Month: January 2010

CBC Radio radio

SFFaudio News

CBC Radio radio

Prior to about 2004 I would have instantly purchased one of these for everyone in my family. It’s the prototype, by Science & Sons, for a CBC Radio radio. The idea is it only gets two channels. CBC Radio One and CBC Radio Two. That’s pretty much all the radio (on the radio) that I listen to.

CBC Radio radio

Sez Science & Sons:

The RADIO CANADA concept is a homage to the cultural significance of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. This radio console design was inspired by the dedication of the many CBC listeners who keep their radio dials permanently set to our national broadcaster. After setting the radio to local CBC frequencies, listeners can toggle between CBC Radio One and CBC Radio Two without hearing the static in between.

The elegant design of RADIO CANADA celebrates the immediacy of the medium and reflects the quality of the broadcasts it receives. Additional features include MP3 player compatibility.

If this thing ever gets released with a built in CBC Radio podcatcher, I will buy at least one.

[via the Inside The CBC blog]

P.S. Speaking of CBC… Hey, CBC I haven’t forgotten that J. Michael Straczynski radio drama series that your sitting on. Give it up!

Posted by Jesse Willis

BBCR4: The Ditch

SFFaudio Online Audio

Radio Times - Afternoon Play: The Ditch BBC Radio 4The Radio Times, that invaluable resource for radio programmes airing in the UK, has a picked a “spine-tingling” tale for us to listen to. The Ditch is set to air on February 1st, 2010 in BBC Radio 4’s Afternoon Play slot. Given that the plot concerns a sound recordist in a spooky fen I’m betting this is going to play out pretty damn eerily. I’m game.

BBC Radio 4 - The DitchThe Ditch
By Paul Evans; Performed by a full cast
1 Broadcast – Approx. 45 Minutes [RADIO DRAMA]
Broadcaster: BBC Radio 4 / Afternoon Play
Broadcast: Monday February 1st, 2010 @14:15
Tom Saunders, a wildlife sound recordist, goes missing, leaving only a collection of recordings and a notebook. These fall into the hands of his radio producer, who tries to piece together what has happened. His quest leads him back to the disturbing aural landscape of Slaughton Ditch, where an obsession with hidden sounds has terrifying and fatal consequences.
Recorded on location, this chilling tale is written and narrated by Paul Evans.

Cast:
Tom Saunders …… Jimmy Yuill
Narrator …… Paul Evans
Other parts played by Christine Hall and Richard Angwin

Wildlife sound recordist Chris Watson

Directed by Sarah Blunt

I expect an MP3 of this will plop itself into my Radio Downloader folder shortly after it appears online. Is that how most of you get your BBC Afternoon Play fix too? Or are you all using RadioArchive.cc? Are you using the BBC iPlayer? Surely you’re not streaming it online? That’d be weird.

[Thanks Roy!]

Posted by Jesse Willis

LibriVox: Doctor Ox’s Experiment by Jules Verne

SFFaudio Online Audio

LibriVoxHere’s a new audiobook from LibriVox that I am eager to hear. Eric S. Rabkin, who we had as a guest on the SFFaudio Podcast last year, had some fascinating insights about this story in his Teaching Company lecture series Masterpieces of the Imaginative Mind: Literature’s Most Fantastic Works. The narrator for the LibriVox audiobook version is Alan Winterrowd. He’s a blogger and podcaster (he started the Penny Dreadful Podcasts in March 2009).

LIBRIVOX - Dr. Ox's Experiment by Jules VerneDoctor Ox’s Experiment
By Jules Verne; Read by Alan Winterrowd
5 Zipped MP3 Files or Podcast – Approx. 2 Hours 13 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: January 24, 2010
An early, light-hearted short story, published in 1872 by Jules Verne. It takes place in the Flemish town of Quiquendone, where life moves at an extraordinarily tranquil pace. Doctor Ox has offered to light the town with a new gas, but actually has other plans in place.

Podcast feed: http://librivox.org/rss/3562

iTunes 1-Click |SUBSCRIBE|

[Thanks also to Elli and David Lawrence]

Posted by Jesse Willis

Copyfight: Charlie Angus demands answers on secret copyright treaty

SFFaudio News

Prime Minister Stephen Harper‘s recent prorogation of the Canada’s House Of Commons has left one of the few advocates of fair copyright for Canadians without a voice in the House. Here is his YouTube (!) calling out to the PM. Of course unlike a session in the House the PM has no obligation to answer Angus or anyone else on YouTube. Which is the point of a prorogation of parliament. Shameful.

MP Charlie Angus (Timmins-James Bay) speaking out against the secretive ACTA negotiations taking place in Mexico.

[via BoingBoing]

Posted by Jesse Willis

LibriVox: DeathWorld 2 by Harry Harrison

SFFaudio Online Audio

LibriVoxHere’s an SF novel I never expected to see as an audiobook. It’s Harry Harrison’s follow up to his terrific novel DeathWorld. Here’s what one LibriVoxateer (libraryanne) sez of DeathWorld 2 as read by my friend Gregg Margarite:

“Humorous, fast moving story and another superb solo. I am so fortunate to be able to proof listen for such superb readers. Way to go Gregg!”

Indeed, thanks so much Gregg!

LIBRIVOX - DeathWorld 2 by Harry HarrisonDeathWorld 2 (aka The Ethical Engineer)
By Harry Harrison; Read by Gregg Margarite
5 Zipped MP3 Files or Podcast – Approx. 4 Hours 9 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Publisher: LibriVox.org
Published: January 24, 2010
The Ethical Engineer also known as Deathworld II finds our hero Jason dinAlt captured to face justice for his crimes, but the ever-wily gambler crashes his transport on a primitive planet populated by clans that hoard knowledge. It’s a difficult situation for a guy who just wants to get back to Pyrrus. First published in the July and August 1963 issues of Analog Science Fact & Fiction.

Podcast feed: http://librivox.org/rss/3942

iTunes 1-Click |SUBSCRIBE|

Now if only someone could make an unabridged audiobook out of Bill, The Galactic Hero:

[thanks also to Betty M. and James Christopher]

Posted by Jesse Willis