Saturday, January 24, 2015
“Invisibilia” and the Evolving Art of Radio
The New Yorker: In an early episode of “Invisibilia,” a new NPR show about the unseen forces that shape human behavior—thoughts, emotions, assumptions, ideas—Ira Glass asked the co-hosts, Alix Spiegel and Lulu Miller, if they had brought a rat into NPR headquarters. (The episode guest-starred, “Serial”-style, on that week’s “This American Life.”) Yes they had, they told him, and they’d asked their co-workers a question: “Do you think that the thoughts that you have in your head could influence how that rat moves through space?”
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2 comments:
This is incredibly interesting. I grew up listening to “This American Life,” “Car Talk,” and “Prairie Home Companion,” and I know that radio can be a great way to pass the time, and often learn something new or hear about something interesting. Podcasts are a great way to broaden one’s field of knowledge. “Invisibilia” sounds really interesting, and I hope that they bring something new to the podcast scene. I was most interested, however, in their discussion of sound in the podcast and how it can enhance their show. That sounds can be so important to the radio show’s effect over the audience is something I had never really thought about, but will definitely pay more attention to in the future. It said that Jad Abumrad from Radiolab listens to music and “he’ll think about what it looks like”. That idea of sound as something visual, that radio can actually create a picture in your mind through the script and the music, is something I will definitely be thinking about for a while.
I love that radio and podcasts are becoming more popular and accessible. If you think about it, online podcasts fit more into today's consumer model even better than streaming televisions. Every one to have what ever they want, where they want and where they want it. However, television has the handicap that in order for an audience to consume the work, they must use their eyes and ears. Podcasts and radio shows only use the ears. This allows for more effectual multitasking, keeping the ming busy while one drives, does menial work. It is instantaneous, it is convenient, and it is much more socially acceptable to consume in public. After coming to college I had stopped listening to the radio because I was no longer spending lots of time in my car. Shows like Serial and Invisible (which I am definitely adding to my listen list) are convenient, easy to get, and fun to listen to. I hope that these shows' successes spurs a new wave of podcasts in this information age.
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