Calling all public radio junkies — iPhone does it again!

I've had my iPhone for about a year now, and in that time I've downloaded many applications. Several of them are fun (I'm kind of addicted to Scrabble), a few are productive (like Evernote, a nifty way to organize thoughts and inspiration on the go), a few are downright impressive (the New York Times app is amazing!); however, two recent additions to the App Store — from NPR (National Public Radio) and CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) — have really impressed me.

I am a public radio junkie, and love listening to random programing. You can learn a lot from people great and small, and NPR and CBC radio really take the time to delve into issues and let the stories get their time in the sun. Just today I listened in rapture as Konrad Ejbich waxed poetically on the merits of fine wine on Ontario Today. So you could imagine how elated I was to discover that these fine organizations have created applications for the iPhone. Now I can listen to live streaming broadcasts or specific shows on demand as I jet around town, workout at the gym or relax at home. CBC even offers the option to listen to television audio — now sports fanatics can listen to the game when they're away from the TV.

With the CBC app you can listen to Radios 1, 2 and 3 (I didn't even know that Radio 2 offered a station featuring only Canadian songwriters). As you can see there are several other options, including a favorites page that allows you to customize your listening experience.

I admit that I don't listen to NPR too often, partly because it's not accessible over Canadian airwaves; however, with the addition of this application to my iPhone I'm sure I'll tune in more frequently. I like that the homepage of the app is a news update. I swear I check various new sites ten times a day, and I like to check out the American spin on things. There's also something deeply satisfying about picking up 90.3 FM WMAH in Biloxi — it's like owning a shortwave radio.

I love to support these institutions — actually I'm continually impressed with how well CBC distributes their material through podcasts and their websites. I hope this new medium makes them accessible to a new crop of listeners... There, I've done my community service for the week. If you have an iPhone, download these applications. They're like culture in your pocket.