Podcast Freq

Podcasting grew for many reasons - time shift element, new format, access to global people and products, ease of production etc

I have one slight worry- well actually two that I believe could hinder progress in its growth. These are not worries that cannot be resolved, worries that may well disappear but nagging thoughts that if as independents we don’t move our podcast content, style and interfaces forward, there are things COULD hurt us in the medium term. I for one will fight tooth and nail to keep the essence of podcasting, to keep the independent spirit alive and well! And always remember if you feel you are too small to cause pain…just think of a mosquito!

1) As corporates enter the fray,
- They can dominate the charts because of their large customer base which makes finding the raw gems more difficult.
- Theirpodcast will be in some way about marketing, cloaked in providing value to the customer I am not saying that they don’t, there are some great corporate podcasts that do) but we need to ensure that listeners do not feel that podcasting is another “billboard”…it is an “audio voucher” of value from which they may chose to buy into the brand in the future.
- Does in the end the small or independent podcaster get swallowed up eventually like radio?

I think the market is huge and there is enough space for all of us, however we need to keep evolving so these fears do not become reality. Maybe, there will be a time when directories are split between corporate and independent/small? To help keep the raw talent at the fore?

2) As we progress and evolve from “amateurs” I hope the essence of why we started to podcast isn’t lost. We must not lose the freedom it brought, the open access, the low cost, the content, the fact that the listener is the ultimate judge. Podcasting is a tool, a medium for content. It is not the product that is great it is the uses that it is put towards. We need to ensure we don’t become internally focused, focused on the tool not the uses of the tool.

After admitting my nagging worries, I am an optimist! I believe there are enough genuine enthusiasts out there that will continue to take podcasting forward, to keep podcasting evolving into powerful communication medium of the 21st century.