What is podcasting? Downloadable radio broadcasts called podcasts are taking the Net by storm.

Downloadable radio broadcasts called podcasts are taking the Net by storm.

BY TOMS MATHEW

28th November, 2005: Some consider it as the next step in information sharing while some others see it as the next big thing happening in technology expansion. Whatever the truth may be, podcasting has been in news for quite sometime and that too, for some good reasons.

Basically, podcasting is the general term used for the collection of technologies using which a user can enjoy the selected programs from a private internet radio show. Podcasting transforms a PC to a usable and interactive tool, through which information in the form of audio can be served through the Internet in a publish-subscribe model. In other words, podcasting is a technology by which radio programs are streamed as audio files that can be saved on a computer, thereby enabling independent persons or companies to produce radio shows of the material they want and to publish the programs on the Internet, so that interested users can subscribe and enjoy them.

Podcasts are radio programs that the user can hear and which can be later moved to a music player with MP3 compatibility.

The revolutionary impact caused by podcasting was so amazing, that even technology giants like Microsoft and Yahoo are anxiously waiting to have a go at this comparatively new market. If podcasting was a mere imagination less than a year ago, it is now even compared with the early days of AM radio. Since the information carried by a podcast varies over an interesting range, people from several fields are now finding it as the latest medium for communicating and spreading their views, messages, music and products. The reason behind the explosive growth of podcasting is also none other than this.

The origin of podcasting can be traced back to end 2003. By that time, a lot of blogs had published audio files through their blogs and people had started using the RSS file format for shaping up this audio content. The first person who attached audio files to his blog was former NPR host Christopher Lydon. If the credit for uploading audio content on the net can be given to Lydon, the credit for first using the term Podcasting goes to The Guardian. The newspaper published an article about podcasting on February 12, 2004, though it did not elaborate much on the RSS file format or data synchronisation.

Users use a podcatching software to download and gather information about new radio programs on the Net. This software continuously keeps an eye on new content on the net. The software used is also called an aggregator software.

The particular list of programs that the user subscribes to, in a special format is known as a feed. The user can subscribe to one or more feeds, depending on his requirements or sometimes, the thickness of his wallet. The podcatching software automatically checks for new content on the Net and downloads new programs on the user's computer so that he can enjoy it at a later time and subscribe to the feed if he wants to. One person may want a feed with devotional songs only, while another may want a feed with rock songs alone. Depending on the type of podcasts available, both of them can subscribe to the channel and can thus enjoy their favourite program anytime they want. This is regarded as one of the major reasons why podcasting has captured the markets for a long time.

Dont think that podcasting is for high-end iPod users only. Anyone with a personal computer and a music player which can support MP3 files can have this new exciting piece of technology. The podcasting software can transfer the podcasts to music players with MP3 playback facility. As a result of the extensive research done in the field of podcasting, video files can now be transmitted as podcasts. But, on the whole, the term podcasting is still tagged to the transmission of audio files only. Using the aggregator software, pre-selected material can be downloaded to the user’s computer and, giving the opportunity for the users to enjoy the programs at the time they choose.

The term podcasting comes from the terms “iPod” and “broadcasting”. But, actually the term itself is misleading as there is no need of an iPod to download a podcast. All you need is a music player with MP3 compatibility. Also, the podcatching software can be automatically set to send an email to the subscriber in time of a new podcast, an updation or a revision of the selected type of material. Thus, podcasts give user the freedom to choose the channels of interest, despite having to listen to such material he does not wish to. This is the big difference between a traditional radio channel and a podcast. In the traditional radio channel, the user is forced to hear what is transmitted. But this is not the case with podcasting, as user is the chooser.

The content to be shared as a podcast is uploaded to a host server. The protocol used for the exchange of files between these web servers is the File Transfer Protocol (FTP). This protocol which acts in a client-server fashion allows users to upload, arrange, synchronize, retrieve and delete files.

For a person to start a podcast, he has to buy some space in a web host server. Once he has the space, he can upload his audio files to the server. The podcast user who knows the address of the server, with the help of the podcatching software automatically points to the file he wants to download and saves it on his computer for future use. An RSS feed is used to point to the file he wants to download.

You can’t just start a podcast on a fine morning. You have to have some software as well as a bit of hardware for podcasting. The information you want to transmit has to be converted to a digital format so that they can be transferred as digital files among computers. A microphone or headset is employed for this purpose. Once the tools for recording the data are ready, the next thing you have to worry about is the audio recording and editing software. Audacity is a free audio editing and recording software which is widely used in this field.

Next, you need to have some web space on the Net so that other users can access your audio content. There are some sites which offer space for a price and there are others which give free web space for the radio programs. Since the data you have with you is transmitted as RSS feeds, you need to have a weblog which supports RSS features. Static websites may not be a good idea for storing this type of material, so better go for a weblog itself.

There has to be an interface between the podcast and the user. The podcatching software is used for this purpose. Using the podcatching software, the user can subscribe to particular feed and can download it to his computer. Once you have all these things ready and in good shape, then you can start your podcasting straight away. You need to have an iPod or any music player with MP3 compatibility to play these podcasts. Though phones and mobile phones are not actually very much in use for podcasting, an Internet Telephony software can be useful when it comes to presenting seminars or attending conferences. Skype is one such software.

A key difference between podcasts and ordinary radio programs is that podcasts won’t reach such large audiences as a traditional radio can. So, the participation of people is a concern. Another problem is that since the programs are uploaded to the server and downloaded from the server at two different times, the programmes cannot be transmitted as live. Although a user can hear a cricket commentary in a podcast as a live program, the event has actually happened a long time back and the user is just hearing the commentary of an old cricket match. While the tools and necessary hardware needed for starting a radio station are awesome, a podcast does not need very expensive tools or a license to start with.

Though the initial promise of podcasting was that the users can start their own radio shows, podcasting is nowadays used for many things other than radio shows. Some churches in Australia have already started podcasts which transmit their talks and sermons from their morning service. Podcasts are widely used in the fields of geographical importance, education and travelogues.

Apple has an online music store known as iTunes, through which users around the globe can hear and download music files according to their need. iTunes, which was initially launched in the US and European countries only, has now made its entry to Asia through Japan. The iTunes music store in Japan sold almost one million songs in the first week of its debut, thus making it a music major in the online music industry.

The number of sites on the internet for getting podcasts is huge. Ever since the companies smelled success in the field of podcasting, many web sites offer podcasts from where the users can check, search, hear, subscribe and download tons and tons of podcasts. The most effective and user-friendly websites which offer podcasts are:

This site offers a lot of podcasts for the user to choose from and it facilitates the search of a particular podcast just by typing a single keyword.

The user can search for his/her podcast using category searching. The podcasts are classified according to different categories thus helping the user to search and find out the podcast he wants to buy.

This website offers users with 50 most viewed and month's top-searched podcast. The site also has section searching.

The user can have lots and lots of podcasts from these websites. Theses sites also enhance searching for a particular podcast as it might be tiring for the user to find out one podcast from a large number of podcasts.

Many sites are available on the net which offers free and priced podcasting software. Some of the most commonly used sites for downloading Windows podcasting software are:

The podcast users can download a software known as ipodder lemon from this site. This software is an application which allows users to capture and listen to podcasts anytime.

The users can download a software known as iTunes by Apple computers, through which they can receive podcasts from around the world.

This website offers a software known as Doppler through which users can subscribe to RSS feeds and hear their favourite podcasts. The software automatically looks for new music content on the Net and sends an email to the user when it notifies so.

Ipodderx is a software which makes it easy for the user to download news, podcasts or video logs.

The curse that follows any newly-launched technology gadget has followed podcasts too. Porn podcasts - known as porncasts have lately found their way to the internet. Even Apple's music store iTunes, which offers a large number of podcasts has come under attack from porncasters. As a precautionary measure, iTunes has taken necessary steps to prevent the circulation of porncast. But the move serves little purpose as porncasts can be downloaded from other websites for free.

So far, Indian podcasts were just a distant dream for many of us. Now, Yahoo has come out with a podcasting service in the country. The way podcasts have grown in popularity, it seems podcasting will continue to keep the online music market alive for a long time to come.

BY TOMS MATHEW