The NACS Magazine column, “In Context,” authored by NACS Vice President of Strategic Initiatives Jeff Lenard, shares the NACS perspective on some of the “big picture” issues facing our industry, and what NACS is doing to address those issues—both within the industry and to the larger audience of customers and potential customers. Jeff can be reached at jlenard@nacsonline.com or (703) 518-4272.

“All men’s miseries derive from not being able to sit in a quiet room alone.” Philosopher Blaine Pascal said this in the 1600s to explain how people not at peace with themselves often sought out mischief. But if you think about it, this 400-year-old quote may as well apply to today’s world in which we are constantly on the go and multitasking. Sitting quietly doesn’t lead to misery—it is misery.

Thankfully, technology has allowed us be entertained on the go. It started in 1930 with the first car radio, the Motorola (a mashup of the words motor and Victrola). But there was one problem with radio: If you missed a broadcast, you were out of luck.

That’s no longer the case. Radio—or more accurately, broadcasting—has continued to evolve with programs now available on demand. You can listen to what you want, when you want it, and especially good content via podcasts (another mashup combining the words iPod and broadcast).

Quite simply, podcasts are a huge part of the future of broadcasting, which is increasingly moving online. Podcasts are now also part of NACS’s many communication platforms to help tell our industry’s story to the general public.

This month, we are launching our own weekly podcast: “Convenience Matters.” In each episode we’ll explore an issue and welcome guests to talk about subjects relevant to the convenience store industry—which means that we pretty much can talk about anything.

Above all, our goal is to make these broadcasts lively and a part of our audience’s regular routine, whether driving to work (the average commute is 25 minutes), jogging or listening on their computers.

As preparation for this new venture, we’ve listened to plenty of podcasts to get a feel for what makes a good program—both in terms of content and style. The programs that are most compelling are those similar to what we already do at NACS: tell stories, like the kind you read every month in NACS Magazine, see in videos like Ideas 2 Go, watch on stage at NACS events and hear in the news from reporters.

We are excited about this new opportunity to have conversations with you and your customers about our industry. Look for launch details and additional information in the NACS Daily e-newsletter and in next month’s NACS Magazine. The podcasts will be available via the app “Through the Noise,” as well as on iTunes and NACS Online.

While an overused expression to end columns, it fits perfectly here: Stay tuned!