media

A few weeks ago some friends and I were having a nice conversation, and the topic drifted toward our favorite iPhone apps and other similar geeky stuff. But to my surprise, when I mentioned some of the podcasts I listen to, no one knew what I was talking about.

Podcasting is a form of audio broadcasting on the internet. The podcasters records a show, to which you can subscribe to using an app. Usually, the show airs with a fixed frequency (weekly, or even daily), but while this may be important for growing an audience, it is not a requisite nor essential to podcasting. Once published, you can listen to the show’s episode whenever it suits you best.

My favorite time for listening to podcasts is while driving over commutes. I’ve found that podcasts –and audio books– allow me to make good use of this otherwise idle time.

The easiest way to subscribe to a podcast is to find it through your podcast player. Most shows –and there are thousand available– are listed in one or more podcast directories. Podcast players like Overcast, Apple’s Podcasts App, or Shifty Jelly’s Pocket Casts let you browse those directories to discover and subscribe to shows. They take care of downloading the latest episodes each time one is available.

Some Podcasts you may find interesting

This is a list of some of the podcasts I am currently subscribed or have been subscribed to in the past. I don’t feel obliged to listen to every episode of them, and I purge my list frequently.

Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History. Dan Carlin takes his outside-the-box way of thinking and applies it to the past. iTunes | RSS

The Moment with Brian Koppleman. Interviews about the pivotal moments that fueled fascinating creative careers. iTunes | RSS

The Tim Ferris Show, where Tim Ferris deconstruct world-class performers from eclectic areas (investing, sports, business, art, etc.) to extract the tactics and tools you can use. iTunes | RSS

The Knowledge Project. Shane Parrish, author of The Farnam Street blog, interviews key luminaries from across the globe to gain insights into how they think, live, and connect ideas. The core themes will seem familiar to readers: Decision Making, Leadership, Innovation. iTunes | RSS

Cortex

Cortex. CGP Grey and Myke Hurley are both independent content creators. Each episode, they discuss the methods and tools they employ to be productive and creative. iTunes | RSS

Seth Godin’s Startup School Series by Earwolf. Seth Godin is a thought leader in the marketing and business world. In this rare live recording, hear Seth as he guides thirty entrepreneurs through a workshop exploring how they can build and run their dream business. iTunes | RSS

Writing and Storytelling

Writing Excuses Brandon Sanderson, Mary Robinette Kowal, Howard Tayler, and Daniel Wells discuss writing techniques in a fast-paced, 15-minute format. “Fifteen minutes long, because you’re in a hurry, and we’re not that smart.” iTunes | RSS

The Story Grid Podcast. Join Shawn Coyne, author of The Story Grid and a top editor for 25+ years, and Tim Grahl, struggling writer, as they discuss the ins and outs of what makes a story great. iTunes | RSS

Tech/Geek oriented Podcasts

Under the Radar. David Smith and Marco Arment. From development and design to marketing and support, Under the Radar is all about independent app development. It’s never longer than 30 minutes. iTunes | RSS

ATP

Accidental Tech Podcast (ATP). Featuring Marco Arment, Casey Liss, and John Siracusa. “A tech podcast we accidentally created while trying to do a car show.” This show is always longer than 1 hour… iTunes | RSS

SSRC ha publicado un estudio interesante sobre la piratería en países emergentes, financiado por el Gobierno Canadiense y la Fundación Ford: Media Piracy in Emerging Economies. (La descarga es gratuita para uso no comercial en países en vías de desarrollo.)

Una de las conclusiones es que, comercialmente hablando, la piratería como negocio tiene el mismo dilema que las distribuidoras de media: no es negocio porque no puede competir con las descargas gratuitas.

Dicho esto, si bien el precio influye en la decisión de comprar una película pirata, no es el único factor. Anne Sweeney, en ese entonces co-chair de Disney Media Networks, decía ya el 2006:

We understand now that piracy is a business model (…) It exists to serve a need in the market for consumers who want TV content on demand. Pirates compete the same way we do -through quality, price and availability.

Traducción: “Ahora entendemos que la piratería es un modelo de negocio… Existe porque satisface una necesidad en el mercado de consumidores que quieren contenido a pedido… Los piratas compiten del mismo modo que nosotros: en calidad, precio y disponibilidad.”

(Don’t make me steal: Digital Media Consumption Manifesto menciona otros factores interesantes en la decisión de piratear o comprar. En español)

Pero las películas originales en DVD siguen saliendo a la venta recién cuatro meses después de haber sido estrenadas:

Por ejemplo, la ganadora de cuatro Óscares este año, El discurso del Rey, fue estrenada en USA a fines de diciembre y en Perú el 17 de febrero (y hoy aún sigue en cartelera en cuatro horarios). Pero recién podrá comparse en Amazon en formato DVD/BlueRay a partir del 19 de abril.
The Pirate Bay la ofrecía en calidad DVD ya a mediados de febrero. (Es un “rip” de un DVD de los que dan a los críticos de películas antes del estreno, por tanto se ve muy bien.)
No he verificado en los canales de venta pirata en Lima (Polvos Azules, el Hueco, etc.), pero seguramente que no están esperando al 19 de abril para vender la película.
El 7 de marzo, El discurso del Rey seguía estando segunda en el ranking de películas más descargadas de internet (piratas, se entiende).

Los piratas compiten en calidad, precio y disponibilidad… y siguen ganando.

Via BoingBoing y O’Reilly Radar/Publishing.

About Podcasts

Some Podcasts you may find interesting

Writing and Storytelling

Tech/Geek oriented Podcasts

Piratería: no es sólo por el precio