Possible Mumsnet Podcast - please tell us what you think

[carriemumsnet]

What if you could hear Mumsnet as well as read it? We're at the very early stages of looking at adding audio on demand to the site, including a regular Mumsnet podcast that you could listen to whenever you like on your computer or smartphone.

The first step is to find out whether you'd listen to a Mumsnet podcast and if you would, what would you want to hear? Would you want to hear other Mumsnetters, experts, celebrities, or a mix?

Would you want to share stories, find out about recommended products and services, or swap tales of parenthood's highs and lows? What bits of Mumsnet do you think would make the best podcast programme? And most crucially - would you have the time or inclination to listen?

We'd really value your views on this - thanks for your time:)

so... would this be a bit like Scot Mills' PR4L doing the "Dear Scot" emails....?

Could be funny but would be difficult to choose what stuff to feature... and would it be censored...

Maybe say a daily podcast with different headng each day? or range of regular stuff and a special feature depending on what is topical - eg school places, holidays, Christmas, News issues

or how about a vote for this week's content option ... so day by day, the week's favourite stuff got added to a podcast...

Sorry absolutely not for me. The best bit about mn is the interactive nature of it. podcasts are one way

Would quite like to see a PoV podcast tied to a thread - so for example, a mumsnetter (or an expert) sets out their stall on say smacking and then it's available for people to listen to for say a week, and then you can call in responses, and you edit them together to get a mumsnet feedback line. But really you'd be better to make it a regular slot of a radio station if you are doing that - Radio 2 perhaps since they seem to have bog all to please women apart from jolly men making jokes

I've made podcasts before, they can be quite tricky to make because they age quickly and unless they are funny, you can lose people really quickly if they preview the first 30 seconds and are not impressed.

However if you made it about a subject and just let fly and saw what came out you could do a couple of experimental ones. I would suggest subjects like: 'Sex as a parent - I may live in a sexual desert but at least I have dessert '

Or 'The most difficult age'

And don't make it too worthy. You can pick up info everywhere on the right way to breastfeed or knit your own lentils - there are very few people who want to listen to people harping on about their own successes in parenting when they are really struggling. We want entertainment. If we learn something that's a bonus but please save us the harping. :)

Bit poncy. MN excels for being non-voiced imo. Give it a voice (timbre, class, age, whatever) and it loses its anonymity.

And if you get a sleb to be the voice? I wouldnt listen.

MN only subtly needs to keep up with the techno times I think. It has a far bigger job than that

ie keeping women alive, filling them with big wonderful dollops of self-belief and a can-do attitude, and helping us to love our children.

Thanks so much for all the feedback - really interesting reading. Keep the thoughts coming :)

I wouldn't listen to it. I enjoy podcasts but I like how the voices I have attached to individuals from here are private, I wouldn't want to hear Aitch in another dialect to the one I have imagined, even if it was her real one IYSWIM!

Having a decent narrator for classics might interest me. Not sure.

I walk half an hour to and from work so would love something to listen to then. I'm not in the slightest bit interested in slew gossip and that would turn me off completely, however a good presenter (love the Sandi Toksvig/sue Perkins ideas) would be necessary to prevent it becoming too amateurish. As someone with no kids at home I don't want loads about baby issues but could bear a minute or two. I'd quite like issues like juggling work and home life, important issues on raising girls/boys, how to teach your kids to respect themselves and resist peer pressure, how to support kids at school, a spot of feminist talk, a touch of relationship advice. Please God no recipes.

Not really - i like the peace and quiet of MN ( ha) away from the raucousness of my three loud children! I actually hate the adverts that start speaking at you. So I'm a no thanks but i'm not in with these new fangled ideas ( oldie not a moldie)

I'd give it a go.

I listen to podcasts most days which tend to be radio 4 progs on the whole.

I would steer clear of celebs unless they're Caitlin Moran.

Who was it used to write a mumsnet round up every week or so? (Maybe they still do I dunno.) That was quite good. Felt like a club newsletter cherry picking the best of chat. Who was it again?

I woulndt listen to a podcast

Also hate slebs. Rest of media is full of men and slebs. I come to mumsnet to hear other opinions

Not sure about the idea but in any event would ave no time o listen. Sorry.

Get a proper broadcaster to front it. There's nothing worse than non-broadcast outlets producing podcasts that sound like speak your weight machines. And make sure the levels are paid attention to. That may sound nit-picking but DH's geek podcasts, despite talking about nifty gadgets, are truly awfully produced. It's painful!

YES YES YES my two favourite things in life, combined

I wouldn't use it.

I've never listened to a podcast and don't want to.

I prefer browsing around at my own pace.

If it was going to be a true reflection of MN then it would be full of swearing anyway.

Podcasts always sound so much more interesting than they actually are. I found that even the ones I think I'll be excited about I end up fidgeting and being bored and turning it off after a few minutes. If I actually convinced myself to listen to one, it would be once and I wouldn't make it through.

well I have just joined but I think you don't want one of the boring BBC voices. Lets hear from the mumsnet people themsleves. Also re slebs if they are interesting and not just banging on about their books and telly...

also I have just spoken to my mum (its handover time, and she said why can't there be one for grannsnet as well she said she always used to listen to womans hour, but now she cant stand it and she says she wishes there was something for womenof her age which is 67, but a young one