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Last updated 11/25/07
Podcast Overview: Podcasting and How It Can Be Used By Media and Entertainment
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Podcasting, a term originally based on the name for Apple's portable media player and similar devices from its competition, allows customers to download audio and/or video segments for free (generally) to their computers and portable devices. Put in other terms, podcasting is a method of publishing audio broadcasts via the Internet, allowing users to subscribe to a feed of new files (usually MP3s). It became popular in late 2004, largely due to automatic downloading of audio onto portable players or personal computers. Podcasting is distinct from other types of online media delivery because of its subscription model, which uses a feed (such as RSS or Atom) to deliver an enclosed file. Podcasting enables independent producers to create self-published, syndicated "radio shows," and gives broadcast radio programs a new distribution method. Listeners may subscribe to feeds using "podcatching" software (a type of aggregator), which periodically checks for and downloads new content automatically. Some podcatching software is also able to synchronise (copy) podcasts to portable music players. Any digital audio player or computer with audio-playing software can play podcasts. By 2005 some aggregators could play video as well as audio. With increasingly robust personal digital devices, such as Sony's PSP, podcasting is likely to continue to evolve.

"Podcasting" is a compound word that combines the words "broadcasting" and "iPod." The term can be misleading since neither podcasting nor listening to podcasts requires an iPod or any portable music player. A little-used alternate is "blogcasting", although this usually only refers to recordings that are based on, or similar in format to, blogs. -- end Wikipedia definition.

Reportedly, Podcasting, created by former MTV VJ Adam Curry, is a term that was devised as a crisp way to describe the technology used to push audio content from websites down to consumers of that content, who typically listen to it on their iPod (hence the "pod") or other audio player that supports mp3 at their convenience. The term podcasting is meant to rhyme with broadcasting and is a derivative of the iPod platform. While not directly associated with Apples iPod device or iTunes music service, the company did contribute both the desire and the technology for this capability. Podcasting is not unlike time-shifted video software and devices like TiVo, which let you watch what you want when you want by recording and storing video, except that podcasting is used for audio and is currently free of charge. Note, however, that this technology can be used to push any kind of file, including software updates, pictures, and videos.

Podcasting uses an XML-based technology called RSS, or Really Simple Syndication. Content publishers describe new content in an XML RSS file which includes dates, titles, descriptions, and links to MP3 files. This auto-generated file is called an RSS feed. The key to making podcasting work with RSS is enclosures, a feature supported by RSS 2.0.

What makes podcasting special is that it allows individuals to publish (podcast) radioshows, that interested listeners can subscribe to. Before podcasting you could of course record a radio show and put it on your website, but now people can automatically receive new shows, without having to go to a specific site and download it from there. Unlike traditional radio shows with set schedules, podcasts can be listened to anytime in iTunes or on iPod. With iTunes 4.9, Apple is now taking podcasting mainstream by building everything you need to find, subscribe to, manage, and listen to podcasts right into iTunes. You can even publish your podcast to iTunes (as long as it's free of copyrighted material and overtly explicit material) and reach a potential audience of millions. For inclusion in the iTunes Music Store, all episodes within a podcast must be available as either AAC or MP3 audio enclosures. For more information on podcasting, be sure to check out the Podcasting webpage.

With iTunes 4.9, you can now browse and subscribe to podcasts from within the iTunes Music Store. Podcasts are radio shows or other audio programs that are often episodic and are downloadable over the Internet. From news and information to music and commentary, thousands of new podcasts are available everyday, from around the world, on every subject you can imagine.

How Entertainment and Media Professionals Can Put Podcasting to Work

Here are some ideas on how the field of podcasting may be able to help performing artists expand their careers with new opportunities by producing short video or audio segments that can play on viewers' mobile players or personal computers:

* Audition tape
* Music sampler
* Creating a media kit
* Interviews with authors
* Courses, tutorials, religious sermons
* Life stories
* Animation/cartoons, games
* Plays
* Narrated, dramatized novels
* Children's programming
* Music, music lyrics, dance, poetry
* Informercials
* Reality TV
* News, opinions
* Celebrations
* Reviewing movies, books or other creative projects such as architecture, housing or virtual reality
* Sports, competitions
* Job interviews
* Exercise instruction
* Comedy taping
* Voiceover samples
* Sample audio track
* Record songs for resale and post in Apple's iTunes (or other online) store
* Internet radio broadcast
* Messaging - record instructions/greeting and provide the url of its location

To illustrate further, a significant number of indie music labels, promotional agencies and hundreds of artists will send promo CDs to MP3 blogs - a type of weblog in which the creator makes music files - in the hopes of gaining free publicity. Major labels with small acts to promote have also attempted to use MP3 blogs. In 2004, Warner Bros. gave permission for a song by their act the Secret Machines to be posted by the MP3 blog Music (For Robots). This drew attention not only for the song and the label granting permissions, but also due to the fact that several comments praising the track came from IP addresses within the Warner Bros. network. The publicity generated by MP3 blogs crossed the line from the internet to TV in early 2005, when Music (For Robots) was featured during MTV's TRL program for bringing the Hysterics, a Brooklyn rock band comprised of four 14 and 15 year-old high school students, to the network's attention.

Create a Podcast

Although this topic is best covered in its own dedicated section, it will receive some treatment in brief here. Essentially to create a podcast you need the following basic items:

* audio interface for your computer's operating system
* microphone

If you're interested in taking part in the podcasting revolution, GarageBand features built-in tools that you can use to create your own rich and professional sounding podcasts. Below are just a few tips and tricks that will help you get the most out of GarageBand to record your podcast.

Start With a Plan to Organize the Content

While it's easy to produce content for a podcast with Apple Computer's GarageBand and a microphone, approaching your recording like a broadcast professional will aid in creating a show that people will be eager to listen to again and again.

Planning topics to discuss, possible guest interviews, and your show's length in advance will go a long way to producing a professional sounding podcast. Since you'll be recording your project in an almost live fashion, you will have the flexibility of going back and re-editing sections as you like before you commit your show as a "wrap."

Since nearly everyone has heard a radio program, you should expect that your listeners have grown accustomed to hearing material produced in a certain way. While the fun of podcasting is having the freedom to break away from those age-old formulas, you might want to consider the basics before you lay down your first show. Here is a suggested framework for mapping out your production.
Sample Podcast Recipe

* Shoot for a show length of 20-30 minutes.
* Keep topics moving, and limit topic coverage to 5-8 minutes.
* Try to use guests as a way to break up the conversation, pace, and tone of your shows.
* Use musical backgrounds (known as jingles) or other non-music interludes to transition between topics. These topic breaks are typically described as bumpers or sweepers, giving your listeners the time they might need to digest the content you just presented.

Here's an example outline of how your show should flow:

1. Show intro monologue (who you are, what you're going to talk about): 30-60 seconds
2. Intro music jingle (repeat for each show so listeners identify the jingle with your show): 30-60 seconds
3. Topic 1: 5 minutes
4. Topic 2: 5 minutes
5. Interlude (music or break): 30 seconds
6. Topic 3: 5 minutes
7. Topic 4: 5 minutes
8. Closing remarks (thank audience for listening, thank guests, talk about the next show briefly): 2 minutes
9. Closing music jingle (suggest same as Intro music jingle): 2 minutes

An Example of a Recording Session Using Apple Computer's GarageBand

Recording a podcast with GarageBand can be broken down into some basic steps that you may already follow when recording, editing, and mixing live instruments or vocalists.

1. Attach your preferred audio interface and a microphone to your Mac, or use your computer's built-in microphone. (Note: The iSight camera is not supported as a microphone input in GarageBand.)
2. Create a Real Instrument track in GarageBand with your favorite preset vocal setting or build your own. (Tip: Using the Gate helps to eliminate unwanted noise when you aren't speaking, and using Compression will smooth out the overall sound of your voice. Be sure to try the vocal transformer for some really fun effects!)
3. Adjust the Gain control on your audio interface and within GarageBand to set the recording level of your voice. It's good practice to test your distance from the microphone to determine where you sound the clearest. Attach headphones directly to your Mac or audio interface for the best quality recording (sound from speakers will be picked up in your recording).
4. Add an AIFF, MP3, or AAC file (except protected AAC files), or a selection of GarageBand Apple Loops to serve as your background music. GarageBand Apple Loops allow for the most flexibility since you can vary the length easily. GarageBand Jam Packs are also a great way to add thousands more professional loops that'll add punch and polish to your podcast. Many professional broadcasts use music intros (known as jingles) to signify the beginning or end of a show. Apple Loops offer you the ability to create your own unique copyright-free jingles for use in your podcast. If you are a .Mac member, be sure to check out the amazing collection of FreePlay Music recordings as well.
5. Begin recording, remembering to keep your original microphone position. Don't forget that if you make a mistake, you can always do a second take and fix it when editing.
6. Edit and mix your final recording.
7. Export to iTunes and then convert to AAC.
8. Publish your audio file as an enclosure on blogging services such as Blogger (for more information, visit http://www.blogger.com).
9. To share your podcast with iTunes users, you must create an RSS (Really Simple Syndication) file from your blog. RSS feed providers, such as FeedBurner, make it easy to create an RSS file from your blog. For more information, visit http://www.feedburner.com. If you choose, you can create your own RSS file. In this case, if you intend to submit your podcast to iTunes, first review the iTunes Extended Podcast RSS specification, which contains useful information on creating your podcast RSS file to work optimally in the iTunes Podcast Directory.
10. Once you've created your RSS file, your podcast is ready to be shared with the rest of the world. To make it easy for people to discover your podcast, we invite you to publish it in the iTunes Music Store. To publish a podcast, open iTunes and select Music Store in the Source list. On the Music Store home page, click Podcasts, then click Publish Podcast and complete the form.

You can take your podcast even further by organizing it into chapters that display intermittent pictures and web links as your audience listens. Chapters allow you to make your podcast more interactive by displaying pictures that illustrate your topic, and web links that people can click to find more information on what you're talking about. Your listeners can view the pictures and web links in the song artwork pane within the iTunes window or on their iPod with a color display. Apple has a command-line application called Chapter Tool that you can use to insert chapter markers, pictures, and web links in your podcast episodes.

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