Everytime I click on an interesting sounding link and it drops me at a podcast page, I feel annoyed and disappointed. Podcasts take forever, are filled with all the ramblings of an ordinary coversation, and feel like terrible ways of conveying information. I feel like I could read the contents of a hour long podcast in 5-10 minutes, and listening to people stumble along is tiresome and frustrating to me, and often results in me just giving up on listening before the ‘cast’ gets interesting (assuming it every actually does.).
Am I strange? Do other people love this medium? Why is it so popular these days? Is it just because it’s easier to have a couple of people ramble into microphones for an hour than it is to actually sit down and type something? What the advantages from the listeners’ end? I guess there are situations in which you can listen but can’t read - the obvious one being ‘while driving’ - but I don’t have many of those in my life.
I am not a heavy podcast listener but I never miss This American Life on my Monday morning drive. There is an art to oral storytelling that I enjoy and though I could read the same story, it’s just not the same.
No, I don’t think you’re strange. I agree with you.
When I taught, the principal was big on having the kids do podcasts. Junior high kids rambling on, losing their place, and giggling is interesting to their parents, no one else.
Seems odd to me, but everyone’s tastes are different. I listen to a lot of podcasts from produced shows to the described rambling depending on the people and subject. Far preferable to current talk radio or music stations that repeat the same songs over and over.
That’s quite possible. There’s nothing that makes me want to listen to a podcast less than bad audio or shudder the soft mashing of something being eaten.
I pretty much only listen to podcasts when I’m driving or at work where readings not really an option. I wouldn’t really want a podcast for my free time, I’d rather read something then, too.
Yeah, it’s not even interesting to the parent but we have to pretend.
In general I don’t like podcasts. The only exception to that rule is Startalk Radio with Neil deGrasse Tyson. The format still annoys me a bit but the fun that they are obviously having while making the show comes through and keeps me listening.
I like podcasts quite a bit, but I also agree that I’d prefer written articles most of the time. The thing is, they fill completely different entertainment needs: articles are something that I can read quickly when I have a few free minutes, podcasts take much longer to consume and only really fit into my schedule when I’m driving. I can (and do) consume massive amounts of written material each day, especially if it’s a slow day at work; I’ve got two 30-minute podcast sessions each day at most, and sometimes I’d rather be listening to music, you know? So there’s definitely some frustration if a writer I like cuts back on articles to add a podcast, as more than a few have done over the past several years.
I used to really be in to listening to podcasts while I was working out. At least, the cardio bit. I listened to a lot of the How Stuff Works podcasts.
But then the “big” one, Stuff You Should Know, started getting really loose with their rambling and trailing off. I don’t quite know when in the timeline of the show that this happened, as I was listening to old shows and new shows randomly. But it became unbearable for me to listen to because I just can’t stand all of the “extra words.” And giggling, and anecdotes, and awful nonsense.
For some reason this really put me off all podcasts. Possibly because SYSK was the first one I started listening to and it helped me find the others. I know the others under the How Stuff Works umbrella were still tight and to-the-point, but I still got off them altogether.
They (HSW) did put out some movie-themed podcast and it was just awful. Just two women sitting around telling their personal movie-going anecdotes. It was like a bad SDMB thread being read out loud.
Anyway, not all podcasts are bad and not everyone dislikes rambling. But it definitely can be hard to find a well-edited, consistently “sharp” podcast if that’s what you crave.
And yes if you prefer the written word and are in a situation where you could just as easily read as listen then…podcasts don’t make any sense. But they make a lot of sense for a lot of people.
I think a big part of it is how it fits into your lifestyle. I almost never have time to sit down and read stuff uninterrupted, but my daily work routine in the lab involves a lot of mindless tedium (aka science). I can very easily listen to interesting things as I work, and I do.
That said, I agree that quality is vital. Good podcasts don’t involve a lot of rambling or chitchat; they’re focused, well-written, and professionally delivered. Tending toward British comedy as I do, I like the Daily Bugle and the QI elves’ There’s No Such Thing As A Fish. There are also some good history ones that I like.
I don’t care for podcasts, I’m MUCH rather read an article than listen to one.
The situations where some people like podcasts, like driving to work, I prefer to pay attention to my surroundings.
It’s just not my thing.
On the other hand, my spouse does not read for entertainment. He’d probably much prefer listening to a podcast. Reading just isn’t his thing. And that’s OK.
As long as podcasts are an option and not a mandate it’s fine.
They do, mostly, suck. There are a couple consistently good ones, like Dan Carlin for example. I listen to his as soon as they are released and I am working my way through older episodes from before I “discovered” him.
There are others, Generation Why comes to mind, where I often listen for a few minutes and shut off the episode. They manage to have an interesting and listenable episode just often enough to keep me from abandoning them entirely.
Podcasts remind me of public access TV from the 80’s.
That’s it for sure. Way too many people think “hey, i can talk and have a microphone. I can podcast!”. IIt’s like saying most documentaries suck because you’re including home movies.
Podcasts are good for special circumstances, like walking, working out, long drives, etc. To just ingest information, I don’t bother with them. I’m with those who say they’d much rather read an article.
I feel that way about video links, too. When I click on an interesting link and it takes me to a video, I leave instantly. Usually I don’t want to take the time, or I’m at a place where I can’t have the volume up. I can skim an article to get to the meat of what I want to know, but you can’t skim a video (or a podcast).
I do tedious work in front of a computer all day. I’m glad I can go to stitcher and listen to all sorts of inane ramblings that require little focus to follow. Of course, the idea of just sitting there, listening to one and doing nothing else would be awful.
But when used as a somewhat entertaining background noise, they are a godsend.
