Thanks for keeping the Wakefield Report going strong for 1 year!
These reviews are my personal opinions of each podcast. Your Top Ten list may be something completely different than mine. Agree or disagree, feel free to comment, tweet, or email me your thoughts and opinions!
Honorable Mention #
1: Animation Addicts (Rank LY --) Rating:
PG
The Animation Addicts starring the Rotoscopers is a show
that is “A podcast for animation addicts. Disney, DreamWorks, Pixar, Don Bluth
& everything in between.” And that pretty much sums it up. The show is
dedicated to talking about everything animation. The hosts are comprised of an
animation student, an actress, and a singer. Their youth and enthusiasm for
animation really shines through in each and every episode! In July of this year
they saw some of their highest downloads rates breaking the top 40 mark in iTunes
rankings. In what appears to be an attempt to improve the branding of the
podcast the name of this show has changed from, “The Rotoscopers” to “Animation
Addicts Podcast. And while this may not be a podcast about theme parks, I still think it deserves a spot on the list
because is you are a fan of Disney theme parks, you will instantly love to hear
stories about the history of animation.
STRENGTHS: This
show may very well be a contender for Rookie of the Year.The strong production
quality is backed by one of a kind, original content that is greatly
appreciated in a world full of fluff and repetition. The hosts are experimenting with a few new segments. Some of them work, and some don’t, but
the important thing is they are making a conscious effort to keep the show
fresh. I really do not think this show would work with any other group of
hosts. Because this hosting crew and so enthusiastic and work so well together,
this show has define staying power and should find its way into your regular
podcast rotation.
WEAKNESS: The
hosts have not bee shy in the past about their unabashed love for animation and
this really shows in their interviews, but there has been a problem with the
hosts giggling and almost screeching their way through interviews with some big
names in the animation industry. While this has improved lately, it can still
be distracting and often prevents the listeners ability to focus on what the
guest is talking about. Now I don’t want to come across as saying they crew
needs to, “grow up” because as someone in their age group I can really relate
to their enthusiasm about animation. Sometimes the crew seems more concerned
with letting their listeners know how informed they are than sharing information
and stories. If you can see past this, then you will be in for a great listen.
Rotoscopers is a 1 time Show of the Week winner!
WDW Today is one of the longest running theme park podcast
on the air today. This spring they celebrated their 1,000th episode
and their consistent and continued drive to put out 3 shows each week has been
an obvious contributor to that high number. With a once a month live show, WDW
Today has built loyal fan base of dedicated and active listeners. Host Matt
Hochberg is joined by a few hosts each week and they discuss recent happenings,
trip planning, and more each week. With the show consistently hovering around
the top 50 in the iTunes Places and Travel rankings, it has stood the test of
time and has been there as a lot of others Disney podcasts have come and gone.
STRENGTHS: A new
WDW Today is issued every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Come hell or Hurricane
Sandy, this crew is 100% committed to bringing its listeners three shows a week,
every week. That type of routine is something a morning commuter like myself
can get used to. Three times a week, I climb into my truck at 6am and head to
work with Hochberg and crew in my ears. While every show may not be a 5 star
quality show, that type of sameness is comforting and relaxing for me first
thing in the morning. I know I am not going to hear something earth shattering
or life changing on the show, and that’s what I need every morning; easy
listening. Co host and author Len Testa is a main stay on this show and brings
a wealth of knowledge to the crew that you can not find on any other theme park
podcast. The crew is never hesitant to criticize Disney or share some of their
not so favorite things about the park and that kind of objectivity and honesty
is always appreciated.
WEAKNESS: Since
this show is put out three times a week and there is only so much you can
discuss about 4 theme parks in Central Florida, this show can become kind of
repetitive really fast. Their weekly listener question shows consist of almost
the same questions week in and week out. Things like, “ we are coming to WDW
with three kids and grandma. Where should we stay?” or, “Im thinking about
going to the Magic Kingdom on July 4th, do you think it will be
busy?” And while the hosts do their best to stay chipper and interested, you
can tell they grow a bit tired of answering the same questions each and every
week. Other than that, I think the hosts are smart, funny, and very well informed.
Mouse Chat is a show that talks about the Disney Parks. the
show is hosted by a gaggle of Disney travel agents, but, for the most part,
they don’t let that get in the way of their opinions of the park. This show is
what I call a, “general discussion” show. Which means the show does not solely
focus on trip planning, of Disney history, etc.. It is just a group of folks
chatting about the latest happenings in and around the Disney theme parks. I
found this show early last year and it is growing on me slowly, but surely. With
each host carving out their own niche or identity, it is easy for the listener
to pick and chose their favorite or not so favorite host on the show. The highest ranking for the podcast this year was recently on November
2nd when it reach #85 in the iTunes places and travel category.
STRENGTHS: The
chemistry between the hosts is almost unmatched and amazing. With co host Bob
often on the receiving end of a lot of jokes and ribbing, you can easily tell
that this is not just a group of random people talking Disney, rather it is a
group of friends sharing opinions, thoughts, and stories. The willingness to
step outside of WDW has made this show more versatile and flexible. From week
to week , the listener is sure to get fresh, new content; and that is something
we can all look forward to.
WEAKNESS: While
not a young show, this podcast still seems to be suffering from somewhat of an
identity crisis. Ok, well, maybe that is a bit of an exaggeration, but you can definitely tell some weeks that the crew had a hard time coming up with content
for their show. While they are not mailing it in, I can tell on some shows that
maybe the entire crew is not too enthusiastic about the topic that week. There
are also times where I think the ribbing and joking with Bob is forced, and
unneeded. That sometimes is the “go to thing” when they are low on opinions or thoughts that week. While it does not get too out of hand or happen too much,
this kind of thing can be a big turn off for the listener. All together this is
a really great show, with lots of interesting hosts, topics, and more.
Mouse Chat is a 1 time Show of the Week winner!
Please take the time to visit my new Youtube channel.
I am adding new videos everyday so check it out!
FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER @wakefieldreport
No comments:
Post a Comment