Slipstream, the monthly podcast produced by the Evangelical Alliance and Focus is coming to an end.
Set up as a network to encourage and grow younger Christian leaders, the podcasts were part of a communication strategy trying to link experienced leaders with those just starting out on the road to Christian leadership.
The quality of the podcasts were always good and the interviews provided some really useful information, so why are they stopping after almost two years.
David Couchman who presented the podcasts wrote the following on his blog…
In the future, the main way the Slipstream resources will be delivered will be through the e-letter. Users identified email as their preferred way to receive information. This will be more frequent, shorter, and will not have a regular schedule, but will be sent out when there is something specific to say – a new resource, an upcoming event etc.
Read the full post here
A few thoughts
- We can often get caught up in schedules and loose the plot of what we are trying to do. If you plan to release something once a month you have to produce something once a month, regardless of whether you have good quality content or not. I don’t think this was a problem for Slipstream, they had lots of good stories – including interviews that I recorded with Andrew Hamilton and Eric Bryant that never made the cut.
- You have to use appropriate media for what you are trying to share. It’s far quicker for me to read an e-mail than it is for me to listen to a podcast. Much of what was shared through Slipstream could have been conveyed faster in writing than by listening to the audio.
- Finally, does the technology limit the audience? I reckon more people can be reached by e-mail than by podcast. I listen to podcasts because I have an iPod and use iTunes on my home computer. If it wasn’t for my attachment to the Mac I probably wouldn’t bother. In other words, a podcast may be convenient for me but not necessarily for everyone. I reckon the e-mail route will give access to a wider audience.
What do you think?
I tend to prefer reading emails rather than listening to podcasts. It’s the same when I read blogs – if someone posts a video, 9 times out of 10, I don’t even really look at it because it seems more time-consuming that just skim-reading the blog entry. If I do start watching, more often than not, I only watch the first minute or so unless it really grabs my attention. For me, an email is more likely to get my attention and actually get read.