While the use of speech-to-text technologies is certainly one direction this conversation can go, I’m fascinated by the implementation of crowdsourcing to handle this problem.  To the point: let listeners & fans transcribe the audio content, as they desire, fueled simply by the joy of spreading the ideas and making the content more widely available.  A positive side-effect of this approach is the inevitable additions to the greater conversation; the ideas, thoughts, and insights added to the topic by those doing the trascriptions.

Accordingly, I offer my transcription of Mr. Boag’s latest AudioBoo:

Should Everything Be Accessible?
by boagworld, posted April 17, 2009 at 7:19 am EST

So, I’ve just made a smart-alec comment on Twitter about wondering how long it will take people to complain about these AudioBoos not being accessible.  Somebody said, does that mean everything has to be 100% accessible?  That’s a very good point, and I don’t know the answer to it.  On one hand, my gut-reaction & moral reaction is “hell yes, it does: we have an obligation to make the web as accessible as possible (as it was always intended to be as accessible as possible).” And and my pragmatic, business-hat says “No, not always: there is a limit to how much you can do; you have to justify return-on-investment.”  It’s about striking the balance.

I think the kind of way I’m coming to terms with it as far as these AudioBoos are concerned is: I write extensively on the blog; the podcast is transcribed; and nothing I’m saying in these AudioBoos is completely original — its either stuff I or other people have said elsewhere.  So, the content is available in accessible forms elsewhere, but not a transcript of exactly what I’m saying here.  Is that good enough?  I don’t know the answer.

Another thing that I think you need to take into account: different technologies are working in different ways; content is suitable in different forms.   When, for example, I transcribe the podcast: the interviews are transcribed word-for-word; but the rest of it isn’t — the rest of it is show-notes where I provide a written-version of the stuff that we cover, but it’s not a word-for-word transcript.  Does that mean that the podcast isn’t fully accessible? I’d argue not: I’m providing the same content, but I’m providing it in an alternative format.  And that’s quite an interesting conversation to have – as to whether or not that’s truly acceptable.  I think you have to take into account the format, and when you’re writing stuff that it’s okay if thats a bit different.

The original, audio version of this AudioBoo can be found through the widget below:

Things seem quite different as an adult, especially one living in the early 21st century. The future no longer waits quietly over the horizon, but is instead standing at the doorstep. At times, peering ahead one or two decades seems somewhat unfathomable, as our lives change so much with each passing year. How to put it all into perspective?

The solution is simple: turn to a media futurist!

Particularly, I speak of media futurists Gerd Leonhard and Glen Hiemstra, the work of whom has left me recently fascinated. It isn’t that they talk about the things that will happen, but rather the things that are happening right now in the realm of media. That is, anything and everything pertaining to the web, music, video, technology, copyright, sharing and so forth.

Life in the information age will be quite fascinating, and it is great to have thinkers like Leonhard and Hiemstra working hard to help us make sense of it all. Curious to hear what they have to say? A great introduction to both Leonhard and Hiemstra can be found in the FutureTalks series of conversations. The pair share their ideas and thoughts on several different media-related topics, as listed below. I have included links to each conversation in both video or mp3 form.

Otherwise, the blogs of both Leonhard and Hiemstra are great places for regularly updated views and news. Do yourself a favor and check them out… you will not be disappointed!

The Future of Media (Hiemstra)
54 minutes | mp3 | video

The Future of Media (Leonhard)
53 minutes | mp3 | video

The Long Tail
11 minutes | mp3 | video

The Future of Communications
14 minutes | mp3 | video

The Future of Entertainment: Music and Media
12 minutes | mp3 | video

User Generated Content
13 minutes | mp3 | video

Commercial vs. Shared Culture
13 minutes | mp3 | video

The Future of Advertising
12 minutes | mp3 | video

Beyond Web 2.0
12 minutes | mp3 | video

Technology vs. Copyright
13 minutes | mp3 | video

Media Megatrends
12 minutes | mp3 | video