WE HAVE EXPERIMENTED WITH MICROCASTING for the past 12 years on the Clonmel campus of the Limerick Institute of Technology. With the help of a dozen students, I'm getting an inside view of what microcasting means.
Across the internet, more people will cite "podcasting" or "recording apps" instead of the term "microcasting" but I prefer acknowledging the effects that microcomputers have had to spur the rise of personal audio. Consequently, I have planted my flag at the summit of microcasting.
In my experience, microcasting is the process of using mobile journalism tools to record and share high quality audio clips without the need for technical crews in a broadcast production studio. Efficient microcasting means I can select the quality, length, and publication channel of audio recordings. Microcasting tools allow me to delete, trim, and redirect published content. I teach these concepts through hands-on sessions at third level and with the Irish Youth Media Team during live events.
Here are some of the tools I use today.
Anchor Radio
This Android and iOS app allows me to quickly create and comment on audio in one to five minute clips. Its developers continually iterate the program's capabilities.
Spreaker Studio
The in-hand and on-screen Spreaker tools provide robust content creation, syndication and statistical analysis.
Voice Record Pro on iOS
A beautiful interface leads to exceptional high quality results that can be shared with cover art directly to companion sites.
HighQ MP3 on Android
My preferrred high quailty audio tool when using my Sony Xperia Z5 handset.
Shure XLR 2 USB
I can ensure my laptop can use all our XLR microphones when attaching the XLR2USB fitting to one of my laptop's ports.
Creative SBX USB Adapter
I get a mini sound card that lets me connect my mic and a headset via this USB device attached to my Windows machine.
Rode Smart Lav+ microphone
My preferred lavalier microphone. It works with all my mobile handsets.
JVC Bluetooth Headset
Although the recording quality is poor, the inexpensive Bluetooth headset proves that it's possible to record with any Bluetooth microphone if the recording application chosen has been programmed to accept Bluetooth as a microphone source.
Zoom H6 field recorder
The most robust field recorder I have ever used comes from Zoom in the form of the H6 and three clip-on modules.
[Bernie Goldbach teaches creative media for business in the Limerick Institute of Technology. He has an assortment of images related to podcasting inside an album on Flickr. The image accompanying this post was drawn by Diana Matos.]
