NOTE: I’ve added some additional polls based on early input.
I’ve been toying with this idea for a few months. As many of you know, I currently work in radio, having done TV for 25 years. Logically with that background, with the clear success of WUWT, I’ve been approached more than once about doing a live weekly radio program. Here’s what my radio voice sounds like.
You’re listening to WUWT (click for MP3)
I’ve looked around a bit at what others are doing, for example at the “science” section of BlogTalkRadio. It didn’t take long for me to realize that I didn’t want to be in the same listing with the other people there. Sheesh what a nuthouse.
Doing a radio program is a big commitment. It is also expensive in that I’ll have to setup a home studio and streaming server. My current radio station isn’t properly equipped with live Internet streaming and I worry about breaking what is running now by adding new software and hardware. The last person who tried a hardware/software experiment on live production systems took us off the air for about 15 minutes and is no longer working there.
A radio program also has rewards in that it can reach many people who might not turn to blogs. It also offers a chance to have guests, much like guest posts on WUWT.
I wouldn’t limit the format to just climate, since the namesake is rich enough to cover most any topic. There’s also such a wealth of news each week to easily fill an hour long program.
I welcome input on the idea, and also any software/hardware combos that might be recommended for live radio streaming. I already have several ideas, but readers often surprise me with new ones.
And if I do it, what would be the preferred format?
Audio, video, or both?
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Fine!, but that phrase “Climate Change” could be Changed to just Climate.
Only if it’s a pirate radio station.
Anthony, in all seriousness (is that a word)
You have the #1 sane climate site.
I would hate to see you have to take anything away from this.
What he said:
D. King says:
May 2, 2010 at 11:54 am
Anthony,
Your blog is a national asset.
I fear time away would be detrimental.
MP3 interviews would be fantasic.
Regards,
Steamboat Jack
(Jon Jewett’s evil twin)
We need some REAL science – go for it!
Broadcasting live is not necessary in the beginning(I rarely ever listen to anything live). A weekly podcast can be a simple mp3 distribution of a Skype conference that you have with your guests.
Anthony — what a neat idea. I’ve often wished some of the posts here could be broadcast with visuals for the sole reason of clarification. I often visit Joe Bastardi at AccuWeather because he can help visualize current ideas behind the comments live at his desk. Draw circles around important parts, draw connections, raise his voice on important thoughts. It’s the visual connection that can make it so clear what is being said.
I don’t know if you should go overboard at first, even an “as-needed” basis at first would give this site a visual alternative to get the point home.
Hope it goes virial. Love your site here!
I’ve been approached more than once about doing a live weekly radio program.
Fwiw, I think live/recorded am radio would reach the most people in need of being reached, many of whom don’t get to the internet very much and are listening only while driving or working – and even fairly simple radio shows have worked and have a very large potential market. Of course your show would have to gain stations to spread far enough, but this could happen imo. Pod casts don’t interest me at all. I’d rather read. When I’m in the car or messing around on some project, my am radio is on.
Just think; it would be the only real science show on the air! I often criticize CBC’s “Quirks and Quacks” er, Quarks as being highly misleading when referring to itself as a “weekly science program”. It more resembles the kind of broadcasts that used to emanate from the Soviet Union.
I like the idea of a “Radio Free Climate”! And you appear to not only have a face for radio, but a voice for TV as well! 😉
Cheers! Bring on the singing cats!
Vlogging, to me, is the way to go. There is a guy, Jack Spriko, who does an immensely popular Itunes VLOG called “The Survival Podcast” that has tremendous amounts of subscriptions….but isn’t a militia, nuthouse survival vlog. Now, he can afford, money and time wise, to put out a show everyday, but that would be a good avenue to go to.
That’s a great radio voice, Anthony…and I know you got the good information. I’m on the board of a non-commercial public radio station and believe you could get on not just a local radio station, but probably a regional or national program. I would recommend Alex Jones, but I think you can do even better than that. Let us know where you end up.
Something along the lines of Weather action on youtube would be great,
give Piers corbyn a nudge ,he seems the type of guy that would help out.
I am with the many that have commented on the virtues of making it a podcast. And iTunes/Apple is the evil empire when it comes to getting the most exposure to potential audience, so I don’t think that should be ignored in favor of mp3 on the website only.
I also agree with others that most podcasts will need an accompanying PowerPoint with the applicable graphics. The apple ACC format supports embedding graphics, and allows them to come up at the specific time in the audio that you desire. However, this is an Apple-only thing, so it is probably more trouble than what it is worth.
Thanks for the outstanding work that you do.
The “keys” to the success of WUWT are two,
1.) WATT’s & Co. and the quality and content of the material presented
AND
2.) The real or imagined ability of your audience to provide seemingly immediate feedback and “discuss” the pro’s and con’s at a world-wide forum over the course of a few days. –and sometimes insert news flashes or shout out OT’s.
Regarding the first key I have no doubt that you will succeed regardless of format. With respect to the second key, I have my doubts. Though you will no doubt get many to listen, the participation aspect will be missing from what I understand our current technical capabilities are. Now you have a “pseudo-live” Greek Forum; what we seem to be talking about here is a studio, live or not, and no live listeners or tomato throwers; no back and forth, kind’a like radio or TV.
Best of luck! (“Break a leg!” as they say;-)
PS: Go slow! Go cheap!
Go to PFT, a sports website, and see what they do. Mike Florio there seems like a cool guy and might offer some tech advice.
Good advice from your commenters thus far: podcasts, edited and a staged approach. There was a question of burnout earlier in year, so a go-slow approach is warranted. Your blog is most important (agree – national treasure), so couldn’t rec anything that would put that at risk.
There is however a question of market segment: is this
a) the portal to allow NEWCOMERS to the debate to get beyond the rhetoric of the MSM or
b) the weekly outlet for the folks already “inside baseball”
Fintan Dunne says:
May 2, 2010 at 3:21 pm
Fintan, it was you and your site ( http://www.breakfornews.com ) I was thinking of when I recommended a simple mp3 download. It’s worked well for you for many years now.
I agree that podcasts a great way to go if you want to go there. I’m in Australia and would not get up at 2am to listen. Also agree the odd video would be good. But Anthony, make sure you plan so it gives you a reasonable revenue stream. Your time is the limited resource here, so you may want to buy other resources to make your life easier. And I agree with the posters who tell you to make sure your family still sees you in real life regularly!
Hazel
My big concern would be over extension and burn-out. You do an awful lot as it is, Anthony. If that’s something you enjoy doing so much it would help refresh you, then that’s fine. But otherwise I’d be concerned it would just be “one more thing” keeping you running too fast on the hampster wheel.
It’s not really a radio program unless it’s on the radio. Why not do an hour a week on a weekend talk station, then syndicate it?
Good advice from your commenters thus far: podcasts, edited and a staged approach. There was a question of burnout earlier in year, so a go-slow approach is warranted I think. Your blog is most important (agree – national treasure), so couldn’t rec anything that would put that at risk.
But I WOULD pay for a podcast, fyi. There is however a question of market segment: is this
a) the portal to allow NEWCOMERS to the debate to get beyond the rhetoric of the MSM or
b) the weekly outlet for the folks already “inside baseball” ?
Both segments are noted here – but its important to bne clear on this point I think.
As to media – it has to have graphics. Too much is visual info in this debate, and not even Rush Limbaugh can describe a chart.
My two cents.
The subject matter is good. The voice is good. However, you are way too good looking to sit behind a mic instead of in front of a camera. jmo.
I agree that live is not necessary (even with call-ins! If you want that, it can be arranged even if not “live”…) There are plenty of sites that will host your material; no need to do a live streaming server from home. Even if you DO go live from home, no need to do a live streaming server. Instead, you do a live feed to “their” server; they take care of the rest.
Since you already do TV I want to assume you know about obtaining high quality sound… since good video is built on good sound. Do you have resources (info/experts) for the home studio setup? If not, give a yell (my brother is an audio pro, etc etc)
I do recommend the podcast route along with other generic formats; iTunes is free and tons of people have iPods.
Normally I would be the first to say yes.. but in this case I voted a definite no. I think it would detract totally from this website and people would simply lose interest as there is simply not enough time to listen to everything. This format is a winner obviously.. You can see at a glance what the story is with a simple explanation, graphs tables etc.. and then people comment on it. I listened to one story on the other radio global cooling radio and just could not be bothered to go through! Too much too long! Also I think interest in AGW is probably waning everywhere including in the skeptic camp as it (AGW) ain’t happening anyway LOL.
Watts Up ON Air or something.