I have to admit, I continue to be amazed at all of the technological advances made by RCN. I come from a long line of family members who are initially slow to appreciate change—ANY type of change. This includes having reservations about new ways of doing things. I still joke with my dad that he was the last one to give up his abacus in deference to a calculator. I myself usually need new tech-related inventions explained to me a few times before I understand and can start to utilize and eventually appreciate them.
And yet, to look back at all the products that RCN has produced for us, its customers, from TiVO and RCN2GO to relationships with Netflix and YouTube, the advancements are really incredible. Even the lightning fast internet speeds…there are so many avenues available to enhance one’s entertainment viewing lifestyle. I continue to be impressed with more advances and innovations each and every month.
I had the pleasure recently to witness an almost instant benefit of one of the newest additions to the RCN-TV website, and that is the “SportsTalk” podcast. Over the last few months, we have had several championship teams in our studio as guests for “RCN SportsTalk” to talk about their achievements in their respective sports. These shows are always interesting for me – to speak with the young athletes in our area, after a long stretch of hard work is realized with the highest honor achieved at the scholastic level. While some students are nervous about appearing on television, most everyone is usually smiling and having fun by the time the show wraps.
There was one studio guest, however, who seemed a little more distracted before going on the air and seconds before the red light flashed on, and I asked this athlete if anything was wrong. The response was that he was excited to be on the show, but was disappointed that his grandmother, who lives outside the RCN coverage area, wouldn’t be able to watch his appearance on the program.
Enter “the podcast.”
Our marketing team has once again come up with a great, new addition to feature for our customers. Our “RCN SportsTalk” show will be posted online as podcasts, so that if you, your family or friends are traveling outside the RCN coverage area (or even if you are in your car and can’t see the show live), you still have the opportunity to catch our sports conversations with all the wonderful people in our region. While you can watch the show On-Demand when you get back home, the podcast gives you the ability to hear the show, anywhere and anytime. It also allows you to hear current sports issues before they become dated (two excellent examples currently on our site was the MLB Draft Preview and also our thoughts and predictions on the start of NFL Training Camps and the Major League Baseball Trade Deadline—both recorded and posted right before those events took place!)
I recently took a step back and glanced at some of our guests since we began our podcasts this summer—a list that includes:
Major League Baseball Player Tony Gwynn Jr.
Associated Press MLB/NFL Writer Rob Maaddi
Eagles Longtime Broadcaster Merrill Reese
Redskins Radio Announcer Craig Hoffman
Georgetown Football Head Coach Rob Sgarlata
Lafayette Pre-Season All-League Corner Matt Smalley
ESPN’s Eric Longenhagen
Olympian Joetta Clark-Diggs
Philadelphia Daily News/PhillyBurb’s Sports Writer Jeff Moeller
Lehigh Valley’s 2015 All-Star Football Coaches & Players
All four Lehigh Valley Spring Sport PIAA/State Champions
District XI 4A & 3A Defending Football Champs
“Reunion Shows” featuring some of the top football players in Bethlehem & Whitehall history & more!
We really have been fortunate to have so many talented and well-respected guests give their opinions on our “SportsTalk” podcast since its inception just a few short weeks ago, and we are looking to continue building on this list and speak with more special names as we transition into the autumn season.
In some ways I had considered myself an “old school” entertainment viewer…and, in a few ways, I still do. However, I really am impressed by all the ways RCN is continuing to grow in terms of providing information, entertainment and access to more people than ever before. I hope everyone enjoys checking out the new “SportsTalk” podcast over the coming weeks and months. Be sure to be on the lookout for even more creative ways that RCN is making your life more “awesomazing” going forward.
