On the dramatic day The Wall came down—November 9, 1989— I got a call from my boss at ABC News Radio. “Get on tonight’s flight to Berlin.” For a young network news reporter, it was a dream assignment. Over the next two weeks, armed with a portable cassette recorder, notepad and microphone, I covered many … Continue reading What Happens When the World Changes in a Single Day
I’m listening to Michelle Obama read her audio book to me. I’m on my own with my headphones and so is she. I picture the former First Lady sitting upright and calm, with good posture, in a small sound-proofed recording booth with a cool glass of water by her side, alone with her thoughts and … Continue reading The Michelle Obama Example: Why Book Publishers Should Make Podcasts With Their Best-Selling Authors
This is the first of several blogs on making better podcasts. Today: how to be a great guest. The other day I was interviewing a young woman who wanted to work on a podcast project with us. About half of her answers began with the all-too-frequent comment, “that’s a really good question.” I wanted to … Continue reading “Thats a really good question” and other silly things guests say during podcasts.
The Sea of Galilee at sunset...Looking west Us versus them. Right against wrong. Accept the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement. Wag your finger and reject it outright. Far too often in our beautiful, colorful, chaotic and profoundly interesting world, political and moral arguments are reduced to simple either/or choices. My side good. Your side bad. In … Continue reading I swam with Muslims in The Sea of Galilee
It’s baseball season, thank goodness. So before I get into my windup and start hurling metaphors, let me say that I love interviewing professors on our podcasts . These learned souls are almost always thoughtful, highly intelligent, and often funny. Their bases are loaded with interesting ideas. Professors understand nuance and are good at reminding … Continue reading Professors on Podcasts: A Rant.
If you want to start a podcast, the barriers to entry are low. Good equipment is cheap and there are plenty of smart, simple “how to” guides to get you and your organization in the game. But what most experts and consultants won’t tell you is that to be successful, your podcast needs soul. You … Continue reading Podcasts: When The Missing Ingredient Is Soul.
The other day a young man in his 20’s told me something very sad. While he has a strong moral sense and believes in the necessity of profound political change, and would like to do something to make the world a better place, he doesn’t know where to start. My friend sees no connection between … Continue reading On podcasting: the small picture
I've been into audio ever since I was a little kid who slapped 45 rpm green, red, yellow and orange Disney discs onto the record player my parents gave me when I was six years old. The stories, voices and jingles really were music to my ears. Not long after college, to no-one's great surprise, … Continue reading How Do We Fix It? No. Never Make a Podcast Unless…
Most people don't like the sound of their own voice. Play back a recording and they cringe. But the good news for wannabe podcasters and public speakers is that vocal mechanics don't matter nearly as much they one did. We live in a visual age and a much greater range of voices and accents … Continue reading How Do We Fix It? What Your Voice Says About You.
Unscripted comments often give us the worst moments of the Presidential campaign. Look no further than the embarrassing Republican debate in early March, when Donald Trump bragged about his penis. But once in a while a tense, uncomfortable encounter can turn into a civics lesson. And so it was when Bill Clinton stood up … Continue reading How Do We Fix It? How Bill Clinton Smashed the Passion Gap
Here Hear! 