It's About Time, Quality and Quality Time

I've been thinking a lot about my past engagements with other podcasting shows (CTIS and TBP, in particular) and I have come up with the following conclusions:

I've decided I do not want to get caught up in critiquing other podcaster's work. The last thing I want to do is sound like I am a know-it-all and therefore a connoisseure of what should and should not go into a podcast. Arrogance becomes few people, particularly moi.

Bearing that in mind, let me say there is a relationship one develops with a podcaster just by the commitment one has in choosing to listen, downloading a program, moving it to the iPod, and then finding the appropriate space and time to listen to it.

PodListeners develop an expectation for a certain level of quality one has heard in past programs, since this is what allows one to come back and listen to more programs of one podcaster over those of another. And given that time is at a premium, I want to pack quality podcasts into my quality time.

Being a podcast listener is not like watching television or listening to the radio. Even though we may not invest as much time as the podcaster does in producing a program, we do invest time; to have my time wasted is not enjoyable. And to speak to the anonymous "gh", this is why, "If you don't like it, don't listen" isn't always an answer. Though it can be. That's the easy way out.

When I recognize a certain talent in a podcaster, I'd like to see he or she develop that talent. It is always so disappointing to see a podcaster go for the road more travelled (selling out), than the road less travelled (staying true to the unique voice a podcaster has developed and starts to resonate in one's listeners). It takes courage to stay true to yourself and to your listeners.

Don't get lazy! If you aren't going to put in the time and thought for a quality podcast, then neither will we, listeners, put in the time to listen.

(Hint: being insulting isn't a sign of quality and taking your listeners as idiots isn't either.)

So I hope for all you podcasters, whom have been a target to my criticisms, you know that I am expecting more quality from you, not less, if only because I saw a Standard of Quality in your work previously. Otherwise why should I even bother?

I find the "you are either with us or against us" mentality to be so, so ... tacky, or infantile, take your pick. Podcasting isn't about grabbing a microphone and stuffing your psychological waste into the great mouth of internet. It's about community, it's about give and take, it's about speaking and listening. This is what makes it revolutionary, or can make it so.

However, if you are going to make podcasting into a version of uncensored television or radio, then you are just an old fart with blinders on, hoping to make it big on a medium that has long been dead.

Given you have something between the ears, this might be something worth considering:
What is Quality?

There. That's off my chest.