Over the past few months, I’ve been an occasional co-commentator for the Elite Tech News podcast. It was started by MG Siegler of ParisLemon and Venture Beat who rounded up several tech blog “B-listers” to participate in a panel discussion of current tech topics. The current line up is Mark “Rizzin” Hopkins, Louis Gray, Art Lindsey, Frederic Lardinois, Steven Hodson, Tamar Weinberg, Tony Hung, and myself.

Here are my observations of the experience:

• Producing a podcast is much easier as a group effort. Duties can be divided - Mark and Art handle all the audio production using the web service TalkShoe. I contributed a logo design. The group dynamic produces varying opinions, disagreements, and tangents, all of which make for more entertaining listening. Lastly, there is always someone available to participate when others can’t make it.
• A regular schedule works well. Early on, we decided to do a weekly podcast at a set time. While the first few episodes were kind of chaotic with technical issues, it has now settled into a more conversational groove. Things are partly improving due to regular practice, due to committing to a weekly schedule, as opposed to recording “whenever.”
• You’ll get to know fellow bloggers. It’s a great opportunity to chat with other bloggers interested in the same subjects you blog about. Talking adds another layer of involvement above the blogs we write and read. We’ve also had some really great tech blogger guests: Robert Scoble, Alan Center of Center Networks, and Aaron Brazell of Technosailor.
• A podcast can be an idea generator. Tangental ideals often pop up, many of which beg for elaboration in a post later that week, providing inspirational material for all our blogs.
• I’ve learned some new things. How to use a USB headset microphone to dial into TalkShoe using Skype.
• I’ve become more comfortable speaking and the recording process. I’m extremely unkeen on public speaking, but am okay on the phone. Podcasting is a great middle ground in which to practice speaking skills, but not in front of a beady-eyed audience or video camera.
• It can lead to bigger things. Both Frederic and Steven both landed blogging gigs, which may not be a direct result of the podcast, but I’d like to think so.

So if you’re ever invited to participate in a podcast or are considering producing one yourself, I say go for it. It’s been a great experience, and I’m really happy to have had the opportunity, which only came about through writing a blog.