Maybe it’s an AM talk show or a FM program with music and talk, but you tend to find what you like then stay with it, often waiting patiently for the little morsels of music, talk or programming that you want to hear. Or you listen for an entire hour to get only 10 minutes of something you want to know about. You also realize you’re having to arrange your life around the program so you’re within earshot of the show, because once you miss it, you can’t re-hear it. Well, ok, maybe you could if you knew how to figure out all the Internet stuff. Then again, some shows you have to pay for later.
All that’s changing with Podcasting. I think 2005 is going to usher in an era of audio that everyone is going to like, especially if you find yourself burned out on TV shows and you’re tired of missing your favorite radio programs. Podcasting gives you the ability to easily slip audio shows directly into your portable MP3 player.
But I’m not talking about reruns of existing radio. I’m talking about the new frontier of peer-casting. Instead of ‘broad’ casters pushing down your ear the radio programming they hope will appeal to the masses, I’m talking about very specialized audio programs done by individuals all over the world. You could think of it as ‘narrow’ casting. A Podcaster could be any person or organization interested in a very specific topic that might never get air play under normal circumstances. Now anyone can create an audio program and transmit it to anyone else around the world. It will show up on subscribers’ portable MP3 players for their private listening pleasure in the car, while working out, or traveling.
Here is what I’m experiencing myself and hearing from others who are listening to Podcasts on their MP3 players. They are NOT watching as much TV and they are NOT arranging their lives around radio programs that provide mere tidbits of information they want. They are subscribing to Podcasts and getting 100% of what they want to hear when they want to hear it. And, thank goodness, most of these programs are totally free of advertising.
To get a visual and audio sampling from your PC what some of the shows sound like, go to audio.weblogs.com for the very latest programs being released (minute to minute) at http://audio.weblogs.com and at www.ipodder.org – check out a few; you’ll be amazed at the diversity. It’s worth keeping in mind is that this started a mere four months ago, in August of 2004. So 2005 will be a breakthrough year for new programs, new uses and greater exposure for this new way of creating, narrowcasting and listening to new media. Bottom line is this: Those programs that hold an audience win. Those that don’t simply die away. There is no artificial pumping up or needing to be in the ‘big boys’ club’ in order to be the winner. Podcasters succeed based on how popular their programs are for their base of listeners – globally, of course.
In 2005, we’ll see a new generation of iPods (portable MP3 players). I predict we will see versions with WiFi and additional software that listens for new Podcast programs you’ve subscribed to. They just show up without your having to ‘dock’ your iPod to a base station. You can be in Starbucks and you’ll hear a little jingle in your pocket – it will be your iPod telling you there is a new program to listen to from your favorite artist, producer, maybe even a personal friend who creates Podcasts for a select group of subscribers.
In 2005, we’ll see iPods that have Satellite Radio connections built into them so you have on-the-go music wherever you are. And wouldn’t it be cool if there were digital channels provided exclusively for Podcast productions? That way, you don’t even need a WiFi connection. Hey, I think I’d want both. The iPod is truly ushering in a freedom we’ve only dreamed of to this point with regard to having any kind of media brought directly to you from ONLY the producers you like the most, versus what mass media thinks you want. It’s more like a cell phone putting you in touch with the people you want to speak with.
I can’t wait to begin both publishing and expanding my listening to Podcasts. Forget TV and radio as we know it. Okay, I still like listening to NPR…. hopefully they’ll offer all their programs in a time-shifted manner with Podcasts that I can download and listen to later.
