The Scriptorium

After reviewing the exceptional podcast 12 Byzantine Rulers, I contacted the publisher/author duo of Anders and Lars Brownworth to explore the possibility of interviewing the podcasting team about their efforts in the audio lecture field. Fortunately for our readers, they agreed to this request and the result is an exciting, insightful look into what it is to be an author, a publisher, and a pioneer in a new media.   

1) Why did you choose podcasting as your medium?

(Anders) Initially, the 12 Byzantine Rulers project was released as MP3 files for download from a website. We turned the project into a podcast shortly after that when Apple added podcast support in iTunes which gave us two primary advantages. Firstly, the podcast format was the most convenient way to disseminate lectures to our listeners. It took the pain out of keeping up to date with the lectures and we started to see greatly increased return rates from our listeners. Secondly, the podcast feed allowed us to submit our project to iTunes and other sites which greatly increased our visibility. Rather than relying on people finding us through Google searches, we were categorized with other educationally oriented podcasts which allowed us to be seen by a much larger and more targeted group of potential listeners. In hindsight, the podcasting decision has been very good for us. (more…)

     12 Byzantine Rulers: A History of the Byzantine Empire by Lars Brownworth is a series of lectures by podcast that offer an insightful look at the origins, development, and relevance of the Byzantine Empire. According to the short biography on his website, Mr. Brownworth is a History teacher at the Stony Brook School on Long Island and has “traveled and studied Byzantine history extensively”. His lectures by podcast are extensive in their purview and exceptional in their depth. Mr. Brownworth is not content to merely offer you names and dates. He is committed to his mission of having his listeners walk away from his lectures with a keen understanding of the origins and development of the Byzantine Empire. His lectures are rife with anecdotes and ancillary information that offer a complete picture of his chosen subject matter. Overall, the lectures are very informative and provide a quality learning experience.
 

Editor’s Note: Admittedly, reviewing podcasts requires the discussion of several elements that are alien (at least in context) to the reviewing of bound literature, specifically tempo, clarity, and enunciation. Thankfully, as with most items contained in these reviews, these characteristics are subjective and expertise is not essential. 
           

(more…)