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A growing trend online is podcast video. While
podcasting was originally only for audio files, more
people are beginning to send video, especially with
broadband connections more accessible. To podcast
video, content distributors enclose it in a web
syndication file that users can download and view when
they want. Users subscribe to the different files,
checking them for updates regularly, and download the
new offers when they become available. Each file is
often referred to as an episode, and may be part of a
video blog, or vlog.

Podcast video, and other types of podcasting are thus
part of the blogging revolution. Individuals and groups
around the world, with a small investment in equipment
and time, can become content producers. Because it is
so simple to use and cheap to set up, many people are
getting involved. They can podcast video around the
world, becoming producers and directors for any small
niche they want to exploit.

Many of these podcasters have small audiences that
download their podcast video, but larger groups are
getting involved. News organizations and websites that
serve massive audiences are discovering that podcasting
and podcast video can distribute their content to
millions of people easily. These groups have found that
podcasting video is yet another way to distribute their
news and information. Since podcasting is so easy to
use, it’s likely that even more people will start using
podcast video.

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The podcast for This American Life allows listeners to
download the the shows and listen to them at their
discretion. The This American Life team contracts with
a site called audible.com to distribute the shows to
listeners who want to hear them. Despite calling their
offering a podcast, however, it is not, at least in the
normal sense of the word. A podcast refers to an online
setup with an RSS feed that is regularily updated, can
be subscribed to, and provides links to sound or video
files that can be downloaded and watched by the
subscriber. Audible.com and This American Life do not
offer that. Instead, the show’s team allows audible.com
to receive money for allowing listeners to download the
sound files to the computer from audible.com’s web
site. The only RSS file involved is one specific to the
user which allows that user access to the shows they are
interested in. Even odder than charging for a supposed
podcast, the sound files downloaded are tied to the
specific user who downloads them. Unlike the vast
majority of podcasts, which allow the files to be
distributed and redistributed as the end user wishes,
without placing limitations on such, the This American
Life podcast restricts the file to a single user.

The podcast for This American Life misses the point of
what a podcast is intended to be, the free distribution of
information. The This American Life team is exploiting
the term podcasting, and the credibility and hipness that
is associated with the term in order to boost their own
popularity.

On the other hand, the podcast for This American Life
may be where the rest of the industry is headed.
Although the technology was first adopted by
independent media groups that enjoyed it because of the
low cost of distribution and the close possible ties to
end users, that may change when podcasting becomes a
wider phenomenon. If podcasting is adopted by more
mainstream, corporate entities, the face of podcasting is
likely to change to one where a profit plan is required.
Audible.com’s plan of forcing users to subscribe and
pay for the feeds they want may be the way the
corporate world decides to latch on to and use
podcasting. The advantage of podcasting, direct
distribution of the media files to the user’s home
computer quickly and easily, is not lost if the system
moves to one revolving around profit.

Regretfully, the podcast for This American Life is
probably an example of what podcasting will be in a
few years. As much as locked media files that restrict
distribution may be repugnant to many of the free
information activists that curently dominate podcasting,
there is little to stop those who want to use the system
to make a profit from doing so.

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Many music podcasts are available online, distributed
by podcasters who want to share their collection with
the world. Some of these are distributed by independent
musicians, groups or individuals who enjoy creating
and sharing their music but have a small fanbase. For
them, a podcast means closer contact with their
listeners, and the blog that usually accompanies a
podcast often allows for the comments and opinions of
the listeners to be shared with the musicians. The
listeners often appreciate this close contact, and some
become resentful when their favorite groups gain
widespread popularity. Musicians may find that the
music podcast they share is a way to build a following
and gain an audience that is loyal to them. Since many
of the musicians who podcast do so as independent
artists who lack the sound the music industry is looking
for or simply haven’t been noticed yet, a music podcast
may build a following that attracts attention to them and
gives them an entry point into the music industry.

For others, a music podcast may be the chance to
become a dj, and the episodes they share will contain
mixes of different songs, highlighting obscure yet
accomplished artists and taking their listeners on a tour
every episode. These amateurs podcast merely because
they enjoy the activity, as most independent podcasters
do. Yet another type of music podcast, however,
involves the online radio station. While some radio
stations have taken the leap to the internet by offering
streaming connections to their current playlist, others
have accepted the podcast as a way of sharing their
music. Such a style is very similar to the amateur dj, but
brings a level of professionalism that is not found with
the amateur podcasters.

A music podcast may also be a way to sample works by
more well known artists before purchasing. Some
musicians and groups will podcast their new music, or
portions of the new pieces, in order to peak interest in
the songs before release. Fans get to listen to the music
and find out what they might like before purchasing the
whole album. A possibility, however, is that music
podcasts become subscription based, and musicians
begin charging for access to the feed. The online sale of
music has proved its popularity, with Apple’s iTunes
reaching its one billionth paid download recently. A
music group could conceivably offer a feed to its fans
that they could pay for, and regularily update it with
new songs that would be downloaded directly to the
fan’s computers Although this distribution model is not
yet in place, it seems to fit with the over all trend.
Already, some nonmusic groups have agreed to podcast
their files, on the condition that a paid subscription is
bought.

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While some video feeds can be found by visiting the
site that hosts them, many more are easier found by
visiting a directory of podcast videos. These podcast
video directories maintain listings of podcasts that have
been submitted to them. They may sort the list
according to region, category, and popularity, helping
visitors find exactly the type of feed they are looking
for. Tech video podcasts can be found, with regular
episodes about technology news. Some video feeds are
experimental podcasts, created by designers interested
in showcasing their work and trying out new forms of
editing and storytelling. There are some feeds that
recreate talk and comedy shows, with interviews every
episode.

A directory of podcast videos can help anyone find new
and interesting podcasts to subscribe to, and it can also
help podcasters advertise their feeds. Rather than
relying on word of mouth advertising and people
stumbling onto the feed, a directory makes it easier for
listeners to find the feed. Directories play the role that
early search engines did, maintaining a list of a
relatively small group of net addresses that otherwise
would not be found.

After looking through a directory of podcast videos and
finding a feed that is appealing, it can be subscribed to
by using a podcast client. A podcast client is a computer
program that checks the RSS file that stores the
information about the feed and downloads the video
files that the video podcast links to. The file can then be
watched by the user on their computer whenever and as
many times as they wish.

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A podcast directory is a listing of syndication feeds that
link to a podcast. They are often organized by category
and topic, and allow the user to find a feed that podcasts
about almost anything. Just as search engines help
people find sites with the information they need, a
podcast directory presents a searchable list of podcasts
users can subscribe to. Users may even be able to play
the available feed episodes from within the site.

Unlike most search engines, though, a podcast directory
rarely searches out and finds content on its own,
automatically. All the feeds are either contributed by
users who want people to find their podcast, or added
by the staff. Nearly anyone can set up a podcast, but
gaining visitors can be difficult, and so podcasters can
submit their feeds to the directory to gain readers.

Since its so easy to make a podcast, a podcast directory
often uses ways to separate the very good feeds from
the ones people do not enjoy as much. A directory may
have a ranking system, feature certain special feeds on
the front page, or even allow visitors to comment with
their thoughts on a feed.

Visitors to a podcast directory can thus add their own
podcasts, search for feeds on topics or regions that
interest them, and even comment on those they like or
dislike.

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Podcasting, unlike other media forms, almost never has
charges for services, and the vast majority of feed
producers distribute free podcasts. This puts at odds
with, say, online radio stations, news sites that offer
media to subscribers, or the online music industry
general. Even though podcasting has very direct
correlations with industries like news and music that
have strong business models, podcasting differs.
Podcasting does not really have a business model, and
hardly anyone is podcasting in order to profit from it.
There are some businesses and news sites that podcast,
but they do it as a way to supplement their companies
and to gain technological geek credibility, not to make
money. This is an odd thing, but explainable in light of
what podcasting is.

The free podcast problem is not difficult, and
podcasting differs in several key ways from other media
areas. First, podcasting involves the physical transfer of
a file from the host to the users computer. An online
radio station does not do this; all that they provide to
their listeners is a streaming sound file that cannot be
saved without difficulty and work. If someone did
manage to do so, the station would have strong grounds
for suing them since they were never given the rights to
keep and store the files. By podcasting the complete file
to the users computer, express permission is granted the
user to copy and use as they wish. Second, the podcasts
are, for the most part, made by individuals who have
low costs involved in creating and distributing the files,
as opposed to a news broadcast or song by a music
company. These individuals have little reason to charge
for their work since there is little cost to them to do so.
Because the files are distributed in a way allows their
copying and does not control the media, and since
podcasting is a very low cost media outlet, feed
producers have little reason or ability to charge for their
work.

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