The US Navy Blogs Larry Kudlow of CNBC Blogs. He would say “everyone and his brother” except (1) it’s cliché and (2) it may be grammatically inaccurate. Dan Rather is well aware that everyone blogs.
But just as blogs and the blogosphere have become widely accepted, blammo, comes podcasting.
What is podcasting? They are literally streams meant to be played as MP3 files on an iPod or other MP3 player.
Visit the podcasters discussion group on Yahoo! Groups and a dizzying array of confusing terms: FeedBurner, Skype, GarageBand, iPodder and the like. Since I’m not yet a podder, it’s not my intention to weigh the relative merits of the technologies or discuss how they work together. I’m just here to offer some thoughts on blogging vs. podcasting.
Podcasting actually seems to have grown out of blogging, and quite often podders are bloggers who include podcasts on their blogs. The queen of this is Amy Gahran of Contentious.com, who talked about content long before anyone knew what web content was or (gasp) that it was different from print writing. Amy has a great podcast on why more women should be podcasting, and it’s part of her Amy’s Adventures audio show.
Amy has an excellent definition of podcasting:
“Simply put, podcasting is simply online audio content delivered via a web feed. (Background: What is a web feed?) Think of it like on-demand radio. However, it gives you so much more. options in terms of content and program style than radio While the radio field has generally settled on a few established program types, podcasting more reflects the variety that is available on CDs.
“In addition, podcasting is like TiVo for radio. In other words, you can download the programming you want and listen to it whenever and wherever you want. You also usually have full access to the audio files of the shows you like. This takes away Time, Use and Content Restrictions”.
Also, as Amy demonstrates, podcasts and blogs can work hand in hand as a means of delivering content. There are significant differences between the two, as well as similarities. Let’s see some.
Unlike blogging, which only involves RSS discussions, feeds, syndication, and various blogging platforms like Blogger.com, podcasting bridges technology, streaming, and blogging. The technology may be easy to use, but it takes more time than just running a website or using Blogger.
Also, while bloggers may have copyright issues, podders may want to use a particular piece of music only to be hounded by the RIAA and lawyers. There are also home distractions in a podder’s life that some decide to make part of the show, such as kids going in and out. While many of us wouldn’t dream of posting our kids online because of all the cyber dangers, some podders have done it, sparking a much-needed discussion about privacy issues and what to include in podcasts.
Like everything else, not all podcasts are the same. Podcasts are peer reviewed on sites like Podcastreviews.net. They are also reviewed on iTunes by users.
Blogs are peer-reviewed by Weblog Review (weblogreview.com), Weblog Awards (http://2004weblogawards.com/), and other netizen sites that control the blogosphere. Peer reviews. Bloggers and podders have a responsibility to review and endorse their products. It’s a shame that the traditional media monopoly of CNN and Ted Turner and the publishing conglomerates don’t have the same responsibility. In many ways, we go back to the vernacular printing and Gutenberg days, when movable type upset the elite publishing monopoly held by the only educated populations, namely priests, monks, nuns, and anyone affiliated with the Church. . Suddenly, the Bibles and Chaucer were printed not in Latin but in Irish/Gaelic and the native languages of European countries. The leader of that movement was Dante, who wrote his Divine Comedy in Italian, not Latin. Similarly, podders broadcast not in the elite commercial-driven network paradigm, but in the voice of talk radio. Although there have been discussions about how to turn podcasting into a business. It had to happen; After all, bloggers use Google AdSense to support their addiction to the written word. But podcasting started as a way to challenge traditional media.
It’s not that there aren’t some bugs in podcasts or blogs. A 2004 Oscars podcast erroneously mentioned that Michael Moore was rejected in the Best Documentary category. Moore on the news was not snubbed. He submitted “Fahrenheit 9/11” for Best Picture, and obviously Academy voters thought Hilary Swank learning to box was more convincing than Moore’s film. But, by and large, you haven’t heard of any deceptive podcasting or blogging, though as Theodore Sturgeon would agree, 90 percent of everything is of dubious quality. This includes blogs and podcasts, although luckily I only listened to 10 percent of the podcasts and ignored most blogs, not due to any particular bias but due to lack of time.
The wonderful thing about podcasts and blogs is that you can access them at any time. In our age of information overload, you feel as though you once again have choice, control over your time. You may not be able to escape the media barrage, but podcasts and blogs allow for civilized selectivity about who you want to listen to. That is its greatest similarity and its greatest gift.