What is Podcasting?

Podcasting is a term coined in 2004 that combined the words “iPod” and “broadcasting”. It refers to a method of distributing content online via audio, usually using RSS feeds.

Podcasts differ from simply streaming or downloading audio files as they are delivered via a feed that users subscribe to. Some podcasters will however also offer the ability to directly download or stream the podcast.

Whilst the name “podcast” refers to Apple’s iPod, to listen to a podcast you do not need an iPod or any other portable media player, however, throughout 2005 Apple’s support for podcasting throughout 2005 has further linked podcasting to the iPod.

Podcasting in the dictionary

In December 2005, the New Oxford American Dictionary declared “podcasting” to be the word of the year.

In the dictionary, podcasting was defined as “a digital recording of a radio broadcast or similar program, made available on the Internet for downloading to a personal audio player”.

Who can create a podcast?

The beauty of podcasts is that anyone with a PC/Mac, a microphone and an Internet connection can create and distribute one. With relative ease it is possible to promote your podcast by submitting it to various online directories promoting it to web users.

What do people podcast about?

Podcasts can often be compared to an online radio show or described as an audio version of a blog.

There is great variation in the subjects of podcasts, although the most popular usually involve a group discussing relevant issues that have been in recent news, such as this WEEK in TECH and diggnation, which both cover technology news.

The BBC has a number of podcasts available which simply contain highlights from some of its radio shows over the course of a week. The most popular of these is the podcast for the Chris Moyles Breakfast Show on Radio 1.

Some churches and other religious groups have even begun to use podcasting as a way of delivering sermons and talks. This is known by some as Godcasting.

Video Podcasting

In 2005 many also began to distribute video versions of podcasts, making use of video enclosures in RSS. Revision3’s Systm is an example of a video podcast.

Video podcasts have been referred to as “vodcasting” or “vidcasting” although at the time of writing there is no single widely used term for video podcasts.

Legal Issues

Because many podcasters choose to include music in there podcasts there is often licensing issues with this music.

Whilst there has been no known lawsuits involving podcasts and music licensing issues yet, it is always possible that record companies and artists may take objection to the use of their music in podcasts.

This is a tricky area for those involved with podcasts of radio show highlights and as such many, such as the BBC, choose to omit music from the podcasts, despite being able to stream the shows live online.

It is at this point that we see the difference between traditional streamed media and podcasts. Whilst streamed media is usually live, podcasts are available online to download at any time and to keep a permanent copy of. It is the ability to download and keep a podcast that artists may not approve of.

Related Terms

The following terms have stemmed from and/or are related to podcasting:

• Autocasting – automatically generating podcasts from a text only source.
• Learncasting – using podcasting for an academic purpose.
• MMS Casting – delivering podcasts to mobile phones via MMS.
• Mobilecast – podcasting to mobile phones.
• Plamcasting – podcasting to palm devices.

Tags

audio, audio blogging, blogging, podcasting, sound, vidcasting, vision, vodcasting

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