Podcasting

Beth Cherry

WHAT IS PODCASTING?

Definition

A podcast is a syndicated audio or video communication distributed via the Internet.

Podcast = syndication

No syndication != podcast

Definition Continued

A podcast can be played on any device that plays digital audio files (your computer, your MP3 player, etc.).

A podcast DOES NOT require an ipod.

Apple did not originate podcasting and does not own “podcasting.”

Definition Continued

Podcasting IS NOT webcasting.• It doesn’t stream• It isn’t live• It is personal (one to one), not a performance

(one to many) that might be regulated by the FCC

Learn more from Doc Searls http://www.itgarage.com/node/521

Benefits

• On-demand content (no click wait); Consumer is “program director”

• Serialized content

• Automated, direct distribution

• Most subscriptions are free

• Doesn’t require full attention and permits multi-tasking

Detractors

• Distribution uncontrollable

• Bandwidth consumption high

• DRM = Digital Rights Management (prohibitive)

Brief History

Brief History

Why is it important to you?

• Opportunities for early adopters to gain mind-share in a relatively new space

• Alternative method for communication and self-promotion

WHY?

It’s fun.

Also…

It’s your final.

How is this final useful to you?

• Learn about university resources

• Improve your presentation skills

• Improve your interviewing skills

• Figure out some things about audio

So take notes.

Let’s get to it

• What do I record in my podcast?

• How do I record my podcast?

• How do I syndicate my podcast?

• How do I promote my podcast?

• What is my final assignment?

WHAT DO I RECORD IN MY PODCAST?

General Format

• Intro music/ Introduction• Sponsor Recognition• Segment 1• Segment 2• Segment 3• Thank you for listening/ feed plug• Exit Music

*Typical duration ranges from 3 to 45 minutes

Podcast content examples

• Guest appearances• Audience Q&A• Media reviews (books, movies, etc.)• Music interludes• Banter• “Soundseeing” from on location• Get fancy

http://www.makezine.com/blog/archive/2005/07/how_to_make_enh.html

Copyright

• Most podcasts are talk radio, because record companies haven’t provided an easy, affordable way for podcasters to license songs.

Creative Commons http://creativecommons.org/

Learn more from Linux Journal http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/8510

Copyright Continued

Is your music podsafe? When in doubt check with the artist or label before you assume something is podsafe.

• Podsafe Music Network http://music.podshow.com/

• Podsafe Audio http://www.podsafeaudio.com/

Read more on how to find podsafe music http://www.ipodarmy.com/2005/06/how-to-find-podsafe-music/

Sample Podcasts

• KCRW Good Food/ Morning Becomes Eclectic

• Chinese Pod

• Diggnation

HOW DO I RECORD MY PODCAST?

Equipment

• A personal computer, a preamp, and an external drive (flash drive and/or ipod can also be helpful for file transfer/ testing)

• Audio software• Headphones, a mic, and a pop filter• An Internet connection• Server space & lots of bandwidth

Recording Methods

• Audioblogger http://www.audioblogger.com/ - Phone it in

• Portable recorder/ DAT

1. Low Quality - PC/ Mac (internal mic)2. Higher Quality - Mac at school (better

mic + preamp)3. Dual location - Mac (can do on PC;

slightly different process/ software)

Lower Quality Record

Lower Quality Record

• Audacity - built for PC or Mac http://audacity.sourceforge.net

• LAME - MP3 Encoder

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/help/faq?s=install&item=lame-mp3

• iTunes http://www.apple.com/itunes/

Higher Quality Record

• Reserve an audio suite on the eighth floor of the KU at least six hours in advance.

• Check out mics, a DAT, a mini recorder, a pop filter, or other recording equipment from the 9th floor of the KU. Make reservations online two days in advance.

• See Dave at the DT lab to find out what equipment you can borrow from DT.

Higher Quality Record

Dual Location Record - Mac

What you need:• Soundflower + Soundflowerbed http://

www.cycling74.com/products/soundflower.html

• Line-in http://www.rogueamoeba.com/freebies/

• Skype http://www.skype.com

• Sound Studio or Garagebandhttp://www.freeverse.com/soundstudio/ http://www.apple.com/ilife/garageband/

Other dual location methods

• Do it on a PC ($40) http://www.skypejournal.com/blog/archives/2004/12/skype_podcast_r.php

• Do it with ichat http://www.google.com/search?

q=engadget+podcast+ichat&sourceid=mozilla-search&start=0&start=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official

HOW DO I SYNDICATE MY PODCAST?

Syndication Technology

Informal Specifications:RSS 1.0 • RDF Site Summary• Extensible (outdated)RSS 2.0 • Really Simple Syndication (xml based)• Easy to code by hand

Formal Specifications:Atom - standardized

Which should you use?

Most aggregators can read all three.

iTunes http://www.apple.com/itunes/

iPodder.net http://ipoddernet.sourceforge.net/

Feedreader http://www.feedreader.com/

Odeo http://www.odeo.com/

Okay, but how do I setup the feed?

Write the code yourself (generally best)http://audiofeeds.org/tutorial.php

Cheat (as long as it works)Feedburner http://www.feedburner.com/fb/a/home

Feed dos and don’ts

Don’t:

Include HTML mark-up in your feed

Do:

Identify entries (rdf:about, guid, or id)

Fill out your ID3 Tagshttp://www.podcast411.com/id3tags.html

Validate feeds (www.feedvalidator.org)

How do listeners subscribe?

• Click on subscription link

• Highlight it in the address bar

• Paste it into your aggregator

HOW DO I PROMOTE MY PODCAST?

Podcast promotion

• Link to the feed on your site

• Register your feed with directories

• Tell your friends

Read 12 ways to promote your podcasthttp://www.jakeludington.com/project_studio/

20051028_12_ways_to_promote_your_podcast.html

Podcast Directories

Indie Podder http://ipodder.org/

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

Podcast Alley http://podcastalley.com/

WHAT DO I DO FOR MY FINAL?

Final Requirements

• 3 Podcasts• Duration: 1-3 minutes each• Link to syndication feed• Upload files to your Parsons site, and send

the link to this gmail account by this date. • DO NOT send the subscription link. Send the

HTML link where your user can access the subscription link. There should be some description of what your podcast is about on this page.

Podcast Themes

• Best or worst lecture and why• Best or worst book in class and why• Best or worst lab module and why• Take any bit of lecture or lab module and talk

about it in detail• Create a “sound tutorial” or “how to” that

would be related to C&C• Review a book, site, or organization not

mentioned in class that would relate to C&C

Judging Criteria

• Assignment completion on time + followed the requirements

• Everything works (syndication, files, etc.)• Sound quality (good volume levels, attractive

and interesting voices/ sound/ music)• Content quality (creative, structured, on topic)

HAVE FUN.