It is often said that a podcast must have an RSS, simply not true, RSS is a tool that compliments podcasting in the same way it does newsfeeds etc, you're better off with it, but you can still produce a podcast without it, a wheel is still a wheel even without an axel.

One of the biggest problems facing the first time listener is not understanding the mechanics of podcasting, podcatchers etc, they don't want to have to download another program first just to listen, they want to press a button and have it delivered to them there and then, or as a audio file. Those site that include this option or a streaming player have a greater (IMHO) chance of getting heard.

Podcasting is still a niche market, confined to those with above average computer skills, if there is a need to label it, call it freestyle audio, no rules.

Note. personaly, I do not consider re-packeged radio programes with copyright music removed as generated by the likes of the BBC as podcasts.
A podcasters is the person who produces the show, voices it, gives it life, packages it and sends it out – its a creative thing.

Jimmy – Co founder – Podcast User Magazine.
http://www.podcastusermagazine.com“ title=”http://www.podcastusermagazine.com“ target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow”>http://www.podcastusermagazine.com

Listening to it on a portable device is not a critical factor, but the ability to do so is critical.

I am one of the minority who listens to podcasts on a portable device (5th Gen iPod). Lectures and discussions require a more active ear than I can provide at work, so on the computer I listen to music. While walking around, driving, grocery shopping, or trying to fall asleep, I can listen to podcasts of academic lectures, BBC comedy, or catch up on the news from NPR, without reducing my productivity.

The ability to subscribe is also very important to me. I don't have to hunt for content, it comes to me, and I can pick and choose which bits seem worthwhile. Stanford on iTunes and the University Channel provide a wealth of interesting content. The topics may vary, so I don't listen to every lecture, but when I update iTunes each evening I can choose what content to keep.

There's probably more drama than new news here. For example, most business books that are bought go unread, and it's no surprise that most podcasts go unlistened to. And since putting the podcast on to an iPod can only happen AFTER you have put it on your computer, it's not suprrising that most people (like me) are either too lazy to go the second step, or are too interested by what they have just downloaded to want to wait further.

To whiom does this debate really matter (except Apple and other mp3 players?)

Based on the 80% “poser” number…. and the simple truth of what a “podcast” is we should re-brand the word so that everyone can understand:

ON DEMAND, DOWNLOADABLE CONTENT

That explains what it is and doen't confuse consumers of how and where they can use the O.D.D.C's

Wait I should copywrite…
I take it back ; )

As for how people listen: My own results are different. I have a podcast called Escape Pod that narrates science fiction stories. I did a site survey at the end of last year, and of the 300 people who responded, 70% listen on portable devices and 30% listen on their computer.

That could just mean my audience is more technical than the larger demographic Bridge Data was identifying. Or it could mean that people who are loyal enough to fill out a survey for a podcast are more likely than average to employ a system to ensure that they get the podcast regularly. (Which, for many of us, means putting it someplace where we can take it with us.)

webcast > audio webcast > audio webcast listener
webcast > video webcast > video webcast viewer

After all, whatever the end device the 'web' is involved. And whatever the content it is still 'cast', as in 'thrown out there' like pearls before swine, or a baited fishing line.

I atribute a lot of this to the lack of a real business model. If the big guys are having trouble making money, they most likely will abandon it. I don't know….just my gut feeling.

Podcasting is still in an early adopter stage. Early adopters tend to be tech savvy. Tech savvy could mean they are often on a computer. Often on a computer could mean they are prone to listen at the computer to their podcasts.

But still, it's hard to debate this without 1) a source I can reference myself and 2) a breakdown of that 80%.

Podctrac claims 41% listen on their computer and 56% listen on their MP3 player. This is available on the latest Tech Podcast Roundtable video.

I host a music show, and I can tell you with a lot of certainty that even though most of my audience are music lovers, they are the tech savvy kind. What does this mean? Most likely they're doing tech savvy things like programming, designing, working and playing on their computers most of the day, thus the fact that they listen online.

Once podcasting can tap into your average listener (no insult intended..just the general public who enjoys audio entertainment of any kind) we'll start to see this # tip quite a bit.

Oh, and if you're going to do all this research and post your thoughts to the world, “podcasters” are the content PRODUCERS, not the listeners ;-)

About 10 days ago, I wrote an article exactly suggesting the naming problem… Here's a quotation from my post:

I think even the naming is a serious consideration here. I mean the term ?podcast?… What an average Internet citizen imagines based on the term podcast, I suspect, might be anything from an iPod accessory to a new breed of spaceship? Why not just say ?on demand radio shows? rather than ?podcasts?? Well, is there a ?coolness? factor in the usage of this term? Now if I say ?I have a podcast?, some will perhaps think that I?m a person who makes regular space travels? Well, I?m not quite sure whether that?ll really make me cool, but I certainly think that it will be an ingredient in awareness / adoption problems.

By the way, the post was about “The missing pieces” of Pandora, Last.fm, and podcasting…”. So I'm adressing the roots of some awareness and adoption problem with these new music media, and them pointing the importance of designing more consumer friendly, experience rich, and insights driven products?

You can read it @

http://www.NeoMarketing.TV“ title=”http://www.NeoMarketing.TV“ target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow”>http://www.NeoMarketing.TV

I think there is a need for podcasters to “collectively” start discussing the ways to increase the reach of their work. I'll soon post an article on my blog with additional insights and a call for action… Drop me an e-mail if you're interested in collaborating in regards to this…

ok AT neomarketing DOT tv

Cheers,

Onur Kabadayi

I listen to NPR shows, coverville, about 30 or different podcasters on different topics and different music showcase types.

I last listened to the radio in December of 2005.

And I'm no punk kid. I'm a 40 something white guy in middle America.

I also think the US is behind in this. Ever been to Asia? They LIVE on their cell phones. I mean live. Podcasts are exploding there because literally everyone has one and most can play MP3 formated files.

If our screwed up greedy ******* telecom industry ever gets around to providing real broadband (like, 100MB to my house for $50 a mo.. available in several other country's.. but not the US) getting podcasts would be even easier.

And yea.. I podcast. And I love it. Give voice to my musical tastes.

Although now it occurs to me that most podcasts seem to be spoken word — certainly the most popular podcasts on iTunes are — but the vast majority of the podcasts I listen to are music, mainly House and electronic DJs. Spoken word seems hard to concentrate on at work, so maybe I'm not a typical user?

It seems that you have a very superficial understanding of podcasting.

First of all, why do you suggest that the New Oxford Dictionary's definition of podcasting is official? Their definition isn't very accurate, and I don't think that very many podcasters would agree with your suggestion that it seems “spot-on”.

Regarding your quandary:

a) your definition of podcasting is inaccurate;
AND
b) your definition of what a podcaster is is inaccurate.

Here's a better definition of what a podcast is: A podcast is any collection of audio files, typically in MP3 format, published with an RSS 2.0 news feed.

Couple points on language usage. We were playing on words “poser podcasters” when referring to podcast users. It flowed a bit more eloquently, but seems to have been a poorly picked play on the letter 'P' that peeved some particular podcast perfectionists. (Say that ten times fast!)

We also agree that podcasts should be shared between devices, whether we are considering audio or other content. We'll have a lot more in the next installment of this discussion; however, we can all agree that this market continues to evolve.

Keep the comments coming, we're enjoying the feedback.

. 1) at least shows the percent that are downloaded and un-listened to. I know I tend to subscribe to a number of podcast streams but only listen to a few. Thus for me, the 20% portable number might be the result of,

30% listened to, 1/3-rd on the PC and 2/3-rds on my Ipod.

If this is representative, the what is being shown is that the listeners are discriminating, but still use portable devices as their main listening device.

. 2) I also hope that the author will allow us to see the details of the study so that we can judge what it means rather than accept a short hand sound bite interpritation.

=======

Note: again for me, I would be more likely to use my portable device for listening if it were better. As it is there are still some bothers as compared to the PC and thus it may be that I don't listen to the Podcast on the portable device because it needs to be improved and when the software/hardware is developed, I will use the portable device more.

Thus the “20%” may not represent a long term value but also represents the limitations today of the portable players and will increase as the MP3 players are made more User Friendly and Capable.

Thanks…

It makes sense, since most people spend A LOT of time in front of their computers, and less time with portable mp3 players.

The question is: when people DO listen to a podcast, HOW are they listening to it.

Personally, I listen to all of them on my iPod (and before that on my Karma). I have never listened to a podcast on the computer.

http://www.micropersuasion.com/2006/03/podcast_posers.html“ title=”http://www.micropersuasion.com/2006/03/podcast_posers.html“ target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow”>http://www.micropersuasion.com/2006/03/podcast_pos…

http://adverlab.blogspot.com/“ title=”http://adverlab.blogspot.com/“ target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow”>http://adverlab.blogspot.com/

Michael W. Geoghegans blog: http://mwgblog.com/archives/2006/03/23/when-experts-get-the-basics-wrong/“ title=”http://mwgblog.com/archives/2006/03/23/when-experts-get-the-basics-wrong/“ target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow”>http://mwgblog.com/archives/2006/03/23/when-expert…

Paul Cooligan: http://www.paulcolligan.com/2006/03/23/getting-honest-about-the-podcast-numbers/“ title=”http://www.paulcolligan.com/2006/03/23/getting-honest-about-the-podcast-numbers/“ target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow”>http://www.paulcolligan.com/2006/03/23/getting-hon…

You state:

“Excuse me? You mean to say that four out of five “podcasters” don't consume podcasts on a portable device?”

Podcaster = someone who creates and distributes a podcast.

Podcast listener = one who downloads and “consumes” a podcast.

Regardless, you are discussing an important topic. Podcasters and advertisers need to be familiar with the listening habits of the audience. There are several misconceptions along these lines.

I'd like to see that 80% broken down more. What portion is listened to on PC? What portion is never listened to? The phrasing sounds like 80% is inclusive of both those groups. What's the breakdown?

Podtrac states that, according to their survey of 19,508 podcast listeners, 41% listen on their computer and 56% listen on their MP3 player.

I chime in more on this topic on my own blog:

http://www.jasonvanorden.com“ title=”http://www.jasonvanorden.com“ target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow”>http://www.jasonvanorden.com

Jason

Bottom line, it doesn't matter how they listen. This just adds to the flexibility of podcasts.

Also, I disagree with the term 'podcaster' the way you are using it. I think of a podcaster as someone who creates a podcast, not someone who listens to it.

Great story, something to think about.

And 'Podcaster'? Is that defined as someone who produces podcasts, or listens to podcasts? Methinks 'The Diffusion Group' might be poser researchers…!

Its Radio BY and FOR citizens sans Transmitters.

its that simple really. I go out of my way to tell people podcasts do not require an ipod. Use your computer (thats how most get started) use your CD player heck put it on TAPE for all I care :-)

NOW there is an issue. with RADIO you have “real time” as an issue. there are 24 hours in a day of which I have X amount to devote to listening to anything. The problem is with podcasting you can EASILY download a number of hours larger than X in a very short time.

IE like tivo addiction. you get WAY more than you can possibly listen to. so much of it goes unlistened to.

BUT if the user decide they LIKE this medium (usually decided by if they can find content they DESIRE before there patience runs out) they will eventually do what TIVO users to. Fine tune there subscription lists to “what” they actually want and what they can actually listen to in any given time.

I personally almost NEVER listen to podcasts with a PC. I am just not in front of a PC often enough or when I am I am doing something else (I can not listen to a podcast and do something interactive like using a computer at the same time the audio gets tuned out mentally)

I listen when riding a bike. During my drives to work. During my breaks or when in line somewhere etc…

I use my palmpilot for this function (Zodiac)

Get in the car jack in press play. When I goto bed I jack in turn on the 20 minute timer on the zodiac and hit play (so when I do finally fall asleep I will not have missed more than 20 minutes of content)

I get annoyed with Vidcasts are in H264 since portables except the ipod and psp can not play this format :-) I DONT LIKE being tied to a computer to feed on my content.

My subscription list is still larger than what I can consume in a week but I have my “core” programming that I listen to regularly and “secondary” stuff that I really want to listen to and DO eventually :-) and then I have my teir 3 content. stuff I like and want but is not critical to me like Slasdot review. I dont keep more than 10. when it goes over ten I delete the older stuff. if I have time and nothing else to listen to I have that to listen to etc..

But using a computer to listen to podcasts ? so what. Does not matter how its listened to. IN FACT the whole POINT of podcasting is that anyone anywhere can MAKE IT and LISTEN TO IT any which way there which way ther heart desires. Its GOOD and BAD content FOR AND BUY citizens on OUR terms on OUR choice of medium.

Thats what podcasting is. Its anything you want it to be any way you want it.

Chris Taylor
http://www.nerys.com/“ title=”http://www.nerys.com/“ target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow”>http://www.nerys.com/