Are you really ready to podcast?

Every time I hear the voice of Bob Connors, John Corby, (610 am) or my son, I am reminded that not everyone has a voice for radio. These men are magnificent--a pleasure to the ear (yes, ladies, I'm still taking applications for a daughter-in-law). Now with so many experts, journalists and bloggers going to podcasts I have at least two problems. Oral/aural comprehension is my disability. While my brain is sifting through your prepositional phrases pondering how they fit with the subject and predicate, you have moved on a few paragraphs. But also, it's your voice. Mumbly. Nasal. Slurred. Muffled. Too high. Too low. Ticks of speech. Inappropriate laughs. Microphone noises.

I tried to leave this comment for a woman blogger who was interviewed at a podcast, but her spam filter screened me out, I think. At least it asked several times for the secret code, and I never did see a message that reported success. So here it is, and it's for all you folks who would be shown the door if you applied to do voice-overs.

I listened to the first few minutes. I much prefer to read information, but do occasionally click to a podcast. I have a suggestion that will make this easier for listeners. I'm not sure when it started (1980s?), but the habit of speakers and lecturers raising the voice at the end of a sentence or phrase as though it had a question mark, is so difficult for the listener. That's our cue for "question?" Perhaps a little practice with play back could fix that. Women seem to do it more than men, and I suspect it began as an attempt to sound more tenuous, less threatening and not so assertive as women moved into positions of power and management. Now, it's just a habit.