Virginia Beach gets in tune with podcasts

By Richard Quinn
The Virginian-Pilot
© July 25, 2008

VIRGINIA BEACH

ITunes long has showcased the latest 'tweener singer, boy band or aging rocker.

Now add the city's Department of Economic Development to the inventory.

In a display of techno know-how, the office has put its podcasts on the popular music site. A spokeswoman said the city is believed to be one of only two municipal economic development agencies nationwide trading on iTunes.

The other is Denver.

The office began podcasting in March. Interviews have included a city councilman, the editor of Men's Fitness magazine and retired NFL icon Emmitt Smith.

"We're trying to show we're really in tune with what's happening," said Cynthia Whitbred-Spanoulis, the department's strategy and performance coordinator.

The podcasts have generated buzz, but the city can't yet track listeners to see how much. They do know tweaks will be made. One podcast took almost 20 minutes, a near eternity on a cyber clock.

"It's a learning process," Whitbred-Spanoulis admitted.

Richard Quinn, (757) 222-5119, richard.quinn@pilotonline.com

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It's Actually Pretty Interesting

Submitted by cocoab63723 on Fri, 07/25/2008 at 6:50 am.

There are Web sites about drying paint, Web sites where you can watch paint dry, and Web sites where you can watch grass grow, so I decided to tune into the Economic Development podcast to see for myself. It's actually pretty interesting.