CitizenSpin: I'm a podcaster, hear me blog

Blogging has a new offshoot - pod-casting: radio which can be downloaded and listened to. Does it pose a threat to traditional broadcasters?
Matt

I'm a podcaster, hear me blog;
From serious to wacky, there is a podcast for everyone
From Straits Times - 27/02/2005
Rory Daniel

SOME are calling it a flash-in-the-pan. Others say it sounds the death-knell for broadcast radio. Whatever it is, it's hard to ignore the latest Internet innovation - podcasting.

Thanks to modern technology, thousands of closet 'radio jockeys' now create shows and send them out to the masses via the Internet. These are then downloaded by listeners into their iPods and other digital music players.

There are now more than 1,000 regular podcasts on subjects ranging from beer to astronomy. Some are serious, others are provocative, and yet others such as The Pilot n Jo Show from Singapore - dealing with the laddish ruminations of two national servicemen - are just wacky.

The term 'podcasting' was coined last September by Mr Adam Curry, 40, who was a VJ at MTV during its heyday back in the 1980s. He wanted to create an online audio blog that people could download to their iPods and listen to at their leisure. To do this, Mr Curry combined RSS technology ('rich site summary' - a format for syndicating news and other web content) with MP3 files to produce his show, The Daily Source Code.

Podcasting works because it allows listeners to automatically download audio content from the web to their iPod or any portable MP3 listening device. In the past, listeners had the labour-intensive job of manually downloading audio files from various Internet sites. Instead, listeners can now subscribe to their favourite broadcasts, plug in their iPods for the file transfer before listening when and where they choose.In a very short time, over a thousand podcasts have emerged. Some are like conventional radio programmes with talkback mixed with music. Others are news-based, blog-based or purely music-based.

Unlike commercial radio, podcasts tend to have a narrowly defined audience. Miss Sheryl Ong, 24, is typical of most podcast listeners who listen to podcasts with a very specific topic. 'I subscribe to The Connected Traveller because I want to keep up to date with what's happening in the tourism industry,' says the travel agent. The programme offers opinionated travel and restaurant reviews. 'I don't have the time or the patience to surf the net for information. Instead, I automatically download tourism related podcasts to my iPod and listen to them on the way to work.'

Another local fan with specific tastes is illusionist JC Sum. He has been using the Internet to seek out interesting audio files since 2000. 'I listen to a podcast called Between the Ropes,' says Sum, who downloads and listens to his favourite podcasts before going to bed. 'It's a show that covers the professional wrestling industry.'

He adds: 'Being in magic, you might think I would listen to podcasts about magic, but after 12 hour days of performing, thinking, rehearsing, designing and producing magic, spending time on another subject matter is a break for me.'

Despite its fans, not every one is a fan of the podcasting concept. Mr Ken Dardis, an advertising executive with audiographics.com, says in his editorial: 'I've listened to a number of podcasts now, and feel safe to say much of what's podcast contains rambling diatribes done more for the ego of the programme's host than for the listener.'

Indeed, a quick review of current podcasts reveals a plethora of broadcasts that are no more than audio weblogs filled with political opinions and angry people with something to rant about. But, others podcasts like the Dawn and Drew Show, The Tim and Tony Show, and the Evil Genius Chronicles have attracted a strong following with their humorous or informative broadcasts. Others are gaining attention because of their novelty. John Hobbs, a musician from cinemavolta.com, podcasts a new musical composition every day, while the team behind the Coverville podcast promises a new cover song from a cover band every week.

Probably Singapore's first and so far only podcast, The Pilot n Jo Show is a grassroots programme with the sound of burping, the chatter of birds and what sounds like one of the DJs clipping his toenails in the background. It's a candid and sometimes controversial show produced without pretension by national servicemen Ahmad Johal and Niraj Pilot, both 22. Convinced that white Americans are their only listeners, they proudly explain where Singapore is located and openly slag off their boss on air. Full of boyish and innocent musings, they idly discuss stuff like empty streets during Chinese New Year, what it means to be Malay, the intricacies of Singlish and, of course, girls.

'We thought podcasting was a great alternative to traditional media' says Mr Pilot, who broadcasts from his bedroom. 'Podcasters don't need to have 'radio voices' and it's all about the little man talking about what he wants to talk about and playing the music that he wants to play.'

Their motivation for broadcasting is shared by most postcasters. 'Everyone wants to be heard,' say Mr Pilot. 'With podcasting you feel like you've said something to the world and the world hears you.'

We hear you.

How to produce your own podcast

STEP 1: Get ready the following:
A computer
Software that allows you to record audio. Audacity, a free open-source sound editor, will be enough to get you started. Make sure your version includes the encoder that converts sound files to MP3.
A microphone.
A web host or blog service to house your audio files.
Some music to make your broadcast more interesting using iTunes or Winamp.

STEP 2: Record your audio file:The first step is to record your voice and music into a show. Before you start recording, prepare some notes about what you are going to talk about to avoid pregnant pauses.
Converting audio files into MP3 format compresses files into manageable and easily downloadable files. Half an hour is the recommended recording length.
STEP 3: Upload your MP3 file to a host site:Post your podcast file to your host within a RSS2 enclosure tag. Using software that supports enclosures (like Radio Userland) is the easiest way to upload your files to the Internet - and it comes with 40mb of site hosting. Alternatively, www.archive.org provides free web hosting for audio files.
STEP 4: Promote your site:Some of the better podcast directories include www.podcastalley.com , www.podcasting.net , and www.ipodder.org .

How to listen to a podcast
STEP 1: Download a podcast playerThere are plenty of podcast players out there ready to download, such as Ipodder and Podfeeder.
STEP 2: Find a podcast that suits your tasteIpodder.org and podcasting.net are good places to start browsing the available podcast broadcasts. Additionally, Podcastalley.com currently has 1,191 podcasts to choose from, all listed by genre, country and alphabetically.
STEP 3: Subscribe to your favourite podcastEnter the IRL of your favourite podcast into your podcast player and a stream of podcasts for your listening pleasure will be coming your way.