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| Is Podcasting a Flop? |
| [Opinion] Podcasting could well be a bubble, says a doubtful Chalu Kim |
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Chalu Kim (chalukim)  |
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Published 2005-12-07 11:28 (KST) |
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Sometime last year I learned about podcasting at the "Blog Fest" in Cambridge, MA. The mashup was fantastic.
Since then I've experimented with it and gave a podcasting workshop in Bulgaria and Boston and built a "non-profit" podcasting Web site. I now own several MP3 recorders and players. We have produced podcasts for a multi-day conference.
After all that, I don't think it is easy enough. Odeo makes it quite easy with in-browser recording and phone audio recording. Odeo almost makes podcasting too easy. There is a way to use Skype to podcast. There are a number of great MP3 recorders that can record days' worth of audio.
In producing podcasts one needs to understand the technology surrounding it, the technology of sound, and the human voice. It is still not easy to produce quality audio recordings. Like many things it takes time and talent to produce good programs.
I have been trying to get into the habit of listening to podcasts and videocasts. Most people are rushing to build more podcasts, and their quality is very poor. It has been discouraging to hear these screaming spiels and loud introductory music.
Even iTunes podcast channels are not that great. I watch RocketBoom once in a while, and Armanda is boring me to tears, although she comes up with some great materials once in a while, like Richie Stallman's picketing or groupies digging grocery dumps in New York.
There are two channels I like listening to. They are NPR Story of the Day and the Lonely Planet Travelcasts.
Blogs are a bit passe now. I don't know if I am reading other people's blogs anymore.
With blogs being passe and not knowing if I am willing to listen to that many podcasts before finding a good one, I am reluctant to listen to more. I force myself to listen so as to be able to recommend others. I have found some great materials in video Google.
iTunes does not make a podcast downloader. Juice is a bit clumsy to use. Plus, try getting source code for GPL Juice -- it is not easy to find.
Now, there are many directories and listing services like feedster and feedburner and podcastalley. But it is hit and miss most of time.
In all this, the first podcasting conference was a colorful event, with Adam Curry boycotting it, and it was still sold out. In all, podcasting is being talked about and is being marketed and funded.
I just don't think the audio revolution will happen this way, with talking heads in the vanguard.
All this podcasting got me to thinking what this is all about. My motive was to preserve voices and to capture audio experiences. I kept thinking about experimenting with the formats of the program and the experiences of listeners. It also brought me closer to who the listeners are and what they experience.
Out of all the streaming Internet radio I listen to, which isn't very much, except when someone I know suggests it. You can scale technology but can't scale people's habits.
In the end, it is all about the audio. We are just re-packaging it differently. Podcasting is another way to distribute audio and video. I still can't advocate podcasting, except for casual browsing, which has a short life-span.
There are still copyright issues, and many people with good content are not keen on letting their stuff float around on the Internet.
On the other hand, podcasting is getting into a holding pattern. Podcast software is showing signs of increasing featurism and lock-in features of software. There are many aggregation services.
Strangely enough, podcasting is still growing and has grown already tremendously. Even if we have no real use for it except to amuse ourselves, I may be missing the point. Or is this the point -- to share more of ourselves with others?
The podcasting boom is happening as we speak, and there are lots of podcasts being produced. Where do they all go? Into the black hole of the Internet?
Is podcasting a flop or just a flash in the pan? This is a question I ask myself a lot these days.
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©2005 OhmyNews
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