Podcasting is in the same place today as the Web was in 1994. These personal radio broadcasts, designed to be downloaded to an iPod or similar MP3 player, are homespun, rough-edged, and -- let's be honest -- not all that riveting.Dear Scott,
Some of the best podcasts so far are recordings of speeches and roundtables from high-priced technology conferences; some of the worst are like eavesdropping on your next-door neighbors while they're making dinner and talking about their day. One of the most popular podcasts, produced by former MTV ''VJ' Adam Curry, last week included the kind of meandering, boring rant about airport security that you've heard from every person who has taken a flight in post-9/11 America. Yes, Adam, the security lines are a real hassle.
I think you got the wrong impression of Adam Curry's podcasts by listening to that one about airport security.
It wasn't a typical podcast. He even said so.
Please go over to Adam's Daily Source Code web site and sample some of his other podcasts.
He doesn't just sit there and talk into a microphone.
He promotes other interesting podcasts, plays music from independent artists and goes on sound seeing tours. It's a lot more than that too.
He's sharing his life with us, it's real, with no commercials.
You've given your readers a false impression of what the content of his shows are like. In fact, you've totally missed one of the coolest things about podcasting.
You say:
"One problem is that, much like the Web before advertising and e-commerce, there's no money in podcasting yet."Podcasters do not see that as a problem.
Podcasting gives people the opportinity to do something they love. And with the soon to be opened ourmedia.org, which will provide free hosting and bandwidth to podcasters, they'll be able to podcast to their hearts content, without having to include commercials.
Sometimes, it's not all about money.
--Steve
PS: The online version of the Globe still does not provide clickable links to websites mentioned in your stories.
In fact, You don't even provide a URL to one of the main subjects of your story.
Here's a link for you:
Benjamen Walker's Theory Of Everything