Podcasting, all you wanted to know. The term comes from a combination of the words iPod (a personal digital audio player made by Apple) and broadcasting. Even though the term is derived from the iPod, it is not limited to iPods.

As blogging has enabled almost anyone with a computer to become an author or a reporter, Podcasting allows virtually anyone with a computer to become a radio disc jockey, talk show host or recording artist. Podcasting is an extension of blogging using the digital audio technology, not to mention its counterpart, video podcasting. Most of the content on the internet is offered free and users need to pull the audio files from a source and consume it through their computers, iPods, MP3 players etc.

Contrast to a radio source,Podcasts are not required to be ‘tuned into’. Instead, they can be downloaded on demand or even subscribed to via an RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed, which automatically downloads the podcast to the computer. The technology is similar to that used by a personal video recorder that lets users set which programs they’d like to record and then automatically records those programs for later viewing.

Podcast Essentials

Tools:

Being very cost-effective, you only need a PC with soundcard, Microphone, speaker / head phone & audio recording software free or open-source ( e.g. audacity or PodProducer)

Topic:

Decide on a topic, can focus on professional issues, industry or a product

Capture:

Record or capture the podcast on the chosen topic, keeping in sight the length, professionalism and content.

Podcast:

Host them on your website or on the internet and test them. (ensuring accurate naming), and create your newsfeed for your podcasts, which are RSS files describing the podcast that contains information and are linked to the MP3 files so created.

Invite:

Invite your audience to tune into-it, using various methods as RSS etc.

Forrester podcasting report says just over 1% use podcasts. Podcasts have hit the mainstream consciousness but have not yet seen widespread use, with most interested in existing radio and other Internet radio channels.

Companies and individuals that are interested in using podcasting as a medium for their audio should focus not only on downloads but also on streaming audio as a means to get their content and ads to consumers / users. Podcasting has brought millions of music lovers nearer to the promising community of singers & musicians. The day may not be far when your daily scoop of Gita, Ramayan, Quran etc. is podcast to you!

Image Credit: Graham Stanley

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