CBA Record Feb-March 2018

Some podcasts that became so engrained in popular culture, such as Serial and S-Town (both from the creators of This American Life, which has a podcast of course), that you’ve probably heard of them even if you’ve never listened to a podcast. While you can discover podcasts to listen to via Google Play, iTunes and Spotify, curated lists are available from The Atlantic and The New York Times. Or discover them through iHeartRadio or SoundCloud. Many podcasts also have their own sup- porting websites. As noted podcasts are available episodically so you want to be able to listen to the next installment when it comes out, which means you will need to subscribe or check for updates. Are There Legal Podcasts? While there are many podcasts that investi- gate and discuss legal issues, politics of the day and other topics particularly germane to lawyers, there is a podcast network called The Legal Talk Network. This network is the new form of radio station. There are substantive law podcasts covering work- ers comp, insurance law and structured settlements. The Chicago Bar Association’s Young Lawyer Section is producing a pod- cast with Legal Talk Network. The new podcast, @theBar, features young lawyers interviewing a wide variety of guests on a variety of topics. Guests so far include retired Judge Richard Posner, IL state representative Greg Harris, and best sell- ing author of the Addicted Lawyer, Brian Cuban. Go to www.legaltalknetwork. com or www.chicagobar.org/atthebar to subscribe to @theBar. I Want to Make My Own If you think that making a podcast would be a great marketing tool for your firm or practice–it would! There are some DIY methods, but for maximum exposure and distribution you may want to work with a professional team to help with editing, producing and hosting. But, that is a topic for another Bits and Bytes article!

LPMT BITS & BYTES BY CATHERINE SANDERS REACH Podcasts: The Radio of the Future Is Here Now

Catherine Sanders Reach is the Director, LawPracticeManage- ment & Technology at the CBA. Visit www.chicagobar.org/lpmt for articles, how-to videos, upcoming training and CLE, services, and more. The Internet changed the way people consume radio. Internet radio became a new broadcast medium, passing through different airwaves and listened to in differ- ent ways. Traditional broadcasters began offering listeners options–traditional radio broadcast or websites that let users stream the station or access recorded programs on demand. Then came podcasts. B ack in the Golden Age of Radio, families gathered around the radio in the evening to listen to the next installment of the Lone Ranger or Little Orphan Annie. Or, at least that is how the scene is depicted in the movie A Christmas Story . People listened to the radio for news and entertainment, and the precursors to televised broadcasts were radio plays, adventure serials, variety hours and situ- ation comedies. Radio had an enormous impact on the way people consumed infor- mation, as well as entertainment. Radio has changed, but is still a domi- nant form of news, music, sports and dis- cussion and reaches 54% of the country’s population daily. Broadcasters strive for the “driveway moment”–when a story is so compelling that rather than leave the car radio a person will sit parked at home, lis- tening to the last word. Today broadcasters still want to deliver the driveway moment, though the listener can control when and where that happens.

What is a Podcast? Podcasts are recorded audio files, played at the listeners’ convenience on any number of portable devices, delivered in serial format, with the listener subscribing to get the next update. Why is it called a podcast? The word combined “iPod” and “broadcast”. However, the content can be accessed using any computer or device that can play media files. The use of the term “podcast” predates iTunes as a delivery mechanism for the files. What Do You Need to Listen to a Podcast? To listen to a podcast you need a device, such as an iPhone, Android phone, iPad Touch, iPad, laptop or desktop. The device will need to be able to access the Internet, either wirelessly or through a cable. Pod- casts are audio file so you will need a way to play them. Most computers have built in audio players and on practically any device you can listen to podcasts through iTunes or Google Play Music via a web browser. Your phone or tablet may already have a podcast app installed. iPhone/iPad users can use the Apple Podcasts app and Android users can use Google Play. If you want a more sophisticated podcast app that tracks new episodes and track what you haven’t listened to, organizational tools like playlists look at apps like Pocket Casts or Overcast. Where Can You Find Podcasts? Podcasts have become such a part of popular culture that The New Yorker is reviewing their favorites as a “thriving art form”. Combining journalism, oral history and storytelling, podcasts are a mature medium with high quality, compelling content covering practically every topic.

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