This week on the podcast we are trying something new. I have always wanted to have a segment of the show where we play a series of stories in the form of a serial. Back in the day they didn’t donate a full half hour to a complete story. They played it out in 15 minute segments. Each day you would come back and listen to the next installment. One of these was Buck Rogers in the Twenty-Fifth Century.  

Buck Rogers was initially broadcast as a 15-minute show on CBS Radio on Monday through Thursday. It first aired November 7, 1932, until May 22, 1936. In 1936, it moved to a Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule and created 720 episodes equal to 180 hours of story time. Mutual Broadcasting System brought the show and broadcast it three days a week until 1940.

This week on the program we will have the first three episodes of a story that aired in 1939. This one tells the story of Buck Rogers in a unique and wonderful way. Buck must face off with Killer Cane who has taken his prototype of a brand new rocketship. It is titled Gyro-Cosmic Realivator. At the end of the program I will have a special request for everyone who wants to take part.

You can listen to this podcast on Thursday at Ron’s Amazing Stories, download it from Apple Podcasts, stream it on Stitcher Radio or on the mobile version of Spotify. Do you prefer the radio? We are heard every Thursday at 10:00 pm and Sunday Night at 11:00 PM (EST) on AMFM247.COM. Check your local listing or find the station closest to you at this link

Ron’s Amazing Stories is produced and hosted by Ronald Hood:
Email: ronsamazingstories@gmail.com
Blog Page: https://ronsamazingstories.blog/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ronsamazingstories/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RASpodcast

Helpful Links:
Podcast Survey – Help the podcast by taking this survey.
Story Submissions – Use this link to submit your stories to the show.
Podcast Archives – Looking for the first 100 episodes of the podcast?

I have been asking you over that past few weeks to help me by filling out a survey of just who you guys are. I thought it was high time that I gave you the results of your labors. I still need to add more data to this, but enough of you have responded to get an idea of what I can show prospective sponsors.

Before we get to the results many of you have expressed concern that if I start to take on sponsors it will change the podcast. It won’t be as free flowing because of the restrictions having to meet commercial requirements. I can promise you this will not happen. I could have long ago signed up for advertising. However, in most cases, you don’t get to pick the adds or even decide where they are placed. With a sponsor, I decide who they are and I create the spots. Two very different scenarios. The problem is that the second one is harder to pull off.

So having said this here are some of your results:

What is your age?
18-24 ……….6%
25-34 ……….18%
45-54 ……….24%
55-64 ……….18%
65+ …………35%

What is your gender?
Male ………..77%
Female ………24%

What is the highest level of education you have achieved?
Some college …..41%
2-year college …6%
4-year college …6%
Masters ……….41%
Doctoral ………6%

What is your employment status?
Full-time ……53%
Retired ……..35%
Other ……….12%

I still need more of you to take the podcast survey. This will really help me out and you will get a better product in the end. Thank you for listening and a big thank you to those 30 of you that have taken the time to fill out the survey.

-Ron

This Week’s Podcast:

On the podcast this week we have a cryptid wolf story from Yellowknife! We continue with Anything You can Do and Tom tells about making money in the old south. You can listen to this podcast on Thursday at Ron’s Amazing Stories, download it from iTunes, stream it on Stitcher Radio or on the mobile version of Spotify. Do you prefer the radio? We are heard every Sunday Night at 8:00 PM (PST) on AMFM247.COM. Check your local listing or find the station closest to you at this link.

Ron’s Amazing Stories is produced and hosted by Ronald Hood:
Email: ronsamazingstories@gmail.com
Blog Page: https://ronsamazingstories.blog/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ronsamazingstories/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RASpodcast

Helpful Links:
Podcast Survey – Help the podcast by taking this survey.
Story Submissions – Use this link to submit your stories to the show.
Podcast Archives – Looking for the first 100 episodes of the podcast?

This time on Ron’s Amazing Stories – The Blog, we are going to talk a bit about the podcast. Today, as I write this, marks a birthday of a sort. On April 19, 2011, I published my very first podcast. That was seven years ago. I remember thinking, Who in the world was going to listen to this? I had no idea how to promote it, it did not sound all that great, and the content was ninety percent old time radio. [You can listen to that podcast here]

I did have some ideas as to what I wanted to accomplish. I was just starting out as a freelance editor and it was my hope to interview and connect with authors. These were lofty goals and I had no idea on how to complete them or measure my success. In those days there were no stats to speak off, at least at my host provider, all I had to go on was bandwidth usage. When I reached too many downloads I would get a nasty message. (So I was told, I never actually got that message). But, I could go in look at percent used. Early on it was disheartening, to say the least.

I knew that I had to score a big interview to at least generate some interest, so I set my sights on Greg Bell host of the radio show, “When Radio Was”.  After a couple of months, I finally got that interview and things vastly improved. Greg helped with that by promoting it on XM/Sirius Satellite radio. [You can listen to RAS012 here]  The numbers improved, but I was still in no danger of hitting that bandwidth usage goal.

In the end, it was persistence and not giving up that finally made the difference. Also, improving my knowledge, learning new skills and the art of self-promotion. I remember the week I broke 1000 downloads for a single podcast. It was like the world was finally listening to me and I had a voice. Granted my podcast is all about stories, but when you break it down we as humans are all storytellers. Today the podcast averages between 6 to 10 thousand downloads and I am on the radio in nine cities. I would say to myself, “Not Too Bad!”

This Week’s Podcast:

On the podcast this week we are doing a “Throwback Thursday” birthday edition of the show.  It is going to contain only stories submitted by you guys. Of course, we can’t have a podcast without a Five Minute Mystery. I think it would break the internet if we did. You can listen to this podcast on Thursday at Ron’s Amazing Stories, download it from iTunes, stream it on Stitcher Radio or on the mobile version of Spotify. Do you prefer the radio? We are heard every Sunday Night at 8:00 PM (PST) on AMFM247.COM. Check your local listing or find the station closest to you at this link.

The Calendar:

March 29 – The King of Bones and Ashes – RAS #321
April 05 – The Jovian Jest – RAS #322
April 12 – The White Rose Murders – RAS #323
April 19 – Compensation – RAS #324
April 26 – Listener Story Week – RAS #325

I like taking a walk around the local park. I do this every day and every day new thoughts occur to me. Sometimes it is about what I can do for my next show, other times I worry about life issues. I put in a lot of time making these podcasts. I want to do them right and at the same time remember that I have a job to do. I have made it no secret that I would love to do this full time, but the numbers tell me that I have a long way to go before I can make that happen.

So why do I do this… podcasting I mean? If I am not making a living at it then it must be a hobby. I know that for the most part people around me just doesn’t get it. However, my brother is my biggest supporter and he reminds me that I am doing good work. The listeners tell me that they love the show and can’t wait to see what I do next. People I don’t even know send me their stories to take care of and share with the world. You have no idea how that makes me feel when I get a good story from someone out there.

In the end, it is because of you that I do this. I don’t want to let you down. I have to put out the best podcast I can for you to hear. You make it worth the effort. I will continue paying my dues and hope that one day Ron’s Amazing Stories goes viral.

Thank you for listening to the show it is pleasure to be your host.

-Ron

This Week’s Podcast:

On the podcast this week, Clarissa from Utah reads her short story live. She is only 14 years old. Also, we have a classic science fiction story from the 1930’s and another installment of, “Johnny, is it true?” You can listen to this podcast on Thursday at Ron’s Amazing Stories, download it from iTunes, stream it on Stitcher Radio or on the mobile version of Spotify. Do you prefer the radio? We are heard every Sunday Night at 8:00 PM (PST) on AMFM247.COM. Check your local listing or find the station closest to you at this link.

The Calendar:

March 29 – The King of Bones and Ashes – RAS #321
April 05 – The Jovian Jest – RAS #322
April 12 – Suspense Week – RAS #323
April 19 – Science Fiction Week – RAS #324
April 26 – Listener Story Week – RAS #325

I am working on making Ron’s Amazing Stories the best podcast it can be. Another way you can help me do that is to take a survey from Podtrac. Podtrac is a free service that helps podcasters to look at the number of downloads we receive and understand our demographic.

This free web-based survey has been expertly developed and analyzed by the audience research professionals at Podtrac, Mediamark Inc. (MRI), and Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS). TNS is the largest custom research organization in the world. MRI is the country’s leading provider of magazine audience and multimedia research data for publishers, agencies, and advertisers.

The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete and will help me to better understand you.

Thank-You

-Ron

Take the survey here

This Week’s Podcast:

On the podcast this week there will be sled dogs, mysteries, science fiction scary stuff, stuff to make think, and even a famous speech. You can listen to this podcast on Thursday at Ron’s Amazing Stories, download it from iTunes, stream it on TuneIn Radio or on the mobile version of Spotify. Do you prefer radio? We are heard every Saturday night at 6:00 pm (EST). Check your local listing or find the station closest to you at this link.

The Calendar:

January 25 – Old Time UFOs – (RAS312)

February 01 – Who is Helen Huber? – (RAS313)
February 08 – (HE #20 or RAS314)
February 15 – (HE #20 or RAS315)
February 22 – (HE #20 or RAS316)