Technology

Great, as if I didn’t need another reason to waste more time – Digg comes out with a sports section!

One of the ways I like to keep on top of news (primarily in the technology arena) is by going to Digg.  Digg isn’t so much a news site as it is a repository for news, but with the ability for users to rate the stories & content, discuss and essentially "control" the site.  You read a story, and choose whether or not to "Digg" it, increasing it’s popularity. If the story is inaccurate, off-topic or lame, you have the ability tag it as such and with enough tags it’ll get "buried".  You also have the ability to do the same with comments people make with the story.  Sometimes the comments build a mobb-mentality, but for the most part I find them insightful and entertaining.  It’s definitely an interesting way to receive your content.

What Digg really is – is addicting.  I find myself going there multiple times per day, and when I’m not actually on the site I’m always looking at my Digg RSS feeds for the latest.  A few weeks back Digg released Version 3 of their site, which expanded the site beyond technology and to incorporate other categories including: World News & Business, Entertainment, Videos and Science.  It was exciting seeing all of these new categories, but when they were released I saw one glaring omission – Sports!  It would be awesome to have that same Digg functionality for all of the latest sports stories.  I went on my own private, personal crusade of submitting sports stories into the "Celebrity" section of the Entertainment category, but really didn’t have any impact.  So I kept dreaming…

Monday morning I noticed a Digg story about Tiger Woods winning the British Open.  I thought it was pretty interesting, I thought that someone was doing the same thing I was doing and having some more luck.  It was to my astonishment when I looked at the category and saw "Golf".  I did a double-take to the left-hand menu and saw a brand news section!

This is too cool!  I hope that the new section continues to prosper, as well as attract sports fans to Digg.

Many may know that for the last few months I’ve gotten heavily into listening to Podcasts.  What started with a friend back in December recommending the Catholic Insider/Daily Breakfast, has grown into a steady stream of Podcast enjoyment.  Currently there are 35 podcasts that I subscribe to, and I do a pretty good job of keeping up with most of them.  Two reasons I love Podcasts: because they are asynchronous, on-demand content – I listen when I want to; the content is as specific as I want it to be. 

I listen to a few general interest podcasts, but most of the ones match up with my interests: technology, music/drumming, business, football, Catholicism and now cycling.  For those who do not know, Podcasts distribute & promote their podcasts through RSS feeds, where a user "subscribes" to and can instantly see whether changes are made to a feed – meaning a new Podcast has arrived.

Pocasting is a relatively new form of media, and with it come new ways to misuse and abuse it as well.  At Issue: The 24 Podcast, and the host jerking with the listeners through his RSS feed.

I love 24, and when I began getting into the show it was to my delight that there were numerous 24 podcasts available for my listening pleasure.  I really enjoyed 24 the Podcast when it began.  The host was excited about the show, he offered  insightful commentary, he had great rumors and spoilers, and did an excellent job of processing each episode. Unfortunately over time I grew frustrated with the show’s content – the Podcast wasn’t as much about 24 anymore as it was about Podcast’s host and the Podcast itself.  Nonetheless, I appreciated his efforts in providing a great Podcast about a show that I love.  When the 24 season ended in May, I naturally was going to expect less frequency in episodes (during the season the show was produced twice per week) and probably not any meaningful content until the show returns for the 6th season in January.

However, the host in his growing interest in podcasting, has begun producing other shows.  There were a few episodes presented in a general radio show format, and tonight in my aggregator I received the second episode of A COOKING SHOW?!?  Are you kidding me – a cooking show in my 24 Podcast subscription! 

Look, I understand if the host has other interests and endeavors. I understand if he wants to Podcast about them – more power to him!  Joe in particular is a great Podcast host.  However, I don’t understand when he jerks with his 24 audience by providing irrelevant content over his feed.  I continually subscribe to his RSS feed because I want to hear more about 24, not to listen to a cooking show!  This is a big danger when hosts create a topical show, when people tune in for that topic.  If they want a general interest show, then they need to change the format and let listeners know.

The host has developed his podcast audience because we all have one thing in common – we love 24.  We enjoy the host’s efforts, but not everyone that subscribes to the 24 feed wants to hear a cooking show!  I understand that the host wants to capitalize on the show’s popularity, but continually throwing stuff on the RSS wall and seeing if it’ll stick is only going to alienate the listeners – me included.  Now I’ve wasted the show’s bandwidth and I have downloaded a file that I’m only going to immediately delete.

Some suggestions on how to effectively promote additional podcasting endeavors: 1) Start a separate podcast for that subject; 2) Create a separate blog, URL and RSS feed for that Podcast; 3) Create a promotion to advertise your Podcast and put that on the 24 feed, something short and sweet:

"Hi, I’m Joe and I like 24.  I also like cooking, and would like you to check out my new cooking podcast at…"

4) Sit back and watch worthwhile subscriptions into your new Podcast roll in, while your current 24 audience has the invitation.

So just some suggestions from a podcast listener.  I really want to see all podcasts, especially 24 the Podcast, succeed.  The host is very personable, and goes out of his way to connect with the listeners.  Please don’t let this behavior force me and other listeners to unsubscribe from your feed.