Apple launches radio tagging system

From Broadcast (7 September) by Yvette Mackenzie

Apple has unveiled new technology that enables US high definition radio listeners to "tag" songs that they hear on FM stations for subsequent purchase via iTunes. iTunes Tagging technology, which was developed by Apple in conjunction with iBiquity Digital and major US radio broadcasting groups, was unveiled across the US this week together with the latest iPods.
Apple vice president of iPod product marketing Greg Joswiak said: "When a song plays on your HD Radio that you like, a simple push of a button will tag it and later give you the chance to preview, purchase, and enjoy it with iTunes and your iPod."

The US initiative follows a similar scheme in the UK put together by UBC Media. The Cliq service displays the tracks playing on the radio and allows consumers to buy them immediately.
Cliq is available on new DAB radio sets and also via Java enabled mobile phones. UBC Media chief executive Simon Cole welcomed the introduction of the iPod tag service:
"This is great news for us and for the digital radio industry globally.

"Importantly, it confirms our very strong and long-held belief that radio has a huge part to play in the future of digital music sales and that those sales represent new revenue opportunities for radio".

User Generated Networks and BBC News

Current.tv, led by Al Gore, is leading the way in the UGC or VC2 (Viewer Created Content) area providing a 24 hour network. The audience can see submitted clips online at www.current.tv/ and "green-light" them for TV by voting for their favourites. Current.tv offers cash for content upto $1000 per video but viewers can earn upto $50,000 by producing adverts for the networks sponsors, the rights to the content is held by current for three months.

I've heard that Al Gore may be working on a similar proposition for a network, or at least a slot on current.tv, showing UGC on issues around Climate Change - using UGC to champion a specific cause.

User Generated Content - Now BBC News 24 are at it!

BBC News 24 has launched the first all user-generated news programme, ‘Your News’, featuring new stories made up from material sent in by the public. "Your News will reflect the stories catching the audience's eye, and will talk to them directly about the issues they feel really matter." - Kevin Bakhurst, controller of BBC News 24

‘Newsnight’ encouraged viewers to make short videos but it was considered a failure as very few people sent films in. Peter Barron, Newsnight editor, said: “What’s surprising is that while many viewers are prepared to sit down and create lengthy and thoughtful blogs about what we’re doing on ‘Newsnight’ - or what we should be doing - which will be read by about 50,000 hardened blog watchers, almost no one seems to want to commit those thoughts to video, with a potential audience of a million viewers.”

Will the new model of using UGC in the news be more successful?

- Paul Williams

Lost - audiences down, or moved to Myspace?

Staggered global release is slowly becoming less of a problem for avid fans of overseas shows. No longer are fans restricted to illegal downloads we can now get see our favourite shows legally as more services go live.

Myspace is moving into the broadcast arena! What will that do to the TV audience of the show - I keep hearing that the audience to Lost etc has declined, but we need to bear in mind that the audience has not necessary declined it has just shifted.
- Paul Williams

In Broadcast online (the TV industry newspaper) today:
Social networking website MySpace is to stream free episodes from the new season of Lost.

Following a deal with Sky, the first two episodes of the US drama's third season, which began airing on Sky One last week, will be available to view on demand from today (24 November).

The deal makes MySpace the only place that non-Sky subscribers can legally watch the new season of Lost in the UK.

Visitors to the MySpace LostOnSkyOne page will also be able to view season updates, cast interviews and other features.

The deal with Sky was announced by MySpace's managing director for UK and Europe, David Fischer.

Also today, Sky will launch its rebranded legal downloads service, Sky Anytime (formerly Sky By Broadband). Sky One subscribers will be able to pay £2.50 to download and keep Lost episodes as soon as they've aired on TV.
Jane Hoskyn

Sky News - Everest Video Podcast

Sky News is offering another first: a video podcast from Mount Everest - possibly the highest altitude broadcast of its kind in history. The podcast is a video diary from reporter Gerard Tubb who is following the British Army's attempt to make history by putting a Briton on the top of the world's highest mountain by the toughest route.

Gerard gives viewers a flavour of life at 18,200ft and a window on the windswept location which is Everest advanced base camp.
For more: HERE

- Paul Williams

At Last - BBC lines up year-long video podcast trial

I have been waiting and waiting and waiting for this news. At last the BBC have jumped on to the train and are about to deliver Video Podcasts (or Vodcasts). This mornings Broadcast announced that this week"The BBC is to launch a 12-month video podcast trial that will make 30 programmes, including Newsnight and Question Time, available to download to portable viewing devices including iPods. "

Visit the Trial HERE

Using iTunes, or directly through the BBC website, you will be able to access weekly highlights of the Ten O'Clock News and Newsnight. The third programme, StoryFix, will offer a tongue-in-cheek look at the week's news - not as original an idea as it may seem - Sky have been producing a similar service for the past 6 months!!

Adrian Van Klaveren, the deputy director of BBC news: "There is no doubt that the bias among devices that are capable of playing the MP4 format tends to be younger, whereas news programming skews older." The trial, which will be evaluated after 12 months, will also aim to determine the length and style of content viewers want to download.

I'm really excited that the BBC are finally moving forward on this, Video Podcasting has been possible with a few simple clicks for an awfully long time. It is just that the BBC is so regulated by policy that everything has to pass "public value testing" which can take upto a year. In addition the BBC are working really hard to try and solve all the rights issues that are associated with using such technologies.
- Paul Williams

Convert Videos for Your iPod

iTunes
In iTunes, after you’ve added your video to the library, right click it. Select Convert Selection for iPod. iTunes will let you know if your video is already in the correct format. If it’s not, your video will slowly be converted to an H.264 video. iTunes will keep your video proportional - and your new video’s dimensions will, in almost every instance, be 320 pixels wide by some number equal to or less than 240 pixels high.



QuickTime Pro
Open your movie and, in the file menu, select Export… and in the export drop-down, select Movie to iPod (320 x 240) and click Save. QuickTime’s slow conversion process can take several hours. If you’re an inexperienced user, I recommend using QuickTime Pro or iTunes because they’re absolutely foolproof. However there are other free applications for converting your videos.

Illegal Places to Get iPod Videos

You’re probably familiar with most of these options, but if you aren’t then they’re new to you!
Search the BitTorrent network for iPod.
Check Podtropolis and The Pirate Bay!

I must say that my official line, particularly as someone working in the TV industry, is that I do not condone the use of illegal sources to obtain media but I think it is important that people are aware that these mechanisms exist.

Free and Legal Places to Get iPod Videos

There are some great resources for finding iPod compatible videos that are both free and legal!

• Channel Frederator offers up some of the best short animations anywhere.
• PodGuide.tv
• Channel 101 and Channel 102 offer up some brilliant downloadable shows.
• The iTunes Music Store’s podcast section is loaded with free videos.
• The Chronic..What?..cles of Narnia. Need I say more?

The Intarnet Archive is great for old videos and movies like Santa Claus Conquers the Martians. The Archive’s 256Kb MPEG4 Downloads are unfortunately not iPod-ready as previously thought. The format’s correct, but there are audio pops when played back on the iPod. You’re probably better off downloading the MPEG2 videos anyway. The 265Kb files were pretty low-res and it’s a snap to re-encode the MPEG2 files for your iPod with iSquint.

Channel Frederator is like The Cartoon Network without commercials.

Sky News Video podcasts!

At last a News Video Podcast aimed at the British audience. Other News Vodcasts are produced by CNN and ABC News. Where is the BBC in the Video Podcast Market??
Why are the BBC still only on a podcast trial??

These Sky Vodcasts are great - just the right balance for news on the move.

To Subscribe:
Open iTunes Select 'Subscribe to Podcast' from the 'advanced' menu and type/paste in the link below. Or you can just search for them in iTunes.




Daily Video Update
http://skyscape.sky.com/skynewsradio/NEWS/dailyheads.xml

7 Days
A 7 Days feature, which looks at the lighter side of the week's news.
Use the following link to subscribe to 7 Days:
http://skyscape.sky.com/skynewsradio/NEWS/sevendays1.xml

Political News
Watch a weekly update from Westminster with Sky News political editor, Adam Boulton, in the video highlights of Adam's Sunday show.
http://skyscape.sky.com/skynewsradio/NEWS/boultonsunday.xml

How To Podcast - Quick Guide

The three primary steps to getting your podcast up and running are:

• Setting up your blog or website
• Storing your media content
• Getting your RSS feed going

To begin we will set up a blog. There are a number of both free and pay blog services available. I use Blogger from Google. This is a free resource which is very easy to set up.

After creating the blog, we need to store our podcast on a server. Our Media a component of Creative Commons, offers unlimited free media storage.

Once your media is stored and linked off your blog, you just need to set up an RSS feed. Go to feedburner and enter your webpage, click the button which says "I'm a podcaster" and you're done!

1. Set Up

There are a number of ways to host podcasts. Any web page with a RSS 2.0 feed can host podcasts, but to make it easier I tend to use blogs to host my podcasts. Blogs, are essentially web pages designed to be easily updated.

At Blogger begin by clicking the orange "Create Your Blog Now" arrow. This leads you to the account page. Where you create a username and password, a name to be displayed on your blog and an email. Be sure to click the "Acceptance of Terms" check box and hit continue.

Finally select a template from the list provided (you can tweak the code of the blog if you know how and personalise the look).

2. Media Storage

Now that your blog is set up, the next step is to prepare your content storage location. I use Our Media but if you have lots of media to store check out my article on subscription services below. Our Media will allow you to host unlimited files and connect to them through your blog.

1. Go to the Our Media home page and click the "Register Now" link to begin setting up your account.

2. After entering the information, click the submit button at the bottom of the page. You will now be redirected to create an account at archive.org using the same email address.

3. At archive.org look for the small "join us" link in the upper right side. This link will take you to the log in for your virtual library card. As you enter the information, be sure to use the same email for this account which you used for Our Media. When you are finished click the "Get Library Card" button.

3. Create a Feed

Now that you've created a blog you need to create a feed for subscribers - use a service called Feedburner.

1. Begin by entering the address of your website into feedburner. As we are posting our podcasts to our blog, we will input the address of our blog created earlier. The address would be something like: http://yourblogname.blogspot.com/

2. Be sure to check the "I am a podcaster!" box. On the next screen you will be able to personalise the feed title and address which your audience will subscribe to your podcasts with. When you click the "Activate Feed" button in the lower right corner, your feed will be up and running.

3. Feedburner provides a confirmation screen with the feed, customisation options, and a link to manage your feed. At this point all the set up is done. Now you need to publicise your feed and post your first podcast!

Where to store your Podcast Media?

Creative Commons - FREE
Creative Commons, together with Archive.org, offer you the option to host your content for free. This is directed towards CC-licensed or open-source audio, so your own speech or your own music. Don’t use it to host illegal/copyright-troubled content.
idisk.mac.com:

£50/year (or £4/month)
if you’re already a subscriber to Apple’s .Mac program, this is an easy option. It is not the fastest or most reliable option.
libsyn.com:

starts at £2.50/month (up to £15)
built for podcasting: based on the #MB you add per month, not on the #GB downloaded per month (so the cost is predictable). Has detailed statistics (although some graphics would be nice). “Liberated Syndication is podcasting made easy”
bluehost.com:

£3/month (2-year subscription)
2 GB storage, 75 GB/month bandwidth. Is a general purpose hoster, so if you want to add the actual podcast blog to it, you can (you can add a WordPress blog through the Fantastico interface)

£20/month
for the bigger fish: 10GB of storage, 100GB/month bandwidth. If even this is not enough, you can go up to a £50/mon fully dedicated server: 60GB storage, 1000GB bandwidth. EV1Servers VPS

The Ultimate List of Podcast Aggregators

Podcasting is making audio files (most commonly in MP3 format) available online so that users can automatically download the files to listen whenever they want.

"Podcasting is a way of publishing files to a website that allows users to subscribe to the site and receive new files as they are posted. Most podcasts are spoken word audio created by individuals, often on a particular theme such as technology or movies. Because new files are downloaded automatically by subscribers, podcasting allows individuals to have a self-published, syndicated radio show." (Wikipedia)

Podcasting is a term that derives its name from the iPod, a portable media player manufactured by Apple. The iPod is a small box, about the size of a deck of cards or smaller (depending on the model) that stores and downloads audio files.

The term "podcast" is no longer specifically associated to the iPod as it refers to any combination of software and hardware that allows its users to automatically download and store recorded digital audio files distributed through an RSS feed.

The disruptive power of podcasting stems from all audio broadcasts distributed in a podcast format can be accessed when the user wants it. This also transforms the world of broadcasting (both radio and TV) from one where content was pushed to you at specified times, to a world where you are the puller who can decide what to listen to whenever you wish.

If you are new to podcasting (and you are on a Windows PC), I invite you to download and test the Open Media Network free software. It makes it easy for you to discover all the buzz around podcasting. If you use a Mac, Linux or some other operating system, you can go to the search engines and directories listed in this mini-guide to find and download the content that interests you.

If you are a podcaster or think of becoming one, what I provide here is a comprehensive list of all search engines and directories where you can go to submit your podcast feed to help other people find you.

By submitting your podcast feed to the greatest number of specialty podcast search engines and directories, you make it easier for other people to find your podcasts, while getting your audio podcast noticed.

Here is a comprehensive roundup of all sites that accept podcast submissions, have podcasts, or both.

With Thanks to MasterMedia

Here is my version of the Podcast Search Engine and Directories List of Lists

I have created this to help people quickly find aggregators and post their RSS feed. Under each logo is a link to the aggregators website and another link directly to their RSS submission page. If you have any I have not listed please e-mail me: ammonoid-at-hotmail.co.uk

SingingFish http://search.singingfish.com/sfw/home.jsp

Podcast Alley http://www.podcastalley.com/index.php

Podcast.net http://www.podcast.net/

BlogUniverse Podcast Directory http://www.bloguniverse.com/

Digital Podcast http://www.digitalpodcast.com/

Syndic8 Podcasts http://www.syndic8.com/podcasts/

AllPodcasts http://www.allpodcasts.com/

Podcast Bunker http://www.podcastbunker.com/

Podcasting Station http://www.podcasting-station.com/index.php

Penguin Radio http://www.penguinradio.com/podcasting/

PodcastHost http://podcasthost.com/

Gigadial http://www.gigadial.net/

OpenPodcast http://www.openpodcast.org/

Potkast http://www.potkast.com

podSites.com http://podsites.com/index.cfm

Pocketcasting http://www.pocketcasting.com/

RSS Network http://www.rss-network.com/index.php

Podcast Pickle http://www.podcastpickle.com/

PLAZOO http://www.plazoo.com/

Podcasting News http://www.podcastingnews.com/

Podcast Tools http://www.podcasting-tools.com/

Podcast Directory http://www.podcastdirectory.com

PublicRadioFan http://www.publicradiofan.com/podcasts.html

Podfeeder http://www.podfeeder.com/

Podfeed http://www.podfeed.net/

Podscope http://www.podscope.com/

Open Media Network http://www.omn.org/

Ourmedia http://ourmedia.org/

Internet Archive http://www.archive.org

iPodderx http://ipodderx.com/directory

PodCatch http://www.podcatch.com/

Odeo http://www.odeo.com/

PodcastShuffle http://www.podcastshuffle.com/

IdiotVox http://www.idiotvox.com/

BlogExplosion Podcast Directory http://www.blogexplosion.com/podcast/

blinkx Podcast and Video Directory http://www.blinkx.tv/

Loomia http://www.loomia.com/

Feedzie - Podcast Directory http://www.feedzie.com/feedzie_podcasts.php

iTunes Podcast Directory http://www.apple.com/podcasting/

Submit your podcast feed through iTunes by clicking on "Learn more" about submitting your podcast feed to the iTunes Podcast Directory (it does not work with Firefox) here: http://www.apple.com/podcasting/. This opens iTunes where you can enter the podcast feed.

Blast Podcast http://www.blastpodcast.com/

Bloggdigger http://www.blogdigger.com/

NPR Podcast Directory http://www.npr.org/rss/podcast/podcast_directory.php

EveryPodcast.com http://www.everypodcast.com/

The Podcast Network http://www.thepodcastnetwork.com You can't submit podcast feeds to TPN as it's for its own programs.

Yahoo! Podcasts http://podcasts.yahoo.com/

LearnOutLoud.com http://www.LearnOutLoud.com/

Get A Podcast http://www.getapodcast.com/

Sahfor http://www.sahfor.com/

TelCaster.com http://www.telcaster.com/

Family Friendly Podcasts http://www.familyfriendlypodcasts.com/

PodNova http://www.podnova.com/

podcasts.feedster.com http://podcasts.feedster.com/

PodBlaze http://www.podblaze.com/

Melodeo Mobilcast Network http://www.mobilcastnetwork.com/

Feeds2Read.Net http://feeds2read.net/

Podcast Empire http://www.podcastempire.com/

AmigoFish http://www.amigofish.com/

CastRegister.com http://www.castregister.com/

Fresh Podcasts http://freshpodcasts.com/

fluctu8 http://fluctu8.com/

GoFish http://gofish.com/results-category.html?category=podcast&sortBy=recent

MyPodcastCenter http://www.mypodcastcenter.com/

Podcast Charts http://podcastcharts.com/

podcasterworld.com http://podcasterworld.com/

Podcast Pup http://www.podcastpup.com/

Podcast Mania http://www.podcastmania.com/

Vital Podcasts http://www.vitalpodcasts.com/

- Paul Williams

Podcast Software for Windows

Podcast Software (clients) let you subscribe to and manage podcasts.

Windows Podcast Software

• iTunes - probably the top way people get podcasts. All of my podcasts are listed on iTunes and I get most of my subscribers through it.
  
• @Podder - a free podcast client designed for the visually impaired.
  
• AudioShell - freeware MS Windows Explorer shell extension plugin which allows you to view and edit music file tags directly in Windows Explorer.
  
• BitsCast - freeware RSS/podcast reader that supports both iPods and Microsoft Media PlaysForSure devices.
  
• BlogMatrix Sparks! - An all-in-one podcasting solution that lets you record, mix, share, publish, store and listen.
  
• CITA RSS Aggregator - a RSS feed reader includes keyword alerts, support for password login, per-channel settings, proxy support, support for RSS enclosures (Podcasts) and a tool to remove persistent adverts from RSS feeds.
  
• CustomReader - a customizable podcast client that can be "branded" to match a website.
  
• Doppler - Doppler is a podcast aggregator. It’s a tool to subscribe to RSS feeds which supply downloadable files. Doppler will go out and fetch the files enclosed in the RSS feed and will automatically add them to your preferred media player.
  
• HappyFish - free podcast client that will automatically sync podcasts to most mp3 players (and ipods too)
  
• iPodderX - cross-platform media aggregator that handles podcasts, vlogs and other files distributed using newsfeeds.
  
• Juice - (formerly iPodder) Lets users select and download shows and music and to play whenever they want on their iPods, portable digital media players, or computers automatically.
  
• Newzee - A feed reader that allows you to create your own news catalog from your preferred sources, that is automatically kept up to date with the latest headlines that are sent from the sources. Newzie features system tray notification (on feed updates), feed statistics, color coding, filtering, search, and support for enclosure (podcast) files.
  
• NewzCrawler - news aggregator with built-in podcast receiver
  
• nimiq - Nimiq is Windows podcasting client. Subscribe to a podcast and Nimiq automatically downloads audio and video enclosures. Subscribing is easy using the build in podcast directory browser. Download bittorrent files using the built-in bittorrent support.
  
• Podcast Amp - free tool that lets you preview and play podcasts.


• PodNova - offers a custom version of iPodder that supports OPML and integrates with the PodNova site.
  
• Podsage - freeware podcast client with large directory of podcasts. Note: we've had a complaint about Podsage installing unwanted software, "a download manager and some kind of shopping program."


• Podspider - podcast client with integrated podcast directory
  
• Prime Time Podcast - features all in the same application an embedded media player, WMP/iTunes playlist support, Automatic AAC bookmarkable conversion for iTunes/iPod users, podcast directory browsing and media list browsing.
  
• Pwopcatcher - a free podcast downloader, player and manager application for Windows.
  
• Replay Radio - lets you capture podcasts, broadcast radio shows and XM Radio.
  
• RSSRadio - easy to use podcasting software for Windows.
  
• Synclosure - Synclosure is a RSS aggregator to flexibly download files in enclosures. It supports filter keywords, custom actions and a caching mechanism. (Source code available for other platforms).
  
• WinAmp - commercial audio app with free Lite option, supports podcasts
  
• Yamipod - freeware application to efficiently manage your iPod under Mac OS X, Windows and Linux.
  
• Ziepod - an easy-to-use toolkit to reach and manage audio-based content published through podcasts.
  

How to Video Podcast - Funny French Maid Video

List of University Podcasts & Webcasts

Here is a list of university podcasts, webcasts, and OpenCourseWares.

Wayfaring is an interesting way to present the materials but Ive also extracted the list and so here it is in alphabetical order:

Allegheny College Podcast

Arizona State University Podcasts

Australia Broadcasting Corporation Wisdom Interviews

BBC - Reith Lectures

BBC - Challenging the Global Order

BBC - Radio 3 Speech & Drama

BBC - Film4 150 Short Movies

BBC - Sound Archive

BBC - Stephen Hawkings’ 60th Birthday

Berkeley - Webcast.Berkeley

Berkeley - Online Media Resources

Berkeley Multimedia Research Center

Berklee Shares

Buffalo State College Podcasts

Butte College, Media & Distance Learning Centre

Carleton University Vodcast

Carnegie Mellon Open Learning Initiative

CERN Webcasts (Particle Physics & Related)

Classcaster Law Podcasts

Drexel CoAS Talks

Duke University Mathematics Multimedia

Fathom Source for Online Learning (Columbia)

FETP OpenCourseWare (Vietnam)

Foothill De-Anza SOFIA

http://ipod.gcsu.edu/

Georgetown University Forum

Gresham College Lectures

Harvard Extension School

Harvard - Homeric Odyssey Course

Higher Education Academy Economics Network

International Research Center for Japanese Studies

Japan OCW Alliance

John Hopkins School of Public Health OCW

Library of Congress Cybercasts

LIFESIGN Life Science Videos (University of Glamorgan & Consortium)

Mises Institute

MIT OpenCourseWare

MIT World

Monclair State - Furr’s Important Audio Page

MSRI Video

Nobel Prize Lectures

OOPS OCW (Taiwan)

Paris Tech “Graduate School”

Princeton - University Channel Princeton

Princeton WebMedia

Princeton - New Media Center

Purdue BoilerCast

Research Channel

Rice University Webcasts

Rockefeller University Multimedia

Roland Collection Art

Roland Collection Literature & Philosophy

Sommaire Canal-U

St. Edwards’ Philosophy Audio

Stanford on iTunes

Tufts OpenCourseWare

UCONN - iCube Intro to Psychology

UCONN - School of Medicine Core Curriculum Videos

UCLA Webcasts

UNSW Embryology Podcasts

University of Arizona Law Videos

University of Bath - bathPOD

University of British Columbia Podcasts

University of California Television - UCTV

University of Hawaii - ICS101

University of Kentucky - Neo-Latin Colloquia,

University of Lethbridge Globalization Studies

University of Michigan Dental School iTunes

University of Oregon - UO Channel

University of Virginia Podcasts & Webcasts

University of Warwick Podcasts

University of Washington - UWTV

University of Wisconsin - The Havens Center

Utah State University OCW

Vanderbilt VUCast

Vega Science Trust Videos

Washington College of Law Podcasts

Weber State University Podcasts

Rocketboom & ABC News Vodcasts

Check out Rocketbooom

I get this downloaded directly to my XDA everyday - should we be worried? Well check out the high production value of this (compared to other vodcasts).

Click here to get the RSS Feed:





Rocketboom is so popular it even appeared on CSI (apparently!)



Also check out the News Vodcast from ABC News. The Big broadcaster releasing a daily video news podcast.











http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Podcasting/

What are Blogs, Podcasts & Vodcasts?

What is a podcast?
Subscribing to podcasts allows a user to collect programs from a variety of sources for listening or viewing offline at whatever time and place is convenient to the user. The most popular podcasts are currently podcasts published by the BBC – a repeat service of conventionally broadcast radio programmes.

Currently BBC policy does not allow the podcasting of content until it has been broadcast via conventional methods. Other broadcasters such as ABC support and promote independent podcasts related to TV shows such as “Lost”.

What is a vodcast?
A vodcast is a “Video On Demand” Cast, the audience collects media in the same way as they would a podcast; via subscription to an RSS feed. Podcasts and vodcasts may be distributed over the same subcription stream. They are becoming much more popular with the rise of multimedia AV mobile devices.

Most VODcasts are from what I call “Bedroom Broadcasters” such as Daily Planet TV.
Broadcasters are yet to harness the power of the VODcast. PBS NOVA are using VODcasts to deliver content to their audience, currently this is mostly in the form of weather forecasts and trails.

Why Create a Pod/vodcast?
By creating a pod/vodcast you are creating a channel through which you can send media directly to a subscriber’s computer or mobile devices. It also allows you a method by which you can store and access you media quickly on-line. You can update your pod/vodcast daily, weekly, or if you’re like me, whenever you can be bothered!!

What’s a Blog?
Traditionally a weblog – or online diary, but I see them as really simple methods of publishing content to the web. You can leave audio messages by phoning your blog. You can e-mail your blog to leave messages, or can use a desktop application to post photographs straight to it.

Search Public Radio Podcasts

If you have become fed up with some of the more amateur podcasts you may wish to navigate straight to those created by professional broadcasting organisations (but be warned - you may miss out of some gems from "Bedroom Broadcasters").

Visit:
http://www.publicradiofan.com/podcasts.html



Check out our competitors in the podcast world and explore the potential for what the BBC could be doing. There are very few broadcasting organisations who are vodcasting (video podcasting) but ABC News are paving the way with their daily News update:

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Podcasting/

PublicRadioFan.com is a directory that tracks podcasts from public radio around the world, including BBC, CBC, ABC and just about any public service broadcaster you can think of. This nicely designed and well-organised site provides many preferences for customising the display without registration. Browse programs through the schedule guide that provides a TV guide style overview of the programs currently playing and coming up within the next hour.

Not all of the programs are podcasts, meaning you can't add them to your podcasting program like iTunes or feed reader. However, it's easy to find the podcasts by going to the Special Listings section on the left side of the site.

One of my favourite podcasts is from CBC; Quirks and Quarks:
http://www.cbc.ca/quirks/

How to view Vodcasts - Video Podcasts

This "How To" is from Vodstock, a great Vodcast directory.

A vodcast itself is not a video - it is a glorified list of links to videos that is formatted so it can be read by special software. Such software is called an RSS reader and vodcasts are types of RSS feeds. Apple's popular iTunes (version 4.9 and above) can accept vodcasts and FireANT is a good dedicated vodcast reader.
A rough analogy with television would be:

Vodcast or vlog: A television channel
Video file: An individual program
Viewing software: Television set
Vodstock and other vodcast/vlog directories: Television guide
You: The program scheduler and audience

The advantage over television is that you can watch whichever video you like whenever you want. You can also subscribe to as many vodcasts as you like. At the moment, subscribing to vodcasts is free and simply involves registering the address of the vodcast in your software. You don't need to give your name, email or other details to subscribe. Most current vodcasts are personal creations by individuals but over time professional broadcasting and media organisations are sure to enter the scene.

You can now also subscribe to vodcasts on portable media players such as the video iPod. This really is the age when you can watch what you want, when you want, where you want. As Vodcast.nl puts it, this is Couch Potato Heaven!

It's all about convergance. My TV and PC are pretty much the same thing. So I can watch a mix of Vodcast, Broadcast and Streamed media all from the same screen.

How To Podcast - 5 Steps to Podcasting

There are 5 steps involved in podcasting

1. Get some podcast software (such as Itunes)
2. Tell your software the address of the "feed"
3. Start downloading
4. Synch with your ipod or portable device
5. Listen and enjoy - what you want, where you want.

From the BBC Podcast Trial page


1. Get some podcast software
You have to download a piece of software which will search the web to find the latest version of the files you want, for example, the next episode in a radio series.

List of podcast software on podcastingnews.com
(always read the set-up and help guides for new software)

2. Add the address of the "feed" to your software
Once you have the software, choose the radio programme that you would like automatically delivered to your computer every time there's a new show (e.g. In Our Time or Film Cafe).

To "subscribe" to a programme you copy the address of the podcast "feed" from the relevant BBC page and add it to your podcast application.

3. Start downloading
When a new show for your subscriptions becomes available your software will automatically download it. On completion you can listen to the mp3 on your pc or transfer it to your portable player to listen to later.

The software will automatically download any subsequent shows as soon as they are available.

As a general rule BBC programme files will be made available shortly after broadcast. In some cases this may be several hours.