This morning I would like to remind you about this interesting new means of internet communications called “netcasting.” It really isn’t new, if you call 3 years ancient in digital timelines. But netcasting is refined now and starting to make an impact on how information is shared these days. To state it simply, netcasting is comparable to radio broadcasting….. an audio “program” is distributed via internet instead of regular radio waves, but otherwise they are similar.
But netcasting has a couple of very big advantages over radio. One is the ability to store the program after it’s created and then download it to your computer (or mp3 player) to be heard anytime at your convenience. The other unique feature is one that is used whenever the netcast is sent out via a service called Blog Talk Radio. If you are listening to the “live” netcast, you can log in through the Blog Talk and be connected with the producers along with the other listeners much like a group instant-messaging connection. While the program is unfolding, you can interact with the other listeners and the people on the netcast can also watch the IM comments and respond directly to them, if they choose.
When it comes to the Fire / EMS side of things, the fast-growing and popular netcast appropriately called Firefighter Netcast is leading the movement.
Firefighter Netcast is produced by two of our FireEMSBlogs colleagues, Rhett Fleitz the Fire Critic, and John Mitchell of Fire Daily fame. They got together earlier this year and made a committment to producing a top-notch show with quality guests and using the best available equipment to make it a truly professional production.
They were sharing our booth at the recently-concluded Firehouse Expo in Baltimore and where they set up and recorded more than a dozen interviews with notable fire/rescue leaders. It was great having them there with us and their production drew a lot of interest from the visitors who passed by our booth.
At first they were producing a weekly show netcasting on Wednesday or Thursday nights. But the popularity and potential of the format rapidly led to a plan to gradually expand the offerings. Along with Rhett’s and John’s weekly get-together, they are also serving up regular netcasts hosted by noted building specialist Chief Christopher Naum who premiered his “Taking it to the Streets” program earlier this week. Another regular offering is Firefighter Storytellers with Tim Sendelbach.
Tonight, Thursday July 29, they will be sending out a netcast hosted by Chief Art Goodrich, publisher of the Chief Reason Art blog. The “promo” for the upcoming show tells:
On Thursday, July 29th, Firefighter Netcast Presents The Voice of Reason will welcome special guest Shawn Longerich, Executive Director for the Cyanide Poisoning Treatment Coalition (CPTC) and can be found on the world wide web at www.FireSmoke.org. The mission of the CPTC is to “focus the required attention and resources on the issues, the CPTC aims to increase awareness about the risk of fire smoke cyanide exposure as it relates to Awareness, Prevention, Protection, Detection, Diagnosis and Treatment”. Please join me and my guest, Shawn Longerich at 9:00 pm EDT on Thursday, July 29th for a very special evening as we explore the poisons in what we commonly call “smoke.”
The netcasts are normally scheduled to run from 9 – 11 pm Eastern, unless there is a special netcast coming along at a different time. I recommend that you take some time and go to the Firefighter Netcast home page HERE a little bit ahead of time and get acquainted with the layout and see how the past shows are archived for downloading. That is also where you can log in to the BlogTalk network to participate in tonight’s show while it’s live.
Personally, I am very enthusiastic about this concept and I’m also impressed with the professionalism and quality of John and Rhett’s production. Check it out. It’s definitely the format that will become the seminar of the future. Remember, that’s this evening at 9 pm Eastern time.
Speaking of checking it out, let’s get started on our morning equipment check. It’s still there and it still needs to be kept ready. While you get going with that, I will fix us some fresh coffee. See you back in the day room.
Also on FireGeezer…
- Morning Lineup – June 22 – June 22, 2010
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