Since this show isn’t actually out yet, it’s hard to comment on what it will be like, but this then becomes an opportunity to ‘pushback’ (that term you like so much) on a couple of other Gillmor-memes (yes, the obvious ones, so just delete my comment if it will bore everyone to tears).

I don’t think any of us begrudge you your experiments; this one sounds interesting, although really it isn’t always to listen between the conversations [audio equivalent of reading between the lines?] when we’re not as familiar with the topic as the participants. But still I look forward to hearing it. But of course this is reminiscent of the ‘links are dead’ controversy [sic]. Discounting what I actually hope is your enjoyment of stirring the pot, I think the argument there does forget one aspect of links: they’re for linking. That is, yes, they are gamed, or easily can be, as global indicators of interest and importance. But if I want to point my readers to something specific, it seems appropriate to actually link. (I’m an astrophysicist, and there’s not always an easy path to some of the technical information I want to point to.) Indeed, didn’t Dave Winer once claim links as one of the ‘core values’ of blogging at a BloggerCon a few years back?!

I feel I would be remiss if I didn’t at least comment on the cutting-the-Gang-into-segments controversy [again, sic]. One thing I don’t you’ve ever really explained is *why* you do it: just to generate this ‘push-back’? So we hear the interminable advertisements? Just to annoy us and your Gang members? At present, there is only one mild positive aspect: since the episodes come as MP3s and not AAC files, they don’t restart where they leave off. Hence, it’s slightly easier for me to rememember that I was somewhere in part III than that I was 46 minutes into the program. But I think I would be willing to give that up…

Finally, I ran into newly-minted UK pod star Hugh this week. Please get him on a strict health regimen, teach him to quiet down when he’s not actually speaking, but do bring him back!

Hmmm, can’t believe I’ve just spent/wasted/enjoyed so much time and effort on this when I should be doing something productive (or at least astrophysical…)!

Andrew

I think the experiment was valuable. Michael Parkinson, one of TVs great interviewers, is a worthy study. Often so much more powerful for what he does not say than what he does … in creative terms, letting things breathe. There is power in silence though with so many smart and creative people on the call, and with the audience in mind, people remain nervous about dead air so instinctually want to fill it. Predictably Jason seized the reins, but he does that - in the most creative and useful way - even when you ARE speaking up. This way he just had some more airtime to teach Arrington how to cut deals and poach talent.

Andrew - my guess is that Steve cuts the Gangs into 5 because the act of cutting the show up is a gesture in itself, which creates even more attention, which in turns creates gestures like your post and mine. If audience engagement is more important than sheer numbers, I suspect this tactic works. Love it or hate it, people still tune in. I fast foward and don’t care, in fact kind of proud that I have it down to a fine art. The new UK Podshow plugs ahead of the Earthlink ads screw with the timing a little, but I expect Steve is smiling as he reads this because my ad recall is superb, even though I am fast forwarding. Hmmm.

I expect he’ll never actually answer the critics because (a) it’s his show and he can do whatever he wants and (b) leaving the question unanswered is itself an interesting gesture. The memes of the show always being the last show, Steve not being in charge of anything, cutting up the show into 5 parts and the regular hiring and firing and resigning and reintating of Gang members is all part of the experiment. Not sure what it means to others, but for me it says that so many of the things we take for granted in traditional media are wrong, and don’t matter.

I loved the mix of enterprise (I work for Progress who with there Sonic Division are leaders in the SOA/ESB market) and WEB 2.0 stuff on the show.

I have come to understand the ads at the start, I don’t listen to them, but I understand them (You should sell a one or two word ad that you throw out at the end of the ad (thats the only part I normally catch)). I under stand the split up and in fact look forward to the show hitting the six section mark (because thats more interesting content for me (I am greedy like that). I have to say GG is the one Podcast when I see it available, I don’t even let my Podcatcher go get it, I go get it myself!

Keep up the outstanding work and I hope you come on the show as a guest some time!

Molly