The Generally Speaking Production Network (GSPN) is an online media production company founded by Cliff and Stephanie Ravenscraft on December 16, 2005.[1]
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| Status | Active |
|---|---|
| Founded | December 16, 2005 |
| Founder | Cliff and Stephanie Ravenscraft |
| Country of origin |  United States |
| Headquarters location | Hebron, Kentucky, US |
| Distribution | Worldwide |
| Publication types | Podcasts |
| Nonfiction topics |
|
| Official website | gspn |
Background
editHistory
editA fan of the television series Lost, and inspired by Leo Laporte and his this Week in Tech podcast, Cliff Ravenscraft began with a Lost-discussion podcast after only finding one other on the subject in 2005. Ravenscraft began the podcast as a hobby with no experience in broadcasting, radio, or television; in a June 2007 interview with Podcast User Magazine, Ravenscraft confessed that "he didn't put a lot [of] preparation into the show at first, and that his audio was poor, but [...] the content was in high demand." Ravenscraft gathered thousands of listeners in only a few weeks, and quickly added his wife Stephanie to the podcast.[2][3]
Soon thereafter, they launched a second Lost podcast, followed by podcasts discussing faith and family issues, and one about Cliff's life (originally titled My Crazy Life). In December 2008, Cliff Ravenscraft had worked in the insurance industry for eleven years when he left his job to begin podcasting full-time.[3][4] In 2008, he claimed that, since October 2009, GSPN was producing "more money every month that [he'd] ever made in [his] life."[4]
Personnel
edit
Cliff Ravenscraft (born c. 1972/1973) grew up in Erlanger, Kentucky and graduated Conner High School in 1992. In 2001, Ravenscraft was an associate pastor of a Highland Heights, Kentucky church for which he blogged about his faith in his "Almost Daily Devotional". Building upon a childhood interest in CB radio, and after he began the Weekly LOST Podcast, Ravenscraft switched from blogging to podcasting.[4]
Cliff and his wife Stephanie have three children, Meagan, Matthew, and McKenna.[4] The elder two Ravenscraft children have produced their own GSPN podcasts, The World According To Meagan and Gaming With Matt respectively.[5][6]
Products
editPodcasts
editGSPN only advertises on two of its podcasts, and has strict requirements as to where and how advertisements will be implemented.[citation needed] GSPN previously offered a subscription service for US$10 a month which removed ads for subscribers, and gave them access to additional podcast material and a daily blog. GSPN scrapped the Plus Member program on January 17, 2011, and has since produced all content with no advertising. The PodcastAnswerMan podcast however sells products where the product itself is a video tutorial. Cliff Ravenscraft also offers a 4-week online podcasting course for a fee.[3] As of July 2010[update], GSPN currently lists 24 separate podcasts, divided by subject matter:[7]
- Balanced Living podcasts
- Biggest Loser
- Family From the Heart, Authentic Life Radio, Pursuing A Balanced Life (previously My Crazy life), and Watermark Church
- Business & Technology podcasts
- Business Tech Weekly (cancelled)
- Facebook 101
- Help I Got a Mac (cancelled)
- Podcast Answer Man
- Social Media Serenity (cancelled)
- Virtual Assistant Podcast
- Entertainment podcasts
- Desperate Housewives
- Doctor Who
- Gaming With Matt
- Grey's Anatomy
- Heroes
- Musically Challenged
- Private Practice
- The World According To Meagan
- TV Talk
- Twilight Saga Podcast
- Hunger Games Fan Podcast
- Weekly LOST Podcast
Weekly LOST Podcast
editCliff Ravenscraft began GSPN and his podcasting career with his Lost podcast.[4][8] Stephanie Ravenscraft introduced her husband to the series and, after watching the first-season finale in May 2005, he was hooked. Seven months later, Cliff recorded the first episode of the Weekly LOST Podcast for 30 minutes, the first official GSPN production.[4][9]
As of July 2010[update], there are 261 episodes of the Weekly LOST Podcast, and over 50,000 subscribers.[4][8][10] On May 23, 2010, GSPN hosted watch party for the series finale of Lost.[4][8][11]
Cancelled podcasts
editGSPN produced a podcast dedicated to the TV series Drive, but stopped after the show was canceled in April 2007. On December 29, 2011, several shows were cancelled including Balanced Living Weekly, Full Time Mom, Business Tech Weekly, Social Media Serenity, Help I Got a Mac, Almost Daily Devotional, and About The Church.[12][13]
Related services
editIn addition to producing and publishing their podcasts, the Ravenscrafts offer consulting for others interested in beginning podcasting, as well as setting up a website and all the amenities necessary to begin podcasting.[3] Podcasting AtoZ is a regular course, founded by Cliff Ravenscraft, to provide a start for aspiring podcasters.[14]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Ravenscraft, Cliff and Stephanie. "Generally Speaking Production Network (gspn.tv) What is gspn.tv?". Hebron, Kentucky: Ravenscraft Enterprises, LLC d/b/a Generally Speaking Production Network. Retrieved 2009-10-17.
- ^ Juliano, Mark (June 2007). "Podcaster Profile: Cliff Ravenscraft: Generally Speaking Podcast Network". Podcast User Magazine (17).
What do an insurance agent, a pastor, a father and family man and a podcaster have in common? No, this isn't some barroom joke, but it does describe podcasting zealot Cliff Ravenscraft.
- ^ a b c d Barlas, Pete (2008-06-20). "Former Insurance Salesman Turns 'Lost' Obsession Into Online Career". Investor's Business Daily. Los Angeles County, California: William O'Neil + Co. Incorporated. Archived from the original on 2011-06-07. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Kiesewetter, John (2010-05-23). "Finding a career in Lost". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Margaret Buchanan. pp. D1/D4.
- ^ Ravenscraft, Cliff and Stephanie. "Generally Speaking Production Network (gspn.tv) The World According To Meagan". Hebron, Kentucky: Ravenscraft Enterprises, LLC d/b/a Generally Speaking Production Network. Archived from the original on 2009-02-19. Retrieved 2010-07-10.
- ^ Ravenscraft, Cliff and Stephanie. "Generally Speaking Production Network (gspn.tv) Gaming With Matt". Hebron, Kentucky: Ravenscraft Enterprises, LLC d/b/a Generally Speaking Production Network. Retrieved 2010-07-10.
- ^ Ravenscraft, Cliff and Stephanie. "Generally Speaking Production Network (gspn.tv) Subscribe". Hebron, Kentucky: Ravenscraft Enterprises, LLC d/b/a Generally Speaking Production Network. Retrieved 2010-07-10.
- ^ a b c Lang, Derrik (2010-05-14). "'Lost' fans plan series finale parties". Bloomberg Businessweek. Bloomberg L.P. ISSN 0007-7135. Archived from the original on 2010-06-23. Retrieved 2010-07-10.
- ^ Cliff Ravenscraft (2005-12-16). "001 LostCast 12-16-2005 – 413-521-0958" (Podcast). Generally Speaking Production Network. Retrieved 2010-07-10.
- ^ Ravenscraft, Cliff and Stephanie. "Generally Speaking Production Network (gspn.tv) Weekly LOST Podcast". Hebron, Kentucky: Ravenscraft Enterprises, LLC d/b/a Generally Speaking Production Network. Retrieved 2010-07-10.
- ^ "'Lost' fans plan series finale parties". Youngstown, Ohio: WFMJ-TV. Associated Press. Retrieved 2010-07-10.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Cliff and Stephanie Ravenscraft (2008-01-08). "001 Doctor Who – Season 3 Episode 01 Smith and Jones" (Podcast). Generally Speaking Production Network. Retrieved 2010-04-10.
- ^ Schneider, Michael (2007-04-25). "'Drive' runs out of gas". Variety. Reed Business Information. Retrieved 2010-04-10.
Fox parks drama after four episodes
- ^ "Why You Should Join Podcasting a to Z with Cliff Ravenscraft NOW | Professional Content Creation". Archived from the original on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2013-11-28.