Podcasts Explained
Thursday, 03 August 2006. Internet and Radio.
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
The wise words of science fiction legend Arthur C. Clarke. Now I don't want you to get worried that I've started this off with a Sci-Fi quote, I haven't become that sort of tech writer. Today the subject I will be waxing lyrical about is Podcasting.
Want to listen to your favourite radio shows and audio and video programs anytime? Just subscribe to the podcasts you want and iTunes takes care of the rest. Updates occur automatically. New episodes appear like magic. Apple
One of the guys who works on Farnborough Airshow Radio is Richard Russell, who's day job is a Studio Manager at BBC World Service. I was chatting to Richard about what he did at the BBC and how interested I would be if any job opportunities might come up. I don't recommend this type of blatant scrounging but sometimes it is a must. We were also talking about commercial radio, the problems it faced in the future, and about Podcasting. This concept first mooted six years ago has single-handedly changed the face of UK Radio Broadcasting for the better since the Cliff Richard ban.
'Podcast' was voted Word of the Year by the New Oxford American Dictionary in 2005, and is damn near indistinguishable from magic in the way it has altered the way I listen to radio. Using a small free application you can download a radio program on any subject of your choice, copy it to your MP3 player and listen to it when it is convenient for you to do so.
That's the simplistic version, and isn't quite accurate because its not just radio programs you can listen to, you can subscribe to audio and/or video, using a program like iTunes automates the process of downloading new "episodes" and copying them to your player, and you don't even have to listen to it on an iPod.
Currently I am subscribed to a variety of Podcasts ranging from News to Comedy, and Computers to Music. I've also subscribed to the Newsnight Video Podcast, which is worthy of a blog post all of its own!
If you are enticed by this concept, but aren't too sure how to go about getting started, I point you towards the BBC site, which is once again using the licence fee in a responsible way by explaining technical matters in a clear and concise way... and yes Richard I would like that BBC job you mentioned!
Update: I went for the interview, but I didn't get the job in the end. It was an honour to walk around Bush House.
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