Hello all -
Happy Sunday!
I’m often asked, “What is a podcast?” Broadly speaking, in the United States, UK, Canada, Australia & New Zealand, about 70%* of the population have now heard of podcasts with roughly 20%* listening to at least 1 podcast regularly.
If you’re not yet one of those; a podcast is a listening experience where you can subscribe (usually free!) to as many of your favourite podcast shows as you wish. New episodes will then be downloaded into your podcast playlist automatically when they become available, so you end up with a stream of personally selected content presented to you each time you open your preferred podcast player (e.g. Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, etc.). How cool is that?
However, really understanding what a podcast is goes deeper than just how it's delivered. Unlike tuning into the radio, where you expect a familiar experience, tuning into your podcast playlist offers a specific experience. Listening to podcasts is more intimate; you’re sitting between the host and their guest around a table, sharing the conversation. 71%* of podcast listeners reportedly listen through headphones of some kind, so the conversation’s inside your head, further enhancing that feeling of intimacy.
There’s one more benefit to podcast listening that is not often talked about. Because a podcast is something people generally listen to while they are doing something else (i.e. it’s a secondary activity), it promotes ‘Active Listening’ - the art of really listening. In other words, the listener truly engages with the content and is more likely to share their thoughts with others. Now that’s what I like! What do you think? Do you agree?
*These figures are 'generally accepted' in the industry at present. I am not quoting specific research.
Podcast episode... a look back
Episode 40. Our Blue Planet Up Close and Personal
Since this week marks the 98th birthday of the wonderful David Attenborough, I thought I would look back at a conversation I had with Mark Taylor in Episode 40.
Mark is a former Royal Navy underwater bomb disposal expert turned submarine pilot who now explores the planet's oceans as an integral part of the subsea documentary filmmaking community. He talked to me about the many hours he spent submersed with his childhood hero, Sir David Attenborough, filming for Blue Planet II and described the camaraderie and lifelong bond that resulted from it.
If you check out the show notes of Our Blue Planet Up Close and Personal, you will see some clips of Mark with Sir David exploring the Great Barrier Reef and witnessing mud volcanoes 750 meters below the surface. Incredible.
Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Amazon Music or just about any other. podcast player of your choice. Check out the show notes for the links and transcript to learn more.
My favourite quote from the episode...
"I went to the premiere of The Great Reef, which was at Australia House in London. Prince Philip was there, many celebrities, and I'd flown from Australia to go. And we watched the first episode, then there was a question and answer (session) and the director told Sir David that I'd flown from Australia to be there.
He stood up, saw me across the hall and started pushing chairs out the way, walked straight past Prince Philip and just came over and gave me the biggest hug, and I just stood there going, "Oh my God," and all these people are just staring at me."
Podcast extra...
Short story: When I first spoke to Mark, we discussed what experience we should focus on for the episode. Bearing in mind that Mark has had a fairly colourful life (check out Episode 23. Access Denied: The Kursk Submarine Rescue Story), there were a number of options.
Mark suggested that we talk about his world record-breaking dive down the Great Barrier Reef with Sir David Attenborough and, as I was scribbling away as fast as I could, I nonchalantly replied, “OK, have you got anything else?” Mark politely mentioned one or two other options and I ended by letting him know that I would get back to him soon.
After the call, I revisited my notes:
- "World record-breaking"
- "Great Barrier Reef"
- "Sir David Attenborough"
…. and my response had been, “Yeah, but have you got anything else!”
Rather sheepishly, I called Mark back to own up to my embarrassing comment. Mark roared with laughter. We both roared with laughter.
By the way...
Last week I mentioned that I spoke with Bill Murray, son of Edmund Murray who was Winston Churchill's bodyguard for his last 15 years, back in episodes 12, 13 & 14.
That conversation revealed that Edmund Murray had introduced Sir Winston to a young and upcoming Conservative MP by the name of... Margaret Thatcher. As it was widely thought this meeting of the two British political titans never actually took place, I brought it to the attention of the respected Churchill historian Richard Langworth who has been senior fellow for Hillsdale College's (Michigan, USA) Churchill Project since 2014.
Richard kindly followed up with an article recognising Batting the Breeze's detective work - Churchill and Margaret Thatcher.
I was delighted to see that Richard has now published a further article describing his personal memories of Edmund Murray, which are well worth reading.
My repeated thanks to Richard for the articles and to Bill Murray for such a wonderful conversation.
Dates with History...
Tomorrow...
On 6th May 1821, Robert O'Hara Burke was born in County Galway, Ireland. That name may not ring a bell, but the moniker Burke & Wills might.
In 1851, gold was discovered in the Australian state of Victoria. The City of Melbourne was growing rapidly, and the government of Victoria was keen to establish an overland telegraph route to the northern coast and the Gulf of Carpentaria to connect with Europe and the rest of the British Empire.
Robert Burke and William John Wills led the expedition of 19 men across unchartered land (by non-indigenous people, that is). They established a camp at Cooper Creek halfway up, then set off with 2 other men. They reached the north coast (barring a section of swampland) but only just made it back to Cooper Creek to find that the camp had been abandoned only hours before. Two months later, after unsuccessful attempts to reach safety, both explorers died, officially marked on 28 June 1861.
Their bodies were later recovered, and they received a full state funeral in Melbourne on 21 January 1863, with a third of the population of Melbourne lining the streets.
Later this week...
On 10th May 1940, Winston Churchill became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom for the first time. He led a national government (all party) overseeing the British war effort ultimately to an Allied victory, itself also marked this week: 8th May 1945 Victory in Europe Day (VE Day).
Question of the week...
Today marks one year since the World Health Organisation (WHO) officially declared the COVID-19 pandemic no longer a "PHEIC" - a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. In other words, it was still a pandemic but no longer a global emergency.
Where are the headquarters of the WHO and for a bonus point, in what year was it founded?
(answer at bottom of newsletter)
And finally...
~1 Trumpery
Whilst doing the Telegraph crossword recently, I looked up a word definition and stumbled across another with some amusement:
TRUMPERY (adj) - Showy but worthless
This is actually a word derived from the French ‘to deceive’ - TROMPER.
I am a little surprised that I haven’t heard it used at any stage over the last few years.
Perhaps you have?
Spread the word...
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Thank you for joining me. Have a great week!
Steve
HOST & CHIEF STORY HUNTER
P:S: Incidentally, I am always keen to receive your feedback to help me continuously improve this newsletter and the podcast. Just hit reply to this email and...... let it rip! I respond to every email that I receive.
Answer to Question of the week: Geneva, Switzerland: 1948.
World Health Organisation, Geneva: Yann Forget / Wikimedia
NEXT WEEK'S BREEZER
They didn't have a doctor, they only had a vet. It's the same thing isn't it?
LAST WEEK'S BREEZER
Gosh! That AK-47 fits perfectly up my nostril
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