"Communication requires reception."
-- Christina Nikolov
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Communication Articles
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How Podcasting is Usedby S. Housley
Although podcasting is new, it is well on its way to becoming a mainstream
communication medium. Podcasting, simply put, is audio files that are delivered
via RSS. Many people believe that podcasting is solely for the distribution of
music files, but really, nothing could be further from the truth. This emerging
method of audio file distribution has opened an array of marketing and
communication opportunities to businesses. Currently, most who are familiar with
podcasting are technically savvy, but it is clear that podcasting will be more
than a passing fad as many businesses are adopting podcasting and employing it
in unusual yet powerful ways. Podcasting can be used for talk shows, tutorials,
music demos, educational training, stories, comedy clips, debates or even
foreign language tutorials.
While RSS has had the capacity to include
audio files for a few years, only recently have entrepreneurs made the
conceptual leap, taking advantage of the new power held within this
communication medium. In reality, podcasters cover the gamut; some are
professional broadcasters, while others are obvious amateurs.
Podcasts
are usually published with associated meta information that includes descriptive
data about each specific audio file. This allows listeners to make a
determination of which audio items are of interest. If listeners are using a
news aggregator that supports podcasting, they will automatically receive
updates in their feed reader or news aggregation software when a new podcast
exists for a feed that they have subscribed to.
Why is podcasting so
beneficial to the subscriber? Unlike traditional radio, with podcasting the
subscriber decides what content he/she receives. Podcasting is extremely useful
to the subscriber because the user can easily receive information he/she would
like, and listen to it when they want. The material, once downloaded, can be
listened to and viewed on wireless handhelds, allowing subscribers to utilize
time on the road.
Topic-specific radio talk shows with commentaries,
interviews and debates can now be heard at a time and place of the listener's
choosing. Consider the benefit of educational tutorials and foreign language
instruction; lessons could be listened to during a work commute. Supplementary
class lectures, step by step tutorials or walking guides are all possible using
podcasting. An unlimited collection of books read aloud for elderly or
visually-impaired listeners only scratch the surface of what is possible in the
future of podcasting.
The fate of podcasting is in the hands of the
subscribers. The subscriber can easily delete podcast feeds that do not satisfy
their needs with the single tap of a button. Ultimately, the subscriber
maintains control and determines what podcasts are deemed successful. This
intrinsically builds in a quality control level and will ensure that the more
innovative instructional and interesting podcast feeds survive.
The
technology is fresh and, like the Internet, is opening doors to entrepreneurs.
As podcasting evolves, users will find more creative kinds of audio content to
deliver. The low barrier to entry has forced this new medium to the forefront,
as businesses and individuals have really little to lose in adding podcasting as
a communication channel.
About the Author
Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll http://www.feedforall.com
software for creating, editing and publishing RSS feeds and NotePage, Inc.
http://www.notepage.net a wireless messaging software company.
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