Star Wars Fan Radio Shows Join Michael A. Stackpole's SciFi Podcasting Network
(source: tsfpn.com, 06-22-05)

Fan-favorite Star Wars writer Michael A. Stackpole recently began his own podcast, but the podcasting vision didn't stop there.

Today, Stackpole has officially launched TSFPN.com (The SciFi Podcasting Network). This new website is dedicated to presenting the best in science fiction audio productions, focusing on the podcasting field.

A few weeks ago, Stackpole approached Nathan Butler, Dany Pepin, and Erik Blythe in regards to a cross-promotional link-up between TSFPN and ChronoRadio, Other Voices, Star Wars en Direct, and the TFN Podcast. At the time, only the TFN Podcast was actively podcasting, rather than releasing files online for direct manual downloading. In order to carry out the proposed cross-promotion, that has changed. CR, OV, and SWD are now producing pared-down editions of their regular episodes, which will be released via podcasting software.

What are these new episodes? Well, first off, never fear. If you are a current listener, who manually downloads episodes of CR and OV, or manually downloads archives or listens live to SWD, you are still getting the most of your fan radio fandom. The podcasting episodes are highly-edited versions of the programs. For example, the CR podcasts will include only one of the two feature segments on the regular episodes (and nothing else), while the OV podcasts will include only one of the four segments for the individual episodes. SWD podcasts will be higher bitrate, but highly edited (30 minutes or so) versions of the regular episodes.

These new pared-down episodes (CR, OV, SWD) are simply there to bring new listeners to the shows. Current listeners who download the full episodes here at Fanworks or on SWenDirect.com will not need to download the podcasts unless desired. You will not be missing any new content. Also, if you are listening to the TFN Podcast via their podcast feed, the feed promoted on TSFPN will be the same feed that you already use.

Now, outside of these Star Wars fan radio shows, what is The SciFi Podcasting Network (TSFPN)? It is a joint venture by Michael A. Stackpole (known to Star Wars fans already for his various novels and comics), web business developer K.A.T. Klaybourne, and the Dragon Page's Michael R. Mennenega and Evo Terra. It is offering a directory of quality podcasts for science fiction, science, and related fields, all categorized by "Blink," the strange alien who rates all programs into age levels, similar to MPAA ratings for films.

You'll find a TSFPN icon, featuring Blink's image (see above right), on the radio show pages of any Fanworks featured programs that are also part of TSFPN, along with a notation of the show's podcast feed and a reminder of whether or not that podcast feed features anything new, or just pared down versions of full episodes.

Stackpole began approaching the Star Wars fan radio community about this venture earlier this month and unveiled the plan to Star Wars fan audio listeners during an interview on last night's live Star Wars en Direct broadcast. Further information on Stackpole's audio interests will be featured in an upcoming ChronoRadio: Interview Edition (date to be determined) and an upcoming episode of the TFN Podcast.