May 3rd, 2006

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Media
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CBC Expands Its Podcast Offerings

I’m sure Tod Maffin is entirely responsible for this, but the CBC has significantly expanded its podcast offerings. Here’s what he has to say:

It’s taken many months of planning, training, software development, and consultation–but I’m finally pleased to announce that CBC Radio is now making an unprecedented number of programs available for free download or subscription, including “best of” editions from THE CURRENT, DISPATCHES, DEFINITELY NOT THE OPERA, IDEAS, OUTFRONT, AS IT HAPPENS plus comprehensive highlight packages of regionally-based radio programs.

I’ve enjoyed listening to Quirks and Quarks over the past few months on my iPod, so I look forward to a more diverse selection.

The one item I’d like to see are movie reviews. I don’t listen to the CBC enough to know this–does Rick Staling (sp?) still do movie reviews on Friday? Does somebody else do movie reviews? Another request would be for Tapestry, which is a great program.

Here are a few quick comments (some of which I emailed to them already) about the site:

  • I should be able to click on the show’s icon (the host’s face, as it were) and go to that show’s page. Even better, to reduce ambiguity, make a link under each show icon which says ‘learn more about this show’ or something.
  • I should be able to get updates about new podcasts by RSS in addition to the newsletter.
  • I want to see detailed survey results from the CBC’s podcasting survey.

Regardless, strong work and keep it up.

Comments: 10 Responses so far

Tod Maffin
May 3rd, 2006
9:52 am

Hi Darren.. Thanks for the plug and the ideas!

Okay, here’s what’s up:

> I’d like to see are movie reviews.

ME TOO! :-) That’s already on the drawing board for our next wave of podcast releases.

> I should be able to click on the
> show’s icon (the host’s face, as it
> were) and go to that show’s page.

Geez, good idea. I can’t believe I didn’t think of that. I’ll pop it over to our web people to have them put that in there within the next week or two.

> I should be able to get updates about
> new podcasts by RSS in addition to
> the newsletter.

Yep. I know. We have to build RSS into our content-publishing system still. I’m working behind-the-scenes on this. Stay tuned.

[Reply]

gillian
May 3rd, 2006
10:48 am

Oh man, I want a Vinyl Cafe one.

[Reply]

Todd Sieling
May 3rd, 2006
11:17 am

How timely, as I was just thinking of writing to CBC to ask for more podcast content. My listening has moved so far away from CBC in the last year due to podcasting. As I work at home mostly, I end up listening to a lot of audio and have ended up getting many of the podcasts from NPR, which has been way ahead of the curve in making content available this way.

As for best of features, I would urge CBC to go for every episode, and it’s not a podcast unless it has a feed to make it zero-effort to keep listening. Otherwise, I just won’t, not because I don’t want to (believe me I do), it’s because the alternative is already sitting there ready for me to listen.

Keep pressing them Tod!

[Reply]

Tod Maffin
May 3rd, 2006
12:04 pm

Hi Todd,

Thanks - yeah, I totally agree.

Check out the dialogue at http://todmaffin.com/blogs/radio/2006/05/03/cbc-radio-answers-public-demand-for-podcast-content/#comment-18445

I’d love to hear more of what people think!

Tod

[Reply]

Jeff
May 4th, 2006
6:12 am

There are movie reviews on DNTO.

(How are you feeling about Sook Yin these days??)

[Reply]

Darren
May 4th, 2006
6:34 am

Jeff: In truth, I never hear DNTO. I’m not much of a radio listener, and less so on the weekend. I’ll have to give it a listen (as it’s a podcasted show) and see how I feel about ol’ Sook Yin.

[Reply]

Jeff
May 4th, 2006
10:45 am

One frustrating component to the new CBC Podcasts is the lack of music. DNTO, The Current - all of them have been stripped of their trademark music (any music for that matter) due to some aggravating copyright law.

It just takes something away from the final product.

[Reply]

Tod Maffin
May 4th, 2006
1:08 pm

Hi Jeff,

Yep, it does sound weird without music. I think the CBC and the music collectives are actively in talks to resolve it, but until then we want to be 100% sure we’re respecting the rights of the music owners and performers.

I’m hoping that we’ll have an agreement within the next few months.

Tod

[Reply]

Jeff
May 4th, 2006
7:27 pm

Hi Tod thanks for the info (I actually popped back to this post to see if others had noticed)

Glad to hear it’s being looked into!

[Reply]

Karmic Angel
February 10th, 2008
4:26 pm

I know the last comment on this was almost two years ago, but I wanted to make sure at least you (Darren) knew that not only has Tapestry joined our weekly podcasts on CBC, but we have more than 45 Radio podcasts, 10 Tv podcasts and 6 Radio3 podcasts available these days. Enjoy!

[Reply]

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