week six
I think what I appreciate most when reading Glaser’s article regarding the NPR podcast model is that the company acknowledges that not all methods and models will translate directly from traditional radio to the online format and is rethinking their process because “[they] have to be in this world.” It’s encouraging to see NPR provide most of their strong, independent journalism asynchronously to reach a larger audience as well as seeing the Internet as a viable audience and efficient medium, being proative and working in cooperation with it rather than resisting it.
Regarding advertising in podcasts, it seems contradictory to me. The whole idea of independent, non-corporation-driven content is respectable but is going to fall in the same cycle they are trying to avoid – using ads to make money. Or, at least, sustain their program. There is not yet a revolutionary way to deal with the costs of production (in the case of podcasts, bandwidth, etc.) so spoken word ads might seem intrusive but I find them necessary.
I like the solution though – more thought to creative ways that don’t interfere with content. This is a parallel to “viral marketing” that has been circling Internet and television advertising – it’s consuming marketing without knowing it… and better yet, passing it on to your friends because you enjoyed it. I think this method is still in its infancy but has been successful in the past, especially regarding cross-promotional and cross-media material. By subtlely and creatively approaching the ad situation, I think that there might be a way to not turn off audiences to the idea of funding the station.
1) Will NPR and podcasting (as examples) encourage more “real” content-driven materials or news on our portable players rather than music/entertainment?
2) Does Glaser’s argument for advertising in podcasts check? Is there an effective way to receive funding through this method?
3) How much of the content you consume do you think is “original”, particularly with mass media? Is there room for improvement from the standpoint of the producers?
