Dan Misener likes the radio

I'm moving!

2006-03-29T20:54:00.000-05:00

After quite a while with Blogger, I've finally broken down and purchased DanMisener.com. That's where you'll find my new blog (with all of this site imported). My RSS feed remains the same: http://feeds.feedburner.com/danmisener/ If you're interested, the new site is hosted by Frozen Webhost. I like them a lot.

This American Life Scoring Music iMix

2006-03-11T17:15:00.000-05:00

Some things I know to be true:

I like the music on This American Life
I'd like to be able to buy some of the music used in This American Life
I like iTunes
I don't like RealAudio

So I spent part of my Saturday afternoon compiling an iMix called This American Life Scoring Music. You can find it in the iTunes music store, or if you have iTunes installed, just click the previous link. Note that all of the music from the TAL website isn't included in the iMix. iTunes doesn't have everything. But if you're looking to make a radio show of your own that sounds a lot like TAL, this'd be a good place to grab some tunes.

NPR Podcasting Workshop

2006-03-10T14:49:00.000-05:00

Via the always informative BoingBoing comes a link to AudioLuxe, advertising a "Content Crash Course for Podcasters" run by NPR producers, at an NPR station:

Why should professional broadcasters have the monopoly on quality? DIY doesn't have to be dull! Learn the tips, tricks, and time-tested techniques professional public broadcasters use to capture and keep a listener's attention.

Why isn't CBC Radio doing this?

Witness the awesome power of the Mailmobile

2006-03-08T19:47:00.000-05:00

CIMG0144.JPG, originally uploaded by Dan Misener.

The CBC's Toronto Broadcast Centre has a robot that delivers mail. It's a motorized cart that follows a track through the halls. It's also equipped with sensors to keep it from running over children and small animals. Earlier this week, the mailmobile failed to avoid a terracotta pot outside our offices. The destruction is documented on my Flickr account.

From Idea to Air

2006-03-05T01:10:00.000-05:00

I spent this past Saturday at Tod Maffin's From Idea to Air workshop at the Royal York in Toronto. It was a day-long workshop based on his popular e-book, and run as a fundraiser for the MS Society of Canada. I started freelancing for the CBC about three years ago. I started by selling short documentaries to Radio Syndication, and continued by making radio pieces for shows like Metro Morning, Definitely Not the Opera, and Outfront. I continue to make items for CBC's Content Factory and Brent Bambury's Saturday morning show Go. ... And I wish that three years ago I'd had the opportunity to participate in Tod's workshop. It was great, and Tod took the group through everything you need to get a piece to air on CBC Radio. He covered finding an idea, pitching the idea, collecting audio, interviewing, scriptwriting, mixing... and getting paid. Personally, I was familiar with a lot of what was covered, but it was inspiring to be in the same room with so many people excited about making radio, and listening to samples of some great work (much of it from my favourite radio program, This American Life). Tod's doing his workshop two more times, and the next one is in Vancouver. If you want to make public radio, but don't know where to start, think about applying for a spot. It'll be well worth your time.

CKDU Goes High Power February 14, 2006

2006-02-14T09:42:00.000-05:00

From CKDU.ca, about the Valentine's Day move to high power:

At 1:00 PM AST, CKDU 97.5 FM will cease to broadcast. At 7:00 PM AST, CKDU 88.1 FM will rise like a phoenix out of the 97.5 ashes. Tune in for exciting live programming hosted by Nick Barrington (Elegant Voltage) and featuring a stable of our wonderful programmers and volunteers.

This has been a long time coming. Congrats to my Haligonian radio colleagues.

Free coffee

2006-01-13T18:44:00.000-05:00

I'll be on CBC Radio's Go tomorrow (Saturday, January 14, 2005) morning, talking about how to get free coffee.

More on recording with your iPod

2006-01-13T18:31:00.000-05:00

Via Engadget , news that XtremeMac has announced something called the MicroMemo, which

consists of an adapter with a built-in (bur removable) flexible mic, and records 16-bit audio from 5G iPods at 22 KHz. It's powered by the iPod and will cost $79.95 when it ships later this year.

One question: why 22KHz? Why not the take advantage of the iPod's full capabilities? We already know it can do 16 bit/44.1 KHz/stereo. Anyway, here's a link to the MicroMemo product page.

Sonic IDs

2005-12-20T20:35:00.000-05:00

I'm back at the Broadcast Centre for a little while, filling in at Radio Syndication. On my way out today, I ran into a colleague who's working for CBC Radio One's new Sirius channel. I don't have a satellite radio, so I haven't yet heard the channel. But apparently, it's mainly repurposed Radio One content, minus any local information. This, of course, leaves gaps to fill. So what do you fill it with? I immediately thought of American Public Media's Sonic ID project. Basically, a Sonic ID is an extended station ID:

short portraits and stories that weave the broadcast day of WCAI/NAN/ZAI with the voices, sounds and stories of our region.

They run a minute or two apiece, and are a good way of getting new and different voices on the air. I don't know why CBC doesn't commission a ton of these at the local, regional, and national levels. They'd be great. And for filling some of the gaps on Sirius, they'd be perfect. I produced three Sonic IDs for CKDU a couple of years ago. Have a listen to the IDs on APM's site, and if you want more, listen to mine:

MicroTrack review

2005-12-08T16:08:00.000-05:00

Via createdigitalmusic.com, Mark Nelson's review of the M-Audio MicroTrack 24/96. I picked up one of these units about a month ago, and am working on my own, radio-producer-POV review. I'll also be bringing my MicroTrack to Tod's Toronto podcaster meetup if you want to check it out in person.

Why doesn't the CBC podcast more?

2005-12-03T21:45:00.000-05:00

Over at Dose Magazine, Hugh has written an excellent article on the CBC and its podcasting strategy. It seems to be based mostly on conversation with Tod Maffin on his cross-country podcasting tour, and is especially good at explaining some of the reasons why the corporation doesn't do more podcasting. Not surprisingly, the main reasons aren't technical.

Radio Documentary Opportunity

2005-12-02T10:49:00.000-05:00

This arrived in my CBC email yesterday afternoon, and since then approximately one zillion people forwarded it to me saying, "Dan, this is right up your alley." Indeed. I sent my letter yesterday afternoon. I'm passing it along here for others who might be interested:

December 1, 2005 IN YOUR EAR – DOCUMENTARY OPPORTUNITY I'm writing today to let you know about an exciting new production and mentoring opportunity that CBC Radio is launching in January. It's called "In Your Ear" and is all about documentaries – specifically giving tailored mentoring to upcoming documentary makers in Radio. Steve Wadhams, a distinguished documentary maker who most recently won the prestigious Luminary Award at the Third Coast Festival, will be leading the project. The goals are, first of all, to find and develop the people who will be CBC's leading documentary producers and editors in the years to come and, secondly, to create radio storytelling which fully exploits the potential of the medium - radio which draws on journalism, drama, music, poetry and literature but which is not limited by the conventions of these more established genres. We will be giving three people the opportunity to work with Steve and be mentored by him. Each will get the opportunity to produce at least one substantial radio feature (up to 30 minutes) of their own and will also contribute fully in the development and production of the work of their colleagues. The work will air on IDEAS. The production commitment for each participant will be 40 days between January and June 2006. Because of the nature of this type of radio feature, participants' production time will be spread out as evenly as possible over the entire six-month production period. Participants and their supervisors will be expected to create and abide by an appropriate work schedule. The intent is to bring the group together in January 2006 for a one week extensive "boot camp" in Toronto. After that, participants will work at their respective CBC locations. Interested participants should send a short letter outlining their background and why they should be one of the three chosen for this. Any samples of existing work would be appreciated. All of this goes to Steve Wadhams, CBC Radio, Room 3F402, Toronto Broadcasting Centre. This is a great opportunity and I look forward to hearing the final results of this documentary initiative.

In another city...

2005-11-28T10:19:00.000-05:00

Through the miracle of technology, I'm co-hosting Popped Culture tonight. It runs tonight (Monday) at 5:30 AST on CKDU -- 97.5 FM in Halifax, or online.

Honour your CKDU pledges

2005-11-14T19:07:00.000-05:00

Via the halifaxlocals forum comes news that CKDU's annual funding drive came up short. That could mean for some tough times ahead.

The spoils of its funding drive already account for roughly one-third of its budget. And the station drained its savings this year to buy a new transmitter, antennae and other equipment to increase its output power from 33 to 3,200 watts. Staff wages were increased from $9.65 to $12 per hour to be more in step with national standards and the stations’ student levy is down due to a drop in enrolment.

CKDU is home to some really great programming, like like Popped Culture, Let's Get Baked, Smart Patrol, and The Rose Parade. So honour your pledges. Please.

Sad Goat Replacement Reviews

2005-11-13T21:38:00.000-05:00

From the CBC watchblog artichokes and cbc for everyone comes a Roundup of Roundup Replacement Reviews. Honestly, I've not yet heard the new afternoon show Freestyle.

Pillow Fight

2005-11-13T15:57:00.000-05:00

I just got back from the giant pillow fight at Dundas Square. Hilariously (and perhaps inappropriately) the organizers didn't know there was a UTAG (Uniting Toronto Against Guns) anti-gun rally going on at the same time. At some point though, the groups realized each other's existence, and the UTAG emcee gave the pillow fighters big props. The journalistic big boys were there (CFRB, CBC, CTV... presumably to cover the UTAG rally), plus lots of little guys (like me) documenting the pillow fight just for kicks. Got some good interviews, including Kevin and Lori from newmindspace. We'll see how it cuts together.

When it rains, it pours

2005-11-13T15:50:00.000-05:00

In addition to working at Syndication this week, I:

Wrote and taped my second talk-tape for Go
Interviewed Yegor from SmashMyiPod.com for Popped Culture
Voiced a consumer column for the Content Factory
Was asked to do a Christmas-time column for the Content Factory

The Syndicate

2005-11-12T12:34:00.000-05:00

I spent the past week chase producing for CBC national radio Syndication. It was a fun job because of the variety of stuff I got to do. I set up live interviews for local/regional shows across Canada about pirates, quick fix diets/exercise/surgery, and war correspondents. I also did a couple of interviews myself, sliced my voice out of them, and sent them down the pipe. I got to talk to Canadians and Jordanians about Wednesday's hotel bombings and demonstrations, and to the author of a new handbook about visiting elderly relatives. So, a mixed bag. Syndication is a fun unit. The people I worked with are nice, and funny, and smart. The experience was good for me. If Fight Club is the reason to "cut your hair short and trim your fingernails," Syndication is the reason to pay attention to national and international news. Before this week, I'd only been on the receiving end of syndicated content. Now I think I have a better appreciation of where this stuff comes from, and what its role in local/regional programming is supposed to be.

I'll be on CKDU Monday

2005-11-06T22:37:00.000-05:00

I have an item on tomorrow's Popped Culture on CKDU. Last month, I attended the fourth annual World Rock Paper Scissors Championship here in Toronto. I was feeling a bit dejected, because everyone I pitched the idea to didn't want it (it'd been covered to death in past years). But I'd signed up for media credentials, and I thought it sounded fun, so I went anyway. I ended up with a bunch of tape I didn't know what to do with. I sat on it for a couple weeks. Then last week, a serendipitous email from Melissa Buote arrived, telling me the theme of this week's show was "Games." Suddenly, my story had a home. The moral: even if you don't think anything'll come of it, if your gut says go, go. And bring your tape recorder. So if you're in Halifax, and within broadcast range, have a listen. The show airs at 5:30 PM AST at 97.5 FM. Or, tune in live online at ckdu.ca or subscribe to the podcast.

2005-11-04T10:49:00.000-05:00

Pals of mine know that I'm always on the lookout for the perfect portable digital audio recorder. Well, over at Engadget, readers are weighing in with their suggestions for the best portable podcasting gear.

Stretching afternoon show resources even thinner

2005-11-04T09:57:00.000-05:00

In Tuesday's Globe, there was a good overview of the coming changes to CBC's afternoon lineup. The changes are slated to take effect this Monday. I'm particularly interested to hear how local afternoon shows in Toronto, Winnipeg, and Vancouver will deal with an extra half hour to fill every day. Local afternoon shows are notoriously hard up for resources. They don't get the same numbers as morning shows, and consequently, aren't as well staffed. Most shows I've heard seem (and sound) stretched thin as it is. Lots of music and syndicated content. Here in Toronto, Here and Now will be longer by 20 percent, but I highly doubt they were allocated 20 percent more resources. I'll be listening carefully next week.

Listen for me on Go this month

2005-11-02T18:41:00.000-05:00

Taped an item for Go this morning. Each week in November, I'm trying a different fad diet. And every Saturday morning this month, I'll be talking about it on the air. Have a listen if you can: Saturdays at 10:00 AM.

Technology could be catalyst for CBC renewal

2005-10-31T10:25:00.000-05:00

Via Ted F., here's a Michael Geist article from today's Toronto Star called Technology could be catalyst for CBC renewal.

Visiting WBEZ

2005-10-29T16:55:00.000-04:00

I recently came upon Meryl's LiveJournal while looking around for Jonathan Goldstein/WireTap-related stuff. From what I can gather, Meryl has a huge crush on her English prof. This crush somehow led to an interview on WireTap. Anyhow, I've been reading her posts lately. She's a big This American Life fan, and recently visited Chicago. Unbeknownst to Meryl, her pal Colin got them into a live TAL taping, and she met Ira Glass. Her post detailing the experience is excellent. Read it.

700 imaginary hobo names

2005-10-24T21:54:00.000-04:00

Via roommate Phil's favourite website, BoingBoing, comes a link to John Hodgman's poem 700 imaginary hobo names. You might know John as a contributor to This American Life and Wiretap.

Archived Wiretap shows

2005-10-22T13:24:00.000-04:00

This will come as a delight to fans of Jonathan Goldstein's Wiretap: A guy named Jared Benedict has been posting MP3 archives of the show to his blog. I can't imagine they're authorized, so grab them while they're up. Personally, I record the show off the air with Audio Hijack Pro and my RadioShark.

I am a video podcast superstar

2005-10-18T21:28:00.000-04:00

Apparently I am starring in a new weekly video podcast called Jim Dupree: Enthusiast. I play Jim Dupree, a man who is enthusiastic about many things. In the first episode, released this week, Jim is enthusiastic about dogs. Glenn, the interviewer, questions Jim about his enthusiasm. It's a video podcast, so you might want to use the new iTunes to subscribe. You can subscribe from the Jim Dupree: Enthusiast page in the iTunes podcast directory, or copy the following URL into your podcatcher: http://feeds.feedburner.com/JimDupree/

Promo Girl

2005-10-13T15:07:00.000-04:00

From Fine Young Journalist comes a thoughtful analysis of CBC's Promo Girl elements.

Finally, iPod supports high-quality voice recording

2005-10-13T11:49:00.000-04:00

I've been waiting for this for years. A scant week after my iPod nano arrived in the mail, comes news that the new iPod (announced yesterday) does proper stereo recording. Anyone want to buy an immaculate black 4 gig nano? Update: iLounge has more details in their article Why podcasters (and bootleggers?) will love the new iPod.

How hot is the Sony PCM-D1?

2005-10-12T12:26:00.000-04:00

Via Music Thing comes the announcement of Sony's new professional flash recorder -- the PCM-D1:

It records 24/96 wav files on 4gb internal, or memory sticks. It has analog VU meters. It runs off four AA batteries. It's made by Sony. Out of titanium.

I wonder what it'd take to get a review unit out of them before it ships in December.

CKDU Funding Drive 2005

2005-10-11T22:57:00.000-04:00

I spent the Thanksgiving weekend in Nova Scotia. Today I made a pledge to the CKDU Funding Drive, which starts October 21st. CKDU is home to many of my favourite radio shows, like Popped Culture, Let's Get Baked, Smart Patrol, and The Rose Parade. Why should you pledge? Aside from supporting community radio, there are great prizes. And this year's t-shirts are hot!

Tonight: Davy Rothbart at the Drake Hotel

2005-10-05T13:07:00.000-04:00

If you:

Are in Toronto tonight
Enjoy Davy Rothbart's Found magazine or stories on This American Life

you should check out his appearance tonight at the Drake Hotel. He'll be reading from his book, The Lone Surfer of Montana, Kansas. Event on Upcoming.org

Financial cushion

2005-10-05T09:34:00.000-04:00

An email from the CMG cleared up the question, "Will Dan get a signing bonus, even though he has no job to return to?"

CBC management has also committed to depositing the $1,000 signing bonus in employees' accounts by the end of the day on Wednesday October 12. Everyone who was on the CBC payroll as of August 14, 2005, including casual employees who worked at least 13 weeks between April 1, 2004 and August 14, 2005, qualify for the signing bonus.

This, along with the 2.5 percent retroactive salary increase should make the next couple of weeks a little easier.

This blog stays put

2005-10-04T11:59:00.000-04:00

After weeks of intense posting, some lockout bloggers are winding things up. I applaud their efforts, and thank them for their work and dedication. A group called the CMG Lockout Archive Project is working to establish a collection of lockout blogs, photos, etc. But for me, the blogging continues. I started this blog about a year ago, long before the lockout. Originally, the point was to document my post-graduatation life. Basically, "follow Dan around as he tries to find a career in public radio." If you look back through some pre-lockout posts, you'll find information and links on what I was listening to, what I was working on, and gadgets I coveted. As the lockout wraps up, the focus of my blog will shift back to its roots. If you came here looking for lockout content, I hope you'll check in once in a while and find something interesting.

R.I.P. MD?

2005-10-03T11:42:00.000-04:00

Via Gizmodo, an article from Alice Hill's Real Tech News: Sony's Mini-Disc Format About to Bite the Dust.

Google Newsmap: Paris Hilton beats CMG/CBC deal

2005-10-03T09:28:00.000-04:00

Curious to know how much attention other media are paying to the CBC/CMG deal, I checked Marumishi's Google Newsmap, which visually displays the popularity of news stories on Google News. As of 9:15 this morning, Google News's algorithms hadn't categorized the story as national news. Nor as business news. Nope. You'll find it under entertainment. And it seems that way more news outlets are paying attention to Paris Hilton and Tara Reid. Just goes to show that a story's importance can be highly relative.

I have no job to go back to

2005-10-03T01:23:00.000-04:00

Now that a deal has been reached, it'll soon be time for me to actually find a job at the CBC. Here's why: My contract at CBC Windsor was up on September 4. The week before management locked us out, my managing editor offered me "a couple more months of work." Not a job job, but work. Unfortunately, the offer was too late. It was midway through August, and I had no indication that I'd be asked to stay on. So I'd already made arrangements to move back to Toronto. Then, of course, we got locked out. I picketed in Windsor for a week, then for a week in Toronto. Then I went back to Windsor for a weekend, during which I packed up and left. Jenna and I packed up all of my things in the back of a rented Corsica, and headed north. I settled back into The Penthouse with my roommates Tristan and Phil. And the lockout continued on. The lockout continued beyond the end of my contract. So I picketed beyond the end of my contract. I told myself I could do this with a clear conscience because if we hadn't been locked out, I'd have continued on in Windsor. I stayed up late. I slept in. I picketed. I worked on Toronto Unlocked. In many ways, it was a bit like a vacation. I got to visit picket lines in four Canadian cities. I met some fantastic people (including several of my radio heroes) on the line. I collected my cheques, and smiled. Then, on September 6th, I received an email from Windsor, asking if I planned to return after the lockout to take my managing editor up on her offer. I said no. Why? I'd moved my things to Toronto. I was on the hook for rent in Toronto. I had nowhere to live in Windsor. I had started to fall for a girl in Toronto. And now, a deal. Once we go through the ratification process, and figure out how to get back to work, I'll actually be looking for work. I have no job to go back to. I'm hoping there might be CBL casual pool stuff for me. I'll continue to pitch and sell freelance pieces. Hell, maybe if I get lucky, there'll be a contract for me. Who knows? The next little while will be fun, or scary, or exciting, or sad. Probably a little bit of all of the above. We'll see.

Let's Play Jonathan Goldstein

2005-09-30T13:32:00.000-04:00

Lockout left you with too much spare time? Why not take on this project from Engadget: How-To Build a Telephone Recording Circuit from an Old Modem. I've used Skype and Audio Hijack Pro to record telephone conversations before, but I've always been disappointed with the audio quality. I'd love to own the RemoteMix C+ I used to borrow from Ryerson, but it's just too expensive for how much I'd use it. Anyone with a soldering iron want to help me out with this?

Lamination Nation

2005-09-28T11:36:00.000-04:00

From The Globe and Mail: Nanook and I walk the line

The more discerning picket will rummage through a pile of signs looking for one not stained with coffee or smeared with lunch. Six weeks of lockout plays hell with cardboard.

Looks like Toronto could learn a thing or two from their friends to the east. When I was in Halifax for the second week of the lockout, I was delighted to find their picket signs laminated. What a concept. When I was in grade school, teachers would often disappear to a magical far-away building called the "Resource Centre." They'd leave with a batch of unfinished construction paper art projects, and return with an armload of laminated goodness. Surely someone in Toronto is married to a sympathetic teacher with keys to a resource centre.

Ugh

2005-09-28T10:53:00.000-04:00

From this morning's CMG bargaining update:

Management's position is virtually the same as it held before it imposed the lockout.

It's hard to know what comments like this mean for reaching a deal, especially with all the optimism on the picket lines, blogs, and mailing lists. I'm starting to question what Fontana thinks he's really doing by locking negotiators in a room, especially if both sides plan on sticking to their guns. Part of me just wants to ignore the rumor mill. I still believe that only a handful of people really know how and when this will end.

Some thoughts on my experiences with Toronto Unlocked

2005-09-23T12:05:00.000-04:00

This morning, Toronto Unlocked wrapped up its three-week run on CIUT. I had some initial reservations about the program. At the start, no one had convinced me that it was a good idea. I wasn't sure that we (the CMG) weren't shooting ourselves in the foot. Though I didn't buy the "we're scabbing ourselves" argument, I questioned the wisdom of feeding an appetite we were trying to create with our silence. During Toronto Unlocked's first week on the air, I discussed it with a lot of people on the picket line. I solicited opinions from people I respect and admire -- journalists, hosts, and producers. I told them I was thinking about signing up for the show. Some were supportive. Others were dead set against it. Then I decided I was making too big a freaking deal about it. I got over myself, and realized that the show was going to continue whether I was involved or not, and my participation (or lack thereof) wouldn't make a huge difference. So I signed up. And for the second and third weeks, I chase produced for the Wednesday morning shows. It felt good. It felt good to make phone calls. It felt good to get stressed out about guests falling through. It felt good to book people. It felt good to pre-interview. It felt good to be back in a campus/community radio environment. It felt good to work on a story, then wake up the next morning and hear it on the radio. Ultimately, my reasons for participating were selfish. I miss working, and Toronto Unlocked let me work. I wanted to reconnect with my CBC colleagues. I wanted to meet new people. I wanted people to know I'm back in Toronto and keen to work. And if I had to do it over again, I would.

Feeling lonely

2005-09-21T16:55:00.000-04:00

Radio affects most people intimately, person-to-person, offering a world of unspoken communication between writer-speaker and the listener. That is the immediate aspect of radio. A private experience.

- Marshall McLuhan, Understanding Media, 1964

When I was in junior high school, towards the end of grade eight, I started to deliver the Halifax Daily News. Every weekday morning, I was up and out the door by six, to have my route done by seven. For my birthday that year, I asked for and got a small radio walkman. I still have it. And I listened to it every morning for the three years I delivered the Daily News. Through the week, the voices of Don Connolly and Elizabeth Logan kept me company. On the streets near my parents' house in Lower Sackville, I fell in love with CBC Radio. Honestly, I can't remember the details of a single interview from those years. But I do remember how listening to Information Morning made me feel. Though I was technically alone delivering papers, it didn't seem that way. At 13, was I that interested in traffic reports? Or city council? I doubt it. But I listened. When I moved to Toronto two years ago, I didn't know anyone here. For the first little while, I spent a lot of time alone, listening to the radio. I sat in my dorm room, listening to countless episodes of This American Life. I listened to Andy Barrie in the mornings; Metro Morning helped shape my ideas about the city. Again, though I was, I didn't feel alone. People sometimes ask me what I love about radio. It's not necessarily about what I'm listening to or working on. I understand that radio has utility -- to inform, to enlighten, to entertain, to stimulate -- but to me, its greatest power, and what I love most about it, is how makes me feel like I've got a friend when I'm all by myself. Lately, for the first time in a while, I've felt lonely when I'm alone. And I don't want to anymore.

Um, err... maybe not

2005-09-18T18:45:00.000-04:00

OK, so it looks like I won't be picking up the previously mentioned HHB FlashMic. Engadget lists the price as $1,200 USD. Ouch.

Could this be my next digital recorder?

2005-09-15T12:03:00.000-04:00

I've long been searching for the perfect portable digital recorder. At first glance, the recently announced HHB FlashMic looks like a good candidate.

Food Fight!

2005-09-12T23:34:00.000-04:00

Over on his blog, CBC Workerbee has proposed a lockout blog food fight. I don't have any great recipes to share (Tim Hortons and KD are staples in my diet), but I know two gentlemen who do: Mat and Dave from Let's Get Baked with Mat and Dave. If you don't know, Let's Get Baked is Halifax's premiere vegan baking show. While in Halifax last week, I got to visit the famed Allen Street Kitchens and enjoy several delicious vegan pies. Season Two just got underway, and their podcast has provided me with some excellent picket-line listening.

2005-09-12T20:28:00.000-04:00

Spent a great couple of hours on the line Sunday afternoon. Did a couple of laps with Michael Enright, then a couple with Nora Young. Talked lockout, CIUT, podcasting, and Toronto. It's always nice to be reminded that the people I hear on the radio are actually real people.

A lockout'll do that to you

2005-09-09T12:04:00.000-04:00

I'm back in Toronto. The picketing here runs 24/7. Roommate Tristan and I arrived home late last night after a game of squash. We got in the door, and he asked what time it was. I joked, "I stopped caring about the time a few weeks ago." Then the the truth of it sank in. I've been here almost a week, and my alarm clock is still unplugged.

Soundtrack of our (Locked Out) Lives

2005-08-31T18:42:00.000-04:00

If you missed yesterday's Soundtrack of Our (Locked Out) Lives on CKDU, you can listen to an archived version at: http://129.173.68.238/20050830.14.33-16.01.mp3. Also, an interesting discussion about the program is going on in the halifaxlocals forum.

CBC Lockout

2005-08-30T08:10:00.000-04:00

In the Halifax Daily News this morning, I read about another CMG-campus/community radio collaboration. CBC Lockout says:

Find out which songs Don Connolly, Costas Halavrezos and Carmen Klassen hum on the picket line. Radio reporter Laura Graham hosts the Soundtrack of Our (Locked-out) Lives every Tuesday from 2:30-3:30 on CKDU, 97.5 FM.

Should make for some good listening on the line. If you don't live within the CKDU broadcast range, you can always listen online.

Back home

2005-08-30T00:44:00.000-04:00

I arrived safely in Halifax just after midnight. Will be on the picket line tomorrow.

Flyer in my inbox

2005-08-30T00:41:00.000-04:00

More from The Coast

2005-08-28T13:00:00.000-04:00

Here's another excellent report from Stephanie Domet about the lockout. I'll soon join Stephanie and my other Haligonian collagues on the line. That's right, I'm headed to Halifax this Monday, and will stay for about a week.

2005-08-28T12:47:00.000-04:00

From Peter:

[T]his lockout is going to result in a sort of "dark ages" in terms of the digital fossil record. Our ancestors (our even ourselves, in a year) will go the CBC website to search for stories about things that are happening now and will find nothing. Worse, when our friends at the CBC are allowed to work again, they will have no audio or video record of news that's happening now. Which means that, in essence, nothing that is happening now is actually happening at all.

Open Source Radio

2005-08-28T11:27:00.000-04:00

Via Lisa comes a link to Open Source, a public radio program produced out of WGBH, Boston.

It sounds a little fruity, we know. "Everybody join hands" this seems to read, "and we'll make beautiful radio together." But it's kind of true. We're trying to produce radio in a completely new way. Hop in.

What a neat concept. I've subscribed in iTunes.

More on "alternative programming"

2005-08-26T00:46:00.000-04:00

Via my friend Hilary, from Antonia Zerbisias's excellent blog:

And, for those Toronto area listeners who are missing their Andy Barrie, Metro Morning is doing a dry run on Monday on CIUT 89.5 FM, and is set to go live Monday to Friday 6:30-8 starting Labour Day. It's great that these dedicated CBCers want to continue practising their craft and serving the public interest, even as management is disregarding it. But aren't they concerned that, by doing all this work for nothing (or even less if they have to pay for programming expenses out-of-pocket), they're showing that CBC can get by with less taxpayer funding?

CBC On the Line now online

2005-08-24T22:44:00.000-04:00

Here it is, folks: the official CMG online news magazine. It's called CBC On the Line, and it's looking for submissions. Sadly, no RSS (yet). And, earlier today outside the broadcast centre in Toronto, there was talk of getting a morning show podcast off the ground from the University of Toronto's CIUT studios. As far as I understand, they're talking 2 hours of daily "business as usual" local programming, slated to begin early next week.

I Love Radio.org

2005-08-24T10:40:00.000-04:00

From Tod's site yesterday:

Today, 6,253 "unique visitors" visited the blog -- about a third were returning visitors. I have never seen traffic like this. I will certainly keep it up as long as I'm able to (the bandwidth costs are going to hurt).

I Love Radio.org has been a consistently wonderful resource for me and many others over the past year or so. It's been especially nice recently to have such a comprehensive lockout-related site. This sentiment has been echoed over and over on the picket lines here in Toronto, and I'm sure, all across the world. I know Tod has some small "Ads by Google" on his individual post pages (like this one). I'm pretty sure he's not allowed to encourage others to click on them, but is there anything to stop me? So, if you're at his site (and I imagine if you're reading this, you have been recently or will soon), and you see a Google ad that interests you -- give 'er a click. Every little bit helps, right?

Toronto update

2005-08-24T09:49:00.000-04:00

I've really been enjoying my time here in Toronto. I'm halfway through my twenty hours, and have been meeting some very cool people on the line; people I otherwise would never have met: audio post-production television workers, people from corporate communications, graphic designers, national television producers... the list goes on. Plus, a couple people have asked, "What's your name? Dan? Dan the blogger?" So that's kind of neat. I've run into several former colleagues from CBL, and several former classmates from Ryerson. Some were employed this summer by CBC, and others dropped by to say hello and do a couple laps with me. People ask if I'm back in Toronto for good. "No," I tell them. "I'm back just for this week, then I'll go to Windsor for a few days. Then, come September first, I'll move back to Toronto full-time. I don't know if you're heard," I joke, hoping what I'm about to say isn't true, "I took a job here as a professional picketer." I hope to be on the line for 11:00 today. There's a "radio meeting" scheduled for then -- there's talk of starting up an "alternative" morning show. Which, I'm delighted, has generated a wonderful dialogue in the comments section of a recent post. And in an unrelated note, I'm really digging Google Talk (or the iChat support, anyway). I'm dmisener [at] gmail [dot] com if you feel like trying it out.

The lockout web, tagged and fed

2005-08-23T11:01:00.000-04:00

Some "tagged web" sites (and their associated feeds) worth checking out:

the del.icio.us cbclockout tag (rss)
the del.icio.us cbc tag (rss)
Technorati's cbc tag (rss)

And, two news search sites that aren't tagged, but deliver decent feeds:

MSN Search news: cbc (rss)
Google News Search: cbc (rss)

Is "alternative programming" a good idea?

2005-08-23T01:20:00.000-04:00

I just finished listening to CBC Unplugged from Studio Zero. And I got to thinking about CBC workers generating "alternative programming" during the lockout. What does that really mean? And is it necessarily a good idea? As far as I understand, the lockout has prompted two different programming strategies. There's the "business as usual" camp, which thinks CBC reporters and newsreaders should continue doing what they do best: reporting and reading the news, covering the same stories they ordinarily would were they inside the building. I would put Toronto's (as yet unheard) World at Six replacement podcast and Calgary's Eyepatch Radio in this category. There's also the "lockout propaganda" school of programming -- reporting on the lockout itself. This seems to be what Vancouver's CBC Unplugged is -- "music, comedy, commentary, and the latest news in the labour dispute." I would also include the various podcasts produced by CMG locals in this category. What kind of message does this alternative programming send to the public? Advocates say it says, "We still care about public broadcasting. We care about telling Canadian stories. We want to work... we just can't." On the other hand, critics say it undermines the Guild's efforts, sending the message, "Hey look at us! We can still generate programming, even without any CBC resources!" Some say that picketing -- not working -- is a much better alternative, and sends a more powerful message. As Curious Monkey says, "Why not just walk back into the building and do it right?" By generating alternative programming, are we shooting ourselves in the foot? I'm not sure yet. Personally, I don't think the "business as usual" programming is the answer. And frankly, I worry that few outside of the CMG care about "lockout propaganda" programming. Thoughts?

More From the East Coast

2005-08-22T13:28:00.000-04:00

From Warren comes a link to cbclockout.org, a website run by the Halifax local of the CMG.

At the centre of the universe

2005-08-22T12:13:00.000-04:00

I'm in Toronto now. I arrived late Saturday night, and checked in with the CMG folks outside the Broadcast Centre yesterday. I plan to picket here this week, and am keen to compare/contrast my experience with union-friendly Windsor, Ontario. Pickets run 24/7 here, and it's a "show up whenever, stay as long as you want" system. Apparently, Monday-Wednesday are the busiest times. Any recommendations? If you're on, or passing near the line this week, and see someone who looks like this (I'm on the right), please come say hello. Would love to meet some new people.

Lockout report from my hometown

2005-08-20T01:21:00.000-04:00

Stephanie Domet has a lockout story in this week's issue of The Coast:

I am, unbelievably, deeply sad about being locked out. It doesn't feel like a vacation. It feels like a betrayal.

Management Killed the Radio Star

2005-08-19T18:07:00.000-04:00

In a cleverly-titled post, elated? points to a good CMG/CBC lockout primer from rabble.ca.

Open Letter From a Locked-Out CBC Radio Employee

2005-08-19T18:03:00.000-04:00

Just read Caitlin's Open Letter From a Locked-Out CBC Radio Employee:

The CBC is only as good as its programming, and therefore only as good as the people who create that programming. Having zero security and always worrying about where we will work next week means we can't fully concentrate on our jobs. We can't be as creative and fully engaged with our work as we'd like to because we are always wondering if we should be looking somewhere else for a real job.

Locked-out CBC workers back on air... via campus radio!

2005-08-19T17:13:00.000-04:00

Wouldn't it be great if CBC radio newsroom staff continued to do their jobs? If we continued to file reports, conduct interviews, and produce news items? What if we kept doing newscasts, same as always? We could use our own personal minidisc recorders, computers, and editing equipment. We could air the news on CJAM (Windsor's campus/community radio station). Listeners would hear the same kinds of local stories they're used to, from the voices they're used to. We'd be sending the message, "We care about local stories. We want to work. But we can't." Would this be more effective job action than picketing outside an empty building? This was all a pie-in-the-sky conversation I had with a colleague on the picket line today. That is, until I received a call from Chris Cecile at CJAM, asking if we'd be interested in doing the very same thing we'd just been discussing. I talked to some CBC Windsor reporters, and they're keen. Turns out the very same thing is happening in Calgary:

For immediate release Calgary the first city to get CBC-calibre journalism back on air Locked out CBC staff to broadcast live programming from CJSW Calgary, AB. (August 19, 2005) - Calgary CBC fans rejoice! CBC-calibre journalism returns to the airwaves Monday August 22 when a dozen locked-out CBC Calgary journalists, producers and technicians begin live weekly radio broadcasts of their own news and current affairs program. The program will be produced and broadcast from the studios of CJSW, the University of Calgary's Students' Association radio station. The new weekly program will air Mondays from 11:00 a.m. - Noon, beginning August 22 on CJSW, 90.9 on the FM dial and will feature CBC journalists including Kathleen Petty of CBC Newsworld, Doug Dirks of CBC Television, and Judy Aldous, Jennifer Keene and Jim Brown of CBC Radio. The CJSW signal is heard throughout Calgary and surrounding municipalities. The broadcast will air one week after 5,500 CBC journalists, producers and technicians across Canada were locked out by CBC management in response to ongoing contract negotiations with the Canadian Media Guild. It will be the first radio programming in Canada by CBC staff since the lockout began. "We hope to bring CBC-level journalism back to faithful CBC Calgary listeners," said Fred Youngs, Executive Producer of CBC Newsworld in Calgary, and a member of the Canadian Media Guild. "Quality news coverage is something they have been missing since the lockout began, and we will tell, from a Canadian perspective, stories that matter to Canadians. One of the stories we hope to cover is our own: what is happening at the CBC and why."

The lockout unlocks the ideal CBC

2005-08-18T18:47:00.000-04:00

Russell from the Globe and Mail thinks that Radio Two sounds better during the lockout:

"No announcers. No letters being read about people's pets or retirements. No giggling 'personalities.' No folk-jazz, folk-pop or folk-classical. It's uninterrupted heaven -- and exactly what Radio Two should be."

(A Globe INSIDER Edition subscription is required to access this story. You can sign up for a free trial, or try your luck at BugMeNot.)

Dan pickets for a second day

2005-08-18T18:28:00.000-04:00

Today was my second day on the picket line, and my first full 8 hour shift. I don't think I've ever drank more water. Or worn more SPF 45 sunscreen. I arrived at 9:00 AM, and smiled when a colleague piped up, "I saw Dan Misener's blog last night." The morning passed quickly. I got a chance to walk and talk with some people I hadn't seen in a while, including the not-back-from-vacation-but-here-for-support Tony Doucette. Also chatted about Flickr and del.icio.us with Sue Braiden. For the most part, conversations were still CBC and lockout-related. But hey, when you're walking around the CBC building with your CBC co-workers during a CBC lockout, it's hard to focus on much else. Other local unions dropped by with treats (iced cappuccino!), including CAW Local 195 and the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association. Thanks! I consider myself lucky. I'm young, and I'm portable, and I can live cheap. Most of what I own here fits in a couple of large Rubbermaid totes. I don't have a spouse, kids, car payments, or a mortgage. Our strike pay is pretty good, and if the lockout continues, I'll be able to eke out a humble existence. I'm not so worried about myself or those close to retirement -- we'll be OK. It's my colleagues and friends with spouses, kids, cars, and mortgages that I'm worried about. My fingers are crossed.

A breath of fresh air

2005-08-18T00:16:00.000-04:00

And finally, before I go to bed to rest for what is sure to be another thrilling day on the picket line, here's a non-lockout related post. Via the del.icio.us "radio" tag feed comes a recent Columbia Journalism Review interview with Ira Glass, one of my radio heroes. It's called Ira Glass on Working in Television, Public Radio's Struggle For Innovation, and Hanging Up On People. Read. Enjoy. Think about making great radio.

And the CBC lockout blogs keep rolling in...

2005-08-18T00:15:00.000-04:00

Just stumbled across Jennifer's blog. She touches on an interesting phenomenon, one that a colleague and I discussed earlier today:

... eventually a few of us hang our signs in the trees to throw around a Frisbee. I feel guilty after about half an hour, so I put my sign back on to do the long boring walk some more.

There seem to be unwritten rules and expectations on the picket line. But where do these feelings of obligation come from? Besides serving as a public display, what the is function of picketing? Why do I feel guilty when I stop to sit down or have a drink?

Do you speak Inuktitut?

2005-08-17T23:32:00.000-04:00

I don't, but close to thirty thousand Canadians do. From the wires, an interesting story about how the lockout is affecting northern audiences:

"If you're a unilingual Inuktitut speaker, you can't even get information on why you can't get information."

Bored?

2005-08-17T23:12:00.000-04:00

Joshua at Torontoist has a few suggestions for what to do during the "projected 6-week work stoppage" (I don't know where this figure came from).

I pray...

2005-08-17T22:42:00.000-04:00

Following the discussion on Darryl's blog led me to an Anglican priest's take on the lockout:

As a member of the clergy I am extremely concerned for the welfare of our public institutions because I see the need for and the benefit of them. We need to be kept informed of what is going on in this world of ours and that is something the CBC did very well. I pray that this situation will be resolved quickly and for the benefit of all.

Picketing: Day 1 for Dan

2005-08-17T19:37:00.000-04:00

I just got home after my first shift picketing outside CBC Windsor. I arrived at the lunch hour, and though spirits seemed lifted by the barbecue lunch, it was clear that many of my colleagues were dead tired. To collect strike pay, CMG members must picket 20 hours per week, and for some, this was their third day in a row spent outside in the hot Windsor sun. I chose to pile my 20 hours at the end of the week, so I picketed 4 hours today, and will picket for 8 hours each tomorrow and Friday. Windsor is an interesting city for job action. It is Canada's automotive capitol, and the CAW is omnipresent in daily life for many. It's a union city, and the support I saw today certainly confirmed that. Along Riverside Drive, we got many honks and waves from drivers-by, which was nice. Also, some kind folks dropped by to chat, and brought with them water and fresh fruit. The act of picketing itself is mind-numbing. You walk from one edge of of the property to another, then back again, then repeat. No matter who you talk to, the topic of discussion always seems to be the lockout. Looking on the bright side of things, though, today I learned how to play petanque.

Apply now!

2005-08-17T11:36:00.000-04:00

It's nice to know that the CBC continues to post job openings. I applied for a campus/community radio job at CHRY earlier this week. Alternatively, if you're looking for work (media or otherwise), here are a few more sites to check out, courtesy of Liz "Please See Attached" Gesicki:

Please feel free to add to the list via comments.

Ottawa Sun Editorial

2005-08-17T11:07:00.000-04:00

And, via the aforementioned cbcwatch, a CBC lockout editorial from the Ottawa Sun called When nobody looks. Though it might be easy to shrug it off and say, "Those conservatives just don't get Canadian public broadcasting," much of the editorial rings troublingly true to my ears.

Silver linings?

2005-08-17T10:55:00.000-04:00

Over the past few days, I've really enjoyed finding and reading blogs by other CBC employees. It's nice to come across sites like Mind the Gap -- they serve as a reminder that there are other young public broadcasters who feel the same way I do. Working at a station full of veterans, it's sometimes easy to forget there are other people in the same boat: young, interested in a career, and worried.

Hello Toronto!

2005-08-16T22:48:00.000-04:00

Looks like Tod, Yvan, Ouimet, and I are now listed on cmgtoronto.ca under "Blogs." I plan to spend this coming weekend in Toronto. And since CMG members don't have to picket where they work, I may stay a few extra days and join my Toronto colleagues on the line. A special hello to the folks at CBL and Metro Morning (that link won't work, by the way, because most individual program pages are down).

cbcwatch

2005-08-16T16:41:00.000-04:00

Another good site to monitor these days: cbcwatch (rss).

CBC listener reax, take 2

2005-08-16T01:55:00.000-04:00

From Blogcritics.org: One Man's Opinion on the CBC Strike

What I can't accept from the CBC, though, is the massive push towards temp work. About a third of the CBC workforce right now consists of temps and contract workers. The CBC needs its full-time employees, and while it needs to be efficient it also needs to be the public network it has been since its inception. It's ridiculous to turn the CBC radio and television networks into a carbon copy of what's already out there.

CBC presents one-sided point of view to audience

2005-08-15T19:35:00.000-04:00

Rhiannon brings up an excellent point. On its main site, CBC.ca, the corporation has posted this notice:

CBC is currently experiencing a labour disruption. Click here to go to the official CBC negotiations site.

The link takes you to the CBC-run cbcnegotiations.ca. And, as Rhiannon points out, "since the CBC is the employer in this situation, it's all one sided." Looking for some balance? I couldn't find a single link to the Canadian Media Guild on cbcnegotiations.ca. Nor is there an "external link" on the CBC's coverage of the lockout. Obviously, the corporation has a vested interest in presenting its side of the story. But even during the lockout, shouldn't the CBC provide both sides? Isn't that what journalistic balance is all about?

CBC Listeners React

2005-08-15T16:19:00.000-04:00

Just finished reading I am the face of my country / Expressionless and small at websnark.com, one of the first commentaries I've seen on CBC Radio's contingency programming. Worth a read.

CMG/CBC close to a stike/lockout

2005-08-14T14:12:00.000-04:00

We're less than 10 hours away from the expiry of the CBC's 72-hour lockout notice period. I keep checking cbcnegotiations.ca and cmg.ca. Last week, a colleague commented that the CMG/CBC negotiations seemed like a "bunch of teenagers bickering." I think it would have been interesting to set up a parallel set of negotiations with a bunch of teenagers. Who do you think would come to an agreement first?

Bye bye, bouncing tennis ball

2005-08-12T20:28:00.000-04:00

Peter has posted a solution to the CBC's banner ads.

CBC Files Lockout Notice in Negotiations with Canadian Media Guild

2005-08-11T23:11:00.000-04:00

In my email tonight.

August 11, 2005 CBC FILES LOCKOUT NOTICE IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADIAN MEDIA GUILD This evening, CBC made the difficult decision to provide the CMG with 72-hour lockout notice under the Canada Labour Code. The 72-hour notice period expires on Monday, August 15th at 12:01 a.m. if an agreement is not reached. Earlier today, CBC presented a revised comprehensive offer to CMG – one that is fair, competitive and realistic, one that recognizes the CBC’s business pressures and need for change, and that acknowledges the needs and aspirations of employees represented by CMG. It is hoped that discussions will accelerate so that we can reach agreement on all of the outstanding issues before the deadline. This is not a decision we took lightly. Despite CBC’s comprehensive offer from earlier today, no language has been agreed to since Sunday, August 7th. This is disappointing, and has given us no alternative but to serve lockout notice. CBC doesn’t want a work stoppage and we are extremely disappointed to have to take this action. However, after almost 15 months of negotiations, our key issues remain unresolved – issues which are crucial to CBC’s success as Canada’s national public broadcaster and as a well-managed company in a competitive media marketplace. For more information on our key issues, read our backgrounders at http://www.cbcnegotiations.ca/English/CBC-Issues--Interests.html. This does not automatically mean that a work stoppage will occur at that time. We are still at the bargaining table and CBC remains committed to reaching a negotiated collective agreement with the union. We recognize and regret the impact that this may have on our employees and our audiences and we remain hopeful that a deal can be reached by the deadline. To that end, CBC remains committed to trying to reach a negotiated collective agreement prior to the deadline. Jane Chalmers Richard Stursberg Vice-President Executive Vice-President CBC Radio CBC Television

Dan needs a job

2005-08-10T22:22:00.000-04:00

My contract at CBC Windsor is officially up on September 4. And with a strike/lockout looming, job prospects aren't looking good for September. A while ago, I applied for an Associate Producer job in Vancouver. Today I got an email from HR, letting me know that they'd "taken a second look at the technical component of this position, and have decided that it would be more appropriate to repost as an Association Producer/Technician." This may be good news, because AP/tech is my current position in Windsor. Judging by the job description, and what I've been doing this summer, I'm qualified. The unposting date is now August 23. I've got my fingers crossed. So right now, the plan for September is to move back to Toronto, and find work as a freelancer, or within the CBL casual pool.

Ads on CBC websites?

2005-08-09T15:46:00.000-04:00

The CBC Windsor main page now features advertising for American Express. Not sure what's up with this.

LiveSupport

2005-07-30T22:38:00.000-04:00

I like this idea: from campware.org comes LiveSupport, a "free and open source automation system for radio stations." Would love to know who's using this on-air.

Griffin iFM

2005-07-29T18:57:00.000-04:00

Could it be? Could the newly announced Griffin iFM finally be the solution that enables high quality recording on the iPod? It's plausable. The iFM is marketed as "a recording device, with a built in microphone to record voice, or change modes to capture live FM radio directly to the iPod!" Surely consumers wouldn't want to listen back to radio at the low bitrates that iPod imposes on recordings. But... sadly that's the case. The iFM technical specs page lists the recorded file quality as "8kHz, 16-bit mono WAV files (as specified by iPod)." Still an interesting product idea. But I won't be buying one.

Morning Becomes Eclectic Becomes Podcast

2005-07-26T21:19:00.000-04:00

This is pretty cool. From 43 Folders comes news that NPR's Morning Becomes Eclectic (or at least parts thereof) is now available as a podcast.

2005-07-26T14:36:00.000-04:00

From last Friday's Romenesko newsletter, comes a link to Eric Zorn's Put your feet up, there's more to flip-flop story:

A lot of news, both serious and silly, starts this way--small observations or nagging questions that someone can't shake and finally pursues, often after crashing through the barrier of doubt that anyone else cares.

Couldn't have put it any better myself.

MicroTrack 2496

2005-07-24T22:31:00.000-04:00

I was excited when CDM first reported on M-Audio's FlashTracker/MicroTrack recording unit. Now it looks like this little unit is official. A pro-quality digital recorder with headphone monitoring, USB transfers, and phantom power? For 500 dollars? Not too shabby. Unlike the Edirol R-1 I've been coveting, it doesn't have built-in mics. And hopefully unlike the Edirol R-1, it won't be perpetually on backorder.

Listen for me tomorrow

2005-07-19T20:28:00.000-04:00

If you tune into your local CBC morning show tomorrow (Wednesday, July 20), you might hear me talking about the new LCD displays at Tim Hortons. I did the piece in my spare time last week, and it's being syndicated across the network tomorrow. From today's Content Factory outlook:

TIM HORTONS SCREENS Tim Hortons is adding a new item to its menu. Or rather, the new item is the menu. Video displays are being installed in Tim Hortons menu boards across the country. The CBC's Dan Misener visited his local Tim's to find out what customers are saying about the new screens. RUNS 3:57

Rose Parade

2005-07-19T20:25:00.000-04:00

What's better news than hearing that Laura Peek is back on the air at CKDU with The Rose Parade? News that she's simul/podcasting, of course. Check it out.

A fun present in the mail today

2005-07-11T22:29:00.000-04:00

I have begun to enjoy the sight of packages bearing the mark of Alliance Atlantis. A copy of Back to Breaks: The True Sounds From The Original Block Parties arrived in my mailbox at work via Jenna. Words cannot descibe how perfect much of this music is for radio scoring. Just take a look at the track list.

The Big 8

2005-07-11T22:22:00.000-04:00

Manny at work gave me a copy of this NPR documentary on CKLW. Kind of neat to think that I work in the same building that these broadcasts came from.

Popped Culture is podcasting

2005-07-11T22:11:00.000-04:00

As Jessica mentions in this comment, the CKDU Pop Culture Collective's Popped Culture is now podcasting. I listened to the first episode of the new season a few days ago, and it's excellent. Almost enough to make me want to move to Halifax and join the collective. A quick check of the CKDU podcasting site shows that Popped Culture joins Let's Get Baked's podcast and What's New Mitsou?'s podcast, to bring CKDU's podcast simulcast count up to 3. Way to go!

Thoughts on Odeo

2005-06-23T13:18:00.000-04:00

Last night, I requested an invite to Odeo, Noah Glass and Evan Williams's new podcasting portal. Shortly after, I received an invitation, and signed up. Odeo claims to offer its users a podcasting holy trinity: "Listen, Sync, Create." On the "Listen" level, Odeo is a user-friendly podcast directory. It's got some nice features: tagging (a la Flickr), audio previews and individual Odeo RSS feeds for each podcast, comments, and personalized subscription lists and queues. I was able to browse podcasts, listen to samples, view past episodes (or "Shows," as Odeo calls them), and add feeds and shows to my subscription list and queue. To actually get content onto my iPod, I had to download the OdeoSyncr. As a podcatching app, the Mac version is pretty bare-bones. There's a big pink "Sync Now" button, and a link to an online settings page. Simple as it was, it performed its stated functions; it connected to Odeo, got a list of my feeds, and downloaded them into iTunes. The About page states that the program is based on iPodder, feedparser, and BitTorrent technology. Downloads seemed a bit slow, so perhaps this client is using some sort of distributed peer-to-peer network to alleviate server strain? Additionally, it would be nice if OdeoSyncr could add ID3 info to content before putting it in iTunes (like iPodderX does). Then I could use my existing iTunes smart playlists to filter content. The "Create" section of the site isn't up and running yet. The page says "We're not ready to open the doors on the Create side of Odeo's "Listen, Sync, Create" just yet, because we want to make sure everything's working well and can handle the demand." But, I successfully added Metro Morning's podcast to the directory, and was able to download content. Frustratingly, only one of the four daily items (the oldest) was automatically added to my download queue. All-in-all, Odeo's not there yet. Promising, though. Then again, if Apple can build some sort of magical tagging system into its podcasting support for iTunes, I'll have no use for Odeo. Technorati tags: podcasting, odeo

Memento pilot

2005-06-12T14:15:00.000-04:00

Memento is a show idea I pitched to the CBC Radio Program Development Group earlier this year. Though they didn't want it, I decided to produce a pilot as my senior practicum project for Ryerson. I finally got around to uploading the pilot to PRX.org. It's not 100% yet -- there's still tweaking I'd like (and plan) to do. But in the meantime, please have a listen and let me know what you think.

BBC Podcast Trial

2005-06-10T14:53:00.000-04:00

Via the BBC Backstage site, comes news that the "BBC Podcast Trial running throughout 2005 has now got an index page from which you can subscribe to indivdual feeds taken from any one of the radio programmes participating."