Audio Blogs

NYT reported Now, Audio Blogs for Those Who Aspire to Be D.J.'s
What do the pope and Paris Hilton have in common? They're both podcasters - and you can be one too.

Ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous, podcasts are essentially do-it-yourself recorded radio programs posted online. Anyone can download them free, and, using special software, listeners can subscribe to favorite shows and even have them automatically downloaded to a portable digital music player. Despite what the name suggests, podcasts can be played not just on iPods but on any device that has an MP3 player program, including PC's and laptops. Podcasts are the natural technological offspring of Web logs or blogs, those endlessly meandering personal Web musings that now seem to be everywhere online. Similarly, many podcasters have a diaristic bent, ranging from Mr. X, in upstate New York (ifthensoftware.blogspot.com), who has recorded his ruminations while driving to work, to Dan Klass, an underemployed actor in California whose podcast, "The Bitterest Pill" (www.thebitterestpill.com), has been known to feature invectives against Elmo. There are celebrity podcasts like Paris Hilton's (houseofwaxmovie .warnerbros.com), intended to promote movies. Another, more high-minded site, Catholic Insider (www.catholicinsider.com), links to podcasts of Pope Benedict XVI from Vatican Radio.

Many radio stations are embracing the technology. WGBH in Boston, Q107 in Toronto and BBC Radio are already offering regular podcasts. Tomorrow, Sirius Satellite Radio will begin broadcasting a best-of-podcasting program with the podfather of podcasting, Adam Curry, formerly of MTV, as host. Taking the experiment a step further, Infinity Broadcasting plans to restart its San Francisco talk station KYCY-AM (1550) with an all-podcasting format beginning Monday. KYCY's broadcasts will feature amateur programs from around the Web, but because of Federal Communications Commission regulations, each will be screened in advance. For those wanting to find a podcast, there are online directories that list thousands of them, including Podcast.net, Podcasting News, Podcast Alley and iPodder.org.

Several free software programs - like Doppler and iPodder - help users subscribe to and download podcasts. IPodder comes in Windows and Mac versions. The program includes a directory of podcasts available for subscribing on a scheduled basis or for downloading at will. The Web address of a podcast that is not listed can be cut and pasted into iPodder to add it to a user's roster of subscriptions.

Rex Hammock blogged Despite not quite understanding that syndication via RSS enclosure is the special sauce that makes podcasting podcasting, a NYT reporter attempts to overview the basics of podcasting in Thursday's paper.

Rickheller @Centerfield blogged Podcasts are mp3 audio files that are automatically downloaded to your machine when you subscribe to an RSS feed through a podcasting client. I first tried to install Ipodder, but it didn't work on my WinME machine. So then I installed RSSRadio, and it worked. Once you install your podcast client, you can add subscriptions. One podcast I recommend is Rip & Read Blogger Podcast, in which Charlie Quidnunc simply reads and comments on what's been posted to some political blogs--usually right-of-center ones. For balance, I've found a liberal podcast, Andymatic. though I haven't listened to it yet. If you're wondering, why a podcast, why not just read the blog yourself--it's a nice replacement for radio in situations where you can't be stationary in front of a computer. You can listen to it on your computer, or with an appliance like an iPod. It doesn't look like there are any centrist podcasts yet. Someone should step up and do one.

I have never been interested in Podcasting, but I provide this for my readers that might be interested in them