Podcasts! You know them you love them and here’s where I’m going to tell you about my favorites. This is going to be a semi-regular feature (at least until I run out of podcasts to talk about) where I tell you why you should listen and support a podcast I enjoy and hopefully you’ll give it a shot and enjoy it too. So let’s get started.
Search Engine was created in 2007 by host Jesse Brown as show dealing with internet technology and culture and their impacts both on and offline. It aired on CBC Radio1 weekly for almost a year before it was canceled, so that the team could work on stories for other CBC shows, but that wasn’t going to keep it down. Shortly after the cancellation was announced a facebook group, Saving CBC’s Search Engine, was started to protest this decision and get the show back on the air. While not able to get the show back on the radio it was resurrected in zombie podcast form, whereby every Monday a new short episode is posted online.
It’s a bit of a collabrative effort and stories can be pitched at both the Search Engine blog and facebook group and both often have interactive features where you can submit questions for interviews or calls to action on certain topics. It’s also good to check out the blog every once in a while as stories that may not necessarily be aired are posted there.
If you go back into the archives a bit to before the show was canceled there are a few good reoccurring segments worth checking out but the two best are Copyfight and The best of Craigslist. Copyfight with BoingBoing’s Cory Doctorow deals with internet copyright issues and is very informative if a little biased. The best of Craigslist has Craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster reading, in the vein of Ben Stein, a selection of some of Craigslist’s more excentric postings.
On a more serious note I just want to note some of the accomplishments of Search Engine. It has successfully taken on the Conservative government of Canada and helped lead the opposition to the proposed draconian copyright reforms bill (C-60 for those interested) and through lobbying and listener help managed to get themselves uncensored in China. Praxis!
This is a real labor of love for all those involved and if you have any interest in the impact of the internet on our culture and society you should check it out. There are RSS feeds at the blog and of course you can also subscribe through iTunes.
So if you like it, hate it, or have a suggestion for another podcast, or just feel like spamming leave a comment.