I received an e-mail from iTunes yesterday titled “iTunes Spotlight: Public Broadcasting.” I wondered at first if they had found out where I worked, and were doing some targeted direct marketing. But soon realized it was my podcast subscription to “This American Life” that likely tipped them off.
Here’s a snippet of how it led off:
“Many of America’s public broadcasters have embraced podcasting, and the response from our users has been tremendous. Whether you’re a fan of This American Life, Marketplace, On The Media, or Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me!, you can get your favorite show on your schedule…search the iTunes Store for names like NPR, PBS, PRI, or your local affiliate. Public broadcasting via podcast means quality with a new level of convenience.”
I love that last sentence. I’m glad they sent it and are bringing attention to these great programs. If you’re an avid reader, love literature and look forward to NPT’s A WORD ON WORDS WITH JOHN SEIGENTHALER each Sunday, you should be aware of the show’s podcast. Accessible via the ON DEMAND page at wnpt.net or through iTunes, you can listen to audio podcasts of interviews with John Updike, Carol Higgins Clark, Rep. Jim Cooper and more. If you’re interested in American roots music, Seigenthaler’s interview with Bruce Nemerov about his book Lost Delta Found: Rediscovering the Fisk University-Library of Congress Coahoma County Folklore Study is a “must-listen.” I attended a panel discussion on the book, with entertainment by the Fisk Jubilee Singers, at Fisk University last year. The long-overdue publishing of musicologist John Work’s findings — culled from his research trip through the American South with Alan Lomax in the early 40’s — was a truly momentous event.