By Peter Tanshanomi
The Hooniverse Podcast Network is expanding. The Supreme Hooniversal Potentates have given me the green light to develop a weekly motorcycle-oriented podcast. Despite the deep, abiding love I have for the sound of my own voice, a crucial requirement for a podcast is conversation, which requires more than one person. This is where you come in. Do you know a bit about motorcycles, and more importantly find them interesting to think about for 40–60 minutes at time? Can you make noises with your mouth? If so, you may be who we’re looking for. EDIT: Thanks so much for the submissions we’ve received, and we have some exceedingly high quality candidates. We’ll be plowing through them over the next week or so and making our decision. Unlike the Hooniverse Podcast, in which all the participants are live in a single studio, this will be recorded via Skype, similarly to the Cammed & Tubbed podcast. That means that our hosts can live anywhere in the world. It also means that there are a few other criteria. You must:
- Be able to regularly devote about an hour a week to recording the podcast, plus some additional time preparing and developing topics.
- Have access to E-mail, text and a reliable broadband connection.
- Own or be willing to buy a decent quality podcasting mic.
- Have access to a reasonably quiet location in which to record.
- Be ready to receive NO MONEY!
ORGANICALLY HOONIVERSALIST
The Hooniverse has evolved into a mix of people and attitudes that really make it special. It is important that this podcast feel like a genuine part of the Hooniverse. This is why I am looking for a co-host or two who has spent some time ’round these parts and knows what makes this community tick. This is more important to me than having a head full of arcane motorcycle facts and impressive riding credentials, although those things are certainly desirable, too. One problem with Skype recording is that participants can’t pick up on all normal non-verbal cues we use while talking, and thus tend to step on each other’s speech more often, which can be frustrating and hard to follow for listeners. This becomes more and more prevalent as the number of people on the line goes up. Therefore, the optimum number of people is exactly three — a conversation between two people can feel stale, and four people end up constantly interrupting each other.
WE’RE FLEXIBLE
If this sounds like something up your alley but don’t want to commit to a weekly schedule, you might consider being a part-time host. I’d like to have one or two additional folks we can tap as reoccurring “guest hosts”, depending on whether or not we’ve lined up a “real” guest for a particular episode.
WHAT NEXT?
If you are interested, send an E-mail to the tips line (ti**@********se.info) and let us know. Include your e-mail address and your phone number, where you’re located, and a little bit about your attitudes, interests and experience regarding motorcycles. [We’ve already been contacted by plenty of candidates! Thanks!] We’ll get in touch to discuss it and see if you’re a fit. The good news is that you don’t actually have to like me or agree with my views: if you have interesting thoughts about motorcycles and can articulate them well, we’ll probably have fun making a podcast people will enjoy hearing.