set to
be a program producer. While there are some supremely confident
librarians in the land, I am more looking for good radio than doing
more with less yet thinking it is premium fare. Folks interested in
adding programs to the network can do so by
pitching me via secure communications. I make no guarantees
that all comers will be accepted but I will treat things in the
best manner possible.
The network is now established on
the Public Radio Exchange. This allows us to make content available
for licensing by radio stations. This is a possible revenue
generating activity as any interest in content produced by the
network would result in fee payments. Some freebie
example pieces are online already. With luck we should be able
to get Hyperlinked History posted in a way it could be picked up by
radio stations for airing. Getting segments from LISTen out into
the broader world can serve a public good by making the knowledge
ecology more accessible to the masses.
An opportunity that is also a possible danger is that Public Radio
Exchange allows an outlet for releasing programming beyond what the
network produces for LISNews. Right now I would like to put
together a short feature in light of the series finale to
Battlestar Galactica. Such would definitely not be library-related
but would be usable on Public Radio Exchange in general.
Ten contact packets were mailed off this week. More than half were
going to National Public Radio affiliates who can get material
through Public Radio Exchange. One of the bad things about
producing materials is that if nobody knows it exists, does it
really matter? From experience so far, the answer to that is no.
This is why it was essential to fire off the packets. Demo discs,
headshots with bios of the air staff, and more were sent as things
through which we could introduce ourselves to program directors out
in the wide world. Larger markets were selected to start with
although the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands and the
US Virgin Islands saw their National Public Radio affiliates
pinged.
A big problem at the moment is the number of library-related
podcasts that have gone defunct in the past six months. The
Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals in the
United Kingdom selects
what they feel are representative programs for release. There isn't
much out there anymore. Not even all of the network's programs are
picked up by CILIP. Have podcasts been just a fad for librarians?
What is the foundation librarians seek? At this point I can only
answer: "I dunno!"
This is a topsy-turvy world. Which way is truly up? That is the
important thing to keep in mind with rounds-ups like this of
current operating activities.