Leo Challenges Podcasting Assumptions

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Lots of people assume that you need to do short podcasts. After all, people’s time is valuable, right? And we’re all overloaded with too much info anyway.

But Leo asked his audience and 20,000 people responded, Phil Windley reported from a keynote Leo did today. They told him “do longer, more technical podcasts.”

Leo’s show? It’s TWiT. Length? 120 minutes.

That said, on ScobleShow you won’t find me shying away from weird length podcasts and videoblogs. Why do we need to fit into a format? If it only takes three minutes to demo a product, why take six? On the other hand, if walking through San Francisco with Thomas Hawk is interesting, even after two hours, why shorten it to 10 minutes?

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Published by Robert Scoble

I give you a front-row seat on the future. Focusing most of my efforts now on next-generation augmented reality and artificial intelligence, AKA "mixed reality." SUBSCRIBE TO MY NEWSLETTER: http://clevermoe.com/scobleizer-news/ BUY OUR NEW BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Fourth-Transformation-Robert-Scoble/dp/1539894444 "The Fourth Transformation: How augmented reality and artificial intelligence will change everything." WATCH MY LATEST SPEECHES: State of VR with Philip Rosedale (done in VR itself, very cool): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zAA1EVGUZU At GEOINT, June 2017: http://trajectorymagazine.com/glimpse-new-world/ Augmented World Expo, June 2017: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4xHILvLD8E At Leade.rs, April 2017: https://youtu.be/52_0JshgjXI +++++++++++ BIO: Scoble gives you a front-row seat on the future. Literally. He had the first ride in the first Tesla. Siri was launched in his house. He's been the first to share all sorts of technologies and companies with you, from Flipboard to Pandora to Instagram. Today he's focusing on mixed reality, AKA "next-generation augmented reality" which will include a new user interface for EVERYTHING in your life (IoT, Smart Cities, driverless cars, robots, drones, etc). That's based on his view thanks to his past experience as futurist at Rackspace. Best place to find Scoble? On his Facebook profile at https://www.facebook.com/RobertScoble He has been a technology blogger since 2000, was one of five people who built Microsoft's Channel 9 video blog/community, worked at Fast Company Magazine running its TV efforts, and has been part of technology media businesses since 1993. ++++++++ SPEAKER PITCH: Apple and Facebook now have revealed their Augmented Reality strategies, which means your business needs one too. Rely on Robert Scoble, the world's top authority on AR, to bring to your conference what businesses should do next. SPEECH ABSTRACT #1: TITLE: The Fourth Transformation: What's next in mixed reality (AR and AI) and the future of technology? Here's an example of this talk at Leade.rs in Paris in April, 2017: https://youtu.be/52_0JshgjXI Why "the Fourth Transformation?" Soon we will have phones and glasses that do full on augmented reality. Everything you look at will potentially be augmented. This world is coming in late 2017 with a new iPhone from Apple, amongst other products. Microsoft is betting everything on its HoloLens glasses that do mixed reality and the industry is spending many billions of dollars in R&D and funding new companies like Magic Leap. This future will be the user interface for IoT, Smart Cities, autonomous cars, robots, drones, and your TV. This is a big deal and Robert will take you through what mixed reality is and how it will change every business. Learn more about Robert's speaking style and contact his agent at http://odemanagement.com/robert-scoble/Robert-Scoble.html ++++++++ SPEECH ABSTRACT #2: "The Next Two Clicks of Moore's Law." Over the next four years, or two clicks of Moore's Law, a ton about our technology world will change. Scoble will bring you the best from his travels visiting R&D labs, startups, and innovators around the world. He views the world through his rose-colored-mixed-reality glasses, which will be the new user interface for self driving cars, Smart Cities, IoT, and many other things in our world. He'll send you off with some lessons for companies both large and small. ++++++++ SPEECH ABSTRACT #3: "Personalized Meaning: What is Augmented Reality For?" As we enter a far more technological world where even cars drive themselves, I predict we'll see a blowback toward the analog, more authentic world. What role does augmented reality play in both worlds? Get Scoble's insight into where augmented reality is going, see tons of real-world demos, and understand what he means by 'personalized meaning.' CONTACT: If you are looking to contact me, email is best: scobleizer@gmail.com. ++++++++ ENDORSEMENTS: IZEA Top 25 Tech Influencers: https://izea.com/2017/07/07/25-top-tech-influencers/ Time: One of the top 140 Twitterers! FT: One of the five most influential Twitterers! Inc. Top 5 on list of Tech Power Players You Need to Know: http://www.inc.com/john-rampton/30-power-players-in-tech-you-need-to-know.html Next Reality: #4 on top 50 AR influencer list: https://next.reality.news/news/nr50-next-realitys-50-people-watch-augmented-mixed-reality-0177454/

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22 thoughts on “Leo Challenges Podcasting Assumptions”

  1. Good. I actually look at how much time I have available (20 minutes, 90, 13, whatever) and then look at my “reading list” to see what fits the time frame and interests me. My day doesn’t revolve around the damn minute hand, and neither should my information streams!

    Rob

    Like

  2. Good. I actually look at how much time I have available (20 minutes, 90, 13, whatever) and then look at my “reading list” to see what fits the time frame and interests me. My day doesn’t revolve around the damn minute hand, and neither should my information streams!

    Rob

    Like

  3. Actually the last part of your post, “If it only takes three minutes to demo a product, why take six?” reminds me of a story – from way back in 1994 or so – at MacWorld, SF. The company I worked for had developed a Wireless LAN adapter for the Apple Newton (and we later added GPS, CDMA, backlighting, etc), but my job was to walk around the show floor with this “Newton on Steroids” and demo it.

    That basically consisted of using a LocalTalk connected camera, clicking a very low resolution picture of someone and telling them where they could go (our booth) to pick up the print out of the photo.

    Anyway, Computer Chronicles stopped me and asked what I did, I told them, then they asked for an “on air demo”. It took me about 15 seconds to do my thing and show them some pretty amazing technology for the time… and they said, “Is that it?”. And I responded, “Yes, it makes for a crappy demo, but a damned good product. It just works. And you don’t have to think about it”.

    That’s the key to success in almost any venture – it “just works” and “you don’t have to think about it”.

    Rob

    Like

  4. Actually the last part of your post, “If it only takes three minutes to demo a product, why take six?” reminds me of a story – from way back in 1994 or so – at MacWorld, SF. The company I worked for had developed a Wireless LAN adapter for the Apple Newton (and we later added GPS, CDMA, backlighting, etc), but my job was to walk around the show floor with this “Newton on Steroids” and demo it.

    That basically consisted of using a LocalTalk connected camera, clicking a very low resolution picture of someone and telling them where they could go (our booth) to pick up the print out of the photo.

    Anyway, Computer Chronicles stopped me and asked what I did, I told them, then they asked for an “on air demo”. It took me about 15 seconds to do my thing and show them some pretty amazing technology for the time… and they said, “Is that it?”. And I responded, “Yes, it makes for a crappy demo, but a damned good product. It just works. And you don’t have to think about it”.

    That’s the key to success in almost any venture – it “just works” and “you don’t have to think about it”.

    Rob

    Like

  7. Candidates for alphageek interviews-w3c,ietf,osdl,grid.org,mit-media lab,and finally professors of computer/materials science,design,and ee. Bore us with the ugly details. Enough of the tech trends for dummies, interview the brightest of the bright who can articulate true insights and share wisdom that creates lasting memories, not disposable tidbits.

    Like

  8. Candidates for alphageek interviews-w3c,ietf,osdl,grid.org,mit-media lab,and finally professors of computer/materials science,design,and ee. Bore us with the ugly details. Enough of the tech trends for dummies, interview the brightest of the bright who can articulate true insights and share wisdom that creates lasting memories, not disposable tidbits.

    Like

  9. Robert,

    To the best of my knowledge, TWiT has never reached 120 minutes. In the early days of that podcast, I remember Leo making a point that he wanted people to be able to fit it onto a CD, because many people without mp3 players would do that and listen to it in their car.

    So if you look at the history of TWiT podcasts, most fall under 1:20, which means 80 minutes not 120.

    Scott

    Like

  10. Robert,

    To the best of my knowledge, TWiT has never reached 120 minutes. In the early days of that podcast, I remember Leo making a point that he wanted people to be able to fit it onto a CD, because many people without mp3 players would do that and listen to it in their car.

    So if you look at the history of TWiT podcasts, most fall under 1:20, which means 80 minutes not 120.

    Scott

    Like

  11. I notice you guys are still using the word “podcasts.” Proving a point that those of us who don’t hate Apple have made in several threads.

    As for podcast length, audio podcasts should be short in most cases. No more than five to ten minutes for a given topic, unless there are several substantive points to make.. I think people are willing to devote a longer attention span to video anything.

    Like

  12. I notice you guys are still using the word “podcasts.” Proving a point that those of us who don’t hate Apple have made in several threads.

    As for podcast length, audio podcasts should be short in most cases. No more than five to ten minutes for a given topic, unless there are several substantive points to make.. I think people are willing to devote a longer attention span to video anything.

    Like

  13. That’s very true. Why drag out a podcast to x2 the time that’s necessary to get the job done. If your podcast goes for 120mins then so be it, if you only have enough content to go for 10mins, then leave it 10mins.

    No podcast should have to ‘fit’ into a specific format. Depending on the type of content you have on your podcast, that should determine the length. If you have a discussion podcast (ie.TWiT) then of course it will go longer than say a daily news podcast.

    Like

  14. That’s very true. Why drag out a podcast to x2 the time that’s necessary to get the job done. If your podcast goes for 120mins then so be it, if you only have enough content to go for 10mins, then leave it 10mins.

    No podcast should have to ‘fit’ into a specific format. Depending on the type of content you have on your podcast, that should determine the length. If you have a discussion podcast (ie.TWiT) then of course it will go longer than say a daily news podcast.

    Like

  17. You can do three hours a day (sometimes four), even sans video, if you are Rush Limbaugh. But non-performer, non-media’ite techie-Exec interview’s usually tap out at about 15 minutes…now demo’s, walk-thru’s and tours can (sometimes) go on a tad longer.

    And TWIT is a narrowcast audience, the nicher, the longer you can go. Food TV can get away with an hour long program on radishes, but the big number networks can’t.

    And true, no “podcast” has to fit any format, but if you want the pod to go broad(cast), it surely does. I’d more like something News Magazine styled, forward pace, with a steady plot beat. Podcasts are too ‘film what talks and moves’, heck it will interest someone. And it does in a limited sense, but that doesn’t scale. But on the flipside, value in niche programming, as long as you treat it as such.

    Like

  18. You can do three hours a day (sometimes four), even sans video, if you are Rush Limbaugh. But non-performer, non-media’ite techie-Exec interview’s usually tap out at about 15 minutes…now demo’s, walk-thru’s and tours can (sometimes) go on a tad longer.

    And TWIT is a narrowcast audience, the nicher, the longer you can go. Food TV can get away with an hour long program on radishes, but the big number networks can’t.

    And true, no “podcast” has to fit any format, but if you want the pod to go broad(cast), it surely does. I’d more like something News Magazine styled, forward pace, with a steady plot beat. Podcasts are too ‘film what talks and moves’, heck it will interest someone. And it does in a limited sense, but that doesn’t scale. But on the flipside, value in niche programming, as long as you treat it as such.

    Like

  19. Scott: I had dinner tonight with Leo. He says their longest TWiT was 121 minutes, but usually they aim for less than 70 — mostly because AOL redistributes their shows and their workflow includes putting it on CD, which can only hold about 70 minutes of audio.

    Like

  20. Scott: I had dinner tonight with Leo. He says their longest TWiT was 121 minutes, but usually they aim for less than 70 — mostly because AOL redistributes their shows and their workflow includes putting it on CD, which can only hold about 70 minutes of audio.

    Like

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