Podcasting: Producer’s Experience

One year ago, I knew absolutely nothing about podcasting. If someone told me that I would soon become the producer of a podcast, I probably would have accused him of insanity. Podcasting was a foreign entity to me, entertaining boring adults and inhabiting a world far away from my own.

But contrary to my prior belief, I did indeed become involved in podcasting. It was spring of my sophomore year; I needed a project for the Honors Program, and Mrs. Kreider wanted help launching a MFS podcast. The timing was impeccable. Mrs. Kreider approached me, explaining her idea for an MFS podcast. Could I help produce it? Although apprehensive, I agreed to the idea.

Throughout the remainder to the spring and the summer, I began to learn about podcasting. I listened to popular broadcasts from iTunes (recommended by Mrs. Kreider), researched the history of podcasts, and read excerpts of noteworthy science writing. Mrs. Kreider’s enthusiasm became contagious. “This is the future of writing,” she told me. “You just wait and see.”

Fall arrived, as did the official beginning of the MFS podcast. By now, we decided upon a name for it: Science Among Friends. The seniors in Chemistry III began to record podcasts, discussing and exploring various branches of science. I organized meetings, recorded the introduction to each podcast, and wrote the narrative summarizing the podcast. By October, the podcast was well underway. We bumped into a dilemma, however. We only had one place to record: the computer lab with the Mac. Constantly abuzz with chatter and filled with students, the lab proved an extremely inconvenient and difficult spot to record. Luckily, we eventually purchased a laptop, just for podcasting. Within a day, the process of recording became much smoother.

Just in February, the podcasts aired on iTunes. The MFS community took great interest in the development. Students approached me, proudly declaring, “I listened to a podcast!” Everyone involved in the project basked in the glory of seeing the product of months’ hard work. As of now, my favorite podcasts include Eric’s “Quick Personality Profiles” and Shaina’s “The Importance of Breakfast.” Personally, I do not know where the podcast will lead (as discussed above, I obviously have no ability to guess my future). But I do hope the podcast leads somewhere unexpected, coloring the future with excitement.