I think podcasting is a natural medium for fandom, but it sometimes takes a significantly different skill set than a fanzine. My podcast is more or less scripted, with a number of diversions and improvisations, so in that way it's not entirely dissimilar to a zine. But also, a fanzine is a craft and a podcast is a performance. You're essentially whispering in your audience's ears, so it's more intimate and you're less able to hide yourself than you are with a fanzine. Phoniness comes across more easily, as does passion.
Having said that, I still don't have a problem with fanzines and podcasts competing in an award. Both can easily be made accessible to the voters: one as pdf the other as mp3. But I do think this is a conversation we should be having. I'd love to see an emergence of podcasting as a fannish medium. Someone like Rob Jan would be the perfect person to help fandom learn the medium. His radio show Zero Gee is a podcast in all but name. The only things that vary are the resources, the quality and the delivery mechanism.
I also agree that the most strident voices get the hearing. As a sometimes strident voice, I can say it is very satisfying to be one. But that's why I think LJ and other media are a good fora for exploring ideas. Quieter voices can have a say and an opportunity to persuade.
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Date: 2009-06-01 01:30 pm (UTC)Having said that, I still don't have a problem with fanzines and podcasts competing in an award. Both can easily be made accessible to the voters: one as pdf the other as mp3. But I do think this is a conversation we should be having. I'd love to see an emergence of podcasting as a fannish medium. Someone like Rob Jan would be the perfect person to help fandom learn the medium. His radio show Zero Gee is a podcast in all but name. The only things that vary are the resources, the quality and the delivery mechanism.
I also agree that the most strident voices get the hearing. As a sometimes strident voice, I can say it is very satisfying to be one. But that's why I think LJ and other media are a good fora for exploring ideas. Quieter voices can have a say and an opportunity to persuade.