PodWatch

More Listening Going On To Podcasts

Grammy.com reports a study reveals that podcasts are gaining in popularity.

The Pew Internet and American Life Project released a study Sunday citing that 29 percent of Americans who own portable digital music players say they have downloaded podcast programs. Podcasts, which range from personal music or commentary recordings to programs from major broadcasts, emerged only last year. The study also found that almost half of MP3 owners younger than 29 have tried podcasts, compared to 20 percent of those 29 or older.

Podcasting Is Elementary

Elementary school students in Portland Maine take a page out of the book of high school radio but at a much younger age by writing, producing and distributing a Podcast. Back in high school, I was a DJ one morning a week. The freedom to express, share views and bring new music to light was enjoyable. By podcasting the students will receive the same kind of experience and also help shape the way we communicate in the future.

Is Apple Sirius?

Reports continue to swirl that Apple and Sirus may strike some kind of deal that delivers iTunes' content over Sirius Satellite Radio. Another rumor that is making the rounds is that Sirius will begin to Podcast via iTunes.

I think one thing is for certain. Yahoo, Apple, AOL and MSN will all find ways to podcast content, but it will be the original and exclusive content that makes people want to listen. If all that's going to be available is the same music one can find on the current pay for play offerings, then there is no real reason to use the Podcast format.

Curry and Wiener Bickering?

In what sounds more like a scripted soap opera it seems two of the major drivers of the podcasting adoption effort are carrying on a public argument.

While both get lots of credit for bringing podcasting to the commercial forefront, my pal and long time show host Ken Rutkowski has been doing this longer than anyone, and has been responsible in many ways for keeping the streaming media biz going through his not stop efforts to be a streamcaster on KenRadio with our World Technology Roundup.

Jupiter Analysts to Podcast

In a way to take their story to more people Jupiter Research is going to begin Podcasting.

For many years I have believed that the analyst community are like media, and will play a very important part of how information is disseminated.

While analyst firms are often paid by the companies they cover, their are often quoted and cited. Now by going direct to their audiences it's means that their client's stories will be being told with first hand insight, and not reportorial conjecture. The key will be separating the facts from the hype.

What's A Podcast

Business Week and Stowe Boyd of Corante each have views on what is a Podcast.

Business Week On Podcasting

Business Week has two stories today about Podcasting. While the first is a general overview telling what Podcasting is while the second is a very good look at how marketers are using Podcasting.

The key to the second is audience. Like blogs it won't be sheer volume of eyeballs or in this case, ears. What will matter is who those ears belong to and more importantly how much is retained.

Podcast listening is largely a multi-tasking behavior. People listen to Podcasts when they are driving, running, working on the PC, cooking. As such just like radio things like frequency more than reach will come in to play.

And for frequency to matter you have to get people to listen and listen and listen, over and over again.

Whose Podcasting Going To Hurt?

Podcasting may hurt Audible, the download book company. That's according to the analysts at Standard and Poors who today reiterated a sell rating on Audible.

Audible pioneered the idea of easy to download content, but the threat that looms from Podcasting is clearly upon them. When Audible started they were the only game in town. Now anyone with a mic and a server is able to be in the business of broadcasting.

What Audible offers is aggregation. But with Google and other search engines becoming so powerful at aggregating information, and with e-tailers like Amazon offering self publishing, how long will it be before Audible is wiped out by a Podcast distribution outlet, with Digital Rights Management via Amazon?

Podcasting Getting Sporty

It seems even the national sports federations are seeing the value of podcasting.

The US Soccer Federation has begun a podcast to cover all the action surrounding the 2005 USA National Team.

As someone who grew up in sports, working for a professional hockey team as their amateur sports program's leader, I see the full value in this being done. I would fully expect to see other National Governing Bodies following suit.

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