Welcome to a new segment here on the 3TG Blog! In What Why How I'll be explaining various tech topics that my readers might not be familiar with yet.
Podcasts are episodic audio programs delivered over the internet. It's sort of like radio, reimagined for the internet. "Podcast" is a portmanteau of "iPod" and "broadcast," since iPods were the main way podcasts were listened to at first. Podcasts have been around for over 10 years, starting mostly with technology shows, usually covering news in the tech world. Since that time, the popularity of podcasts has risen steadily, particularly once celebrities started using the medium. In the last couple years the popularity of podcasts has exploded (relatively), mainly due to a podcast called Serial, which captured listener's attention with the "true crime" investigation of a 1999 murder case. It saw coverage in the mainstream press, and even a parody on SNL.
There are podcasts devoted to all sorts of subjects. Technology, comedy, a specific TV show, news, politics, any number of special interest topics. The formats vary wildly. There are tons of interview podcasts like Nerdist, comedy podcasts like Judge John Hodgman (my favorite of all podcasts, in case you were wondering), and special interest shows like Planet Money (which covers financial topics in an accessible way). In general, podcasts are fairly informal in tone and lightly edited. There are exceptions like Planet Money, This American Life, and Serial, but those require more preparation and post production. For the most part, there's a cliche in podcasting of "two people with a microphone."
How do I listen?
My own podcast library, mostly in order of how much I like the shows.
Listening to podcasts is pretty easy. In the beginning, the most popular method was iTunes, which has an entire podcast section. You can download and listen to shows right there on your computer. These days most people tend to listen to podcasts on their phones because it lets them listen to content while on a commute, doing chores, or working out. I estimate that I listen to at least 15 hours of podcasts a week, just while driving, cooking, washing the dishes, and doing the laundry. [I couldn't get in all that listening if I didn't have my favorite headphones. This bluetooth LG model is my favorite.] iPhone and Android users can find free podcast apps, but I'd like to put in my vote for what I consider the best podcast app out there: Pocket Casts. It handles podcasts beautifully, with a great user interface and tons of options for different ways to listen and organize your various shows. It can also sync between your devices so you can switch from your phone to your tablet and keep listening. It even has a web component so you can listen to your shows from any computer. When you install Pocket Casts, you just press the + button at the top to add a feed. You can then see a list of recommended shows, browse by genre or podcast network, or search for a show that someone told you about. You can see my screenshot of Pocket Casts on the right. The little numbers indicate how many new episodes I have waiting for me.
How do they work?
On a technological level, podcasts use an internet standard called RSS, which enables the automatic delivery of content. Your podcast app (or "podcatcher") checks these RSS feeds to find out whether a new episode has been posted.
On a financial level, podcasts have various methods of supporting themselves and their creators. The most common method is advertising, where the show might take a quick break to run an ad. The second most common way is donations, which might take the form of Kickstarter, donations to a podcast network, or through a site like Patreon, which allows listeners to donate a small (or large) amount of money for each episode that's released. The last method is...well...they don't make any money. A lot of podcasts are released just for fun, or with the hopes of growing an audience that might one day gain the show advertisers or donations.
How are they made?
One of the appeals of podcasting is how easy it is to make one. All you need is the following:
- a computer (any computer - this doesn't take a lot of power)
- a microphone (could be the built in webcam mic - which isn't very good - or a cheap one bought from Amazon)
- audio editing software (start out with the free Audacity)
- a host for your files (Soundcloud offers free hosting to start)
I would recommend spending some money on the mic, so for $40 all in, you can have a podcast that all your friends and family can download. You can even add your podcast to iTunes where anyone can see it. Here's a great article on how to start a podcast.
Why listen to podcasts?
When I first started listening to podcasts, I had two reasons. The main reason was to keep up with all the technology news. The second was to have something to listen to while I drove around the area visiting my clients. I still have those reasons, but now I love podcasts as a way to be entertained or to learn new things. I'm a person who dislikes financial topics, but I love how Planet Money presents topics to me in a way I understand. Podcasts bring me stories, people talking about what they're passionate about, news on the topics I'm interested in, and a welcome distraction from daily household chores.