Utilizing The Podcast

The other day a friend of mine was talking about his new podcast show when I realized I didn't know what that was. Pretty lame of me but I did the knowledge and gotta drop the jewel on you. What is podcasting? You don't have to have an ipod or radio to utilize the technology. Its your alternative to listening to your programmed radio station. Your able to tune into stations all over the world that accommodates even those with the oddest of musical taste. You can use your mp3 player or IPOD and listen to the program simply by download. Don't get it twisted though. If your not on the move then your can listen from your PC as long as you have a sound card and Internet connection. The software that is needed is available via shareware and if you utilize Itunes there is actually a category for you to shop through. Podcasting combines the freedom of blogging with digital audio technology to create an almost endless supply of content. The revolution will not be televised. Its coming through your speakers! Pay ATTENTION! Some say this new technology is democratizing the once corporate-run world of radio.

Unlike Internet radio, users don't have to 'tune in' to a particular broadcast. Instead, they download the podcast on demand or subscribe via an RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed, which automatically downloads the podcast to their computers. The technology is similar to that used by TiVo, a ­personal video recorder that lets users set which programs they'd like to record and then automatically records those programs for later viewing.

An MTV video jockey Adam Curry created the podcast in 2004. Curry wrote a program, called iPodder,that enabled him to automatically download Internet radio broadcasts to his iPod. Several developers improved upon his idea, and podcasting was officially born.Right now, podcasting is free from government regulation. Podcasters don't need to buy a license to broadcast their programming, as radio stations do, and they don't pay attention to anything coming from the Federal Communication Commission's (FCC) broadcast decency regulations. Like Digital Underground you can dowhatulike! -- Anything goes down from four-letter words to sexually explicit content. Copyright law does apply to podcasting, though. Podcasters can copyright or license their work -- Creative Commons is just one online resource for copyrights and licenses.

Although several corporations and big broadcast companies have ventured into the medium, many podcasters are amateurs broadcasting from home studios. Because podcasters don't rely on ratings as radio broadcasters do, the subject matter of podcasts can range from the refined to the silly to the extremely ordinary. Podcasters typically cater to a niche group of listeners.

By podcasting consistently on one subject, podcasters not only flex their expertise on the subject matter but also draw a loyal and devoted group of listeners.

Once again the ways to get your music to the masses is unlimited. You make the decision.