#8 - Audio Not Related

When it comes to podcasts, audio is everything. Even if you have the most amazing visuals, if the right audio isn't working well with them then all is lost. The backbone of a podcast has, is, and always will be the audio.

Should there be music playing in the background when I'm speaking? What about when this person is talking? What song would be appropriate here? What do I want the listener to feel? Choosing the best sound selection and when in a podcast depends on many factors. Sound isn't just limited to music either, there are natural pops, "room noises," and voices.

Natural pops have a huge roll in creating a specific scene or location in the listener's mind. If you have birds chirping and the wind blowing then the audience gets a feeling of being outside. Add in some dogs barking and maybe a few soft conversations and the listener feels like they're in a park. Room noise is like the silence you experience when in a... well a room. It's not perfect silence, it's comforting silence. Voices are pretty self explanatory, but it's the sounds you combine with them that are important.

It's no easy task to pick what goes together but when you get it right, audio makes all the difference in the world. Choose wisely.

#7 - So I Herd U Liek Vizualz

4th generation iPod from 2004

When podcasts became popular in late 2004, there was one mp3 player that dominated the market: the iPod 4th generation. The whole reason why an audio clip made for downloading over the internet was called a podcast was because the first broadcasts were made for the iPod. The iPod, at that time, was limited to audio only until the introduction of the iPod Photo. Looking at pictures in color was now a possibility, but was never intended to play videos. In essence, the iPod was an audio only device so it would make sense that podcasts made for it would only contain sound.

Podcasts on 2004 iPod menu

As the iPod lineup grew and its capabilities expanded to include video playback and WiFi connectivity, podcasts could now be coupled with a combination of audio and visuals. Yet many podcasters stuck to the traditional audio only format. Once iPods focused more and more on the video aspect with a larger screen and downloadable games like on the iPod Touch, podcasts weren't keeping up. Now iPod users can play YouTube clips, surf the internet, and use a slew of applications. So why would anyone want to download any podcast, let alone one without any visuals?

5th generation iPod playing a podcast

Podcasts were a great idea at the time since one could download news broadcasts, comedy routines, stories, interviews, and other original content which acted as a nice break from the music. It made sense that they were so popular when all people had were devices that only played audio files. When the color screen came along, it was a case of video killed the podcast star. Why would anyone rely on podcasts to get alternative entertainment when he/she could upload their favorite TV shows, movies, and online clips? Podcasts had a niche following already, but were losing new subscribers fast when the process of having to download the podcasts and then uploading them became too much a hassle for many. Customers of mp3 players were no longer looking for just a music playing device, they wanted multimedia and different applications at their fingertips. Podcasters were following suit by releasing video clips, but, besides devoted fans, no one wanted to explore audio podcasts anymore when most of them could be found elsewhere like radio, television, and the internet.

Podcasts on the iPhone and iPod Touch

In order to attract new subscribers, podcasters need to make their content more appealing. Instead of simply putting parts of or full radio segments online for distribution through podcasts, they should include original visuals. When a host mentions a celebrity, book, quote, or other reference, there should be a visual that corresponds. That way the podcasts are unique and, therefore, desireable as well as enticing to those wanting more than just another audio file. There might also be a solution in interactivity within a podcast too. Perhaps a "choose your own adventure" podcast. Although there will always be those who desire simple audio podcasts, that audience won't be around forever and with changing times comes a shift in expectations and interests. Podcasts should look towards the future instead of dwell in the past and go by the way of the print newspaper today.

#6 - I Accidentally A Podcast

pod·cast (päd′kast′). noun. An audio recording that may be coupled with visuals usually in a series of episodes or regular segments available online which can be downloaded onto a computer or portable device.

Why did I have to define a podcast? Do you have to describe what an iPod is? Why hasn't the podcast become as popular as the device it was named after (iPod + broadcast)?

A few years ago, I used to be subscribed to a decent amount of podcasts on iTunes. A couple times per week I would catch up on the past few days of tech news, photoshop tips, Chinese lessons, video game clips, and National Geographic exerpts. Now I just follow the Chinese lessons. What happened between then and now? Like many others, I found the amount of effort needed to be put into obtaining podcasts wasn't worth their entertainment value. I was downloading episodes that I liked that were already featured on TV or on their respective websites only to watch them once and delete afterwards. They were taking up too much hard drive space and too much of my time. I had realized that most podcasts were nothing more than repackaging content from TV, radio, and other websites to be distributed in a centralized virtual location. Getting a podcast felt like I was in an endless hall of shelves stacked full of cassette tapes where I picked a few that sounded interesting but then had to treck all the way back to the beginning to put them in a tape player and listen. The whole experience just isn't new media enough for me. Podcasts are stuck in limbo between new and old media which doesn't have such a great fan-base.

Maybe my cynicism towards Apple and iTunes is clouding my judgement, but I've tried alternative programs like Juice with no increased enthusiasm for podcasts. I subscribed to the ChinesePod RSS feed and still only just glance at their episodes. I suppose podcasts just aren't my style and maybe I'll never embrace having to download audio or video programs to listen to later.