This sneaked up on us. Today marks the one year anniverÂsary of our site. All in all, it’s been a decent maidÂen voyÂage. Last OctoÂber, we startÂed with the conÂcept that the web abounds with great cultural/educational media, but no one’s realÂly focusÂing on these smart podcasts/videos and proÂvidÂing users with a free and easy way to conÂtinÂue expandÂing their culÂturÂal horiÂzons. So that’s what we startÂed to do.
The numÂbers sugÂgest that we’re satÂisÂfyÂing some kind of need. We racked up a couÂple milÂlion page views this year (not bad for a fledgÂling site), with users comÂing from across the globe. Along the way, we got some nice menÂtions in the press — Smart MonÂey (by the Wall Street JourÂnal), The ChrisÂtÂian SciÂence MonÂiÂtor, Der Spiegel (GerÂmany), and El Pais (Spain). And there were othÂer menÂtions on the big blogs — LifeÂhackÂer, Boing Boing, The UnofÂfiÂcial Apple Weblog, etc. — and a couÂple of interÂviews on pubÂlic radio (here and here).
By far, users most often freÂquentÂed our podÂcast colÂlecÂtions (full library here) and parÂticÂuÂlarÂly our colÂlecÂtions of forÂeign lanÂguage lessons, audio books and uniÂverÂsiÂty lecÂtures and comÂplete coursÂes. When it comes to our daiÂly feaÂtures, the five most popÂuÂlar pieces were the folÂlowÂing:
- 10 UnexÂpectÂed Uses of the iPod
- 45 Free CutÂting Edge Books
- The War of the Worlds on PodÂcast: How H.G. Wells and Orson Welles RivÂetÂed A Nation
- 20 PodÂcasts That Will Teach You SpanÂish, French, ItalÂian and GerÂman
- Free Beethoven and Mozart RecordÂings via PodÂcast
As for our perÂsonÂal favorites, we would include:
- Life-ChangÂing Books: ReadÂer Picks
- 10 ExcelÂlent UniÂverÂsiÂty PodÂcasts
- Steve Jobs on Life
- The Hottest Course on iTunes (and the Future of DigÂiÂtal EduÂcaÂtion)
- The DigÂiÂtal TipÂping Point: The Wild Ride from PodÂcast to Book Deal
- Ten DisÂcovÂerÂies That Rewrote HisÂtoÂry
- LearnÂing the LanÂguages of the New World PowÂers
- The Rise of the CulÂture BoxÂes
- The Art of ReadÂing a Poem (AccordÂing to Harold Bloom)
- UniÂverÂsiÂty Video ColÂlecÂtions
- 100 CulÂture Blogs
- Ten PodÂcasts to Build Your VocabÂuÂlary
We’re lookÂing forÂward to Year 2, when we’ll hopeÂfulÂly get more writÂers and guest blogÂgers in the mix and launch a podÂcast of our own. (We’ll see if time perÂmits.) If you have thoughts on how we could improve, please feel free to conÂtact us and give us your thoughts. We’d genÂuineÂly like to get your feedÂback and find new ways to do things betÂter. We hope that you’ll conÂtinÂue to visÂit durÂing this upcomÂing year. Ciao.
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