Until recently, “podcasting tended to be almost exclusively for the young, geeky or both. Last week, however, that changed,” The Economist reports. “That is because Apple, which dominates the online-music business, has integrated the requisite ‘podcatching’ software into the latest release of iTunes, the jukebox software that accompanies the iPod. Finding and subscribing to podcasts, once a fiddly business, is now simple. One click takes users to a page of podcasts on offer, from public-radio shows to the eccentric ramblings of geeks; another click sets up the subscription. Podcasts are transferred to an iPod automatically when it is plugged in. So the iPod has finally staked its claim to a medium that already bears its name.”
The Economist reports, “This could have significant consequences. ‘Something remarkable is happening here,’ beams a voice in one of this week’s podcasts by Adam Curry, a former MTV host who pioneered the medium last year. ‘Radio is springing free of the regulated gatekeepers who’ve managed what you can hear since radio was invented. It’s jumping into the hands of anyone at all with something or nothing to say.'”
Full article here.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Research group: U.S. podcast audience will grow to 56 million by 2010 – July 06, 2005
Apple iTunes 4.9 dramatically increases KCRW podcast downloads – July 02, 2005
Apple iTunes leaves Microsoft Media Player in the dust – July 01, 2005
Apple iTunes podcast subscriptions top one million in first two days – June 30, 2005
Analyst: iTunes 4.9 helps Apple by bringing podcasting to the masses – June 28, 2005
Apple releases iTunes 4.9 for Mac and Windows with podcasting features – June 28, 2005
its awesome. Apple rocks.
The monetization of podcasts better just be included adverts by podcasters aimed at their readers interests and not pay per listen with Apple getting a large cut.
Why worry about Apple getting a cut? It’s not happening–except with music, which was never legally free.
Apple SHOULD get a cut… IF (some) PODCASTERS WANT to have pay-for-listen. If they do, and if Apple is able to provide that service, then they should get a share of the revenue since they’re paying for the system.
But I don’t think that many podcasters WILL want it, and Apple certainly won’t charge for something that the creators don’t charge for.
So no worries.
Apple is using podcasts as a hook to lock people into iPod/iTunes. It’s a marketing gimmick for them. They don’t need to charge.
For the podcasters they’ll make money through advertising should they choose to sell it.
Those who charge for podcasts (ie Rush Limbaugh) are not listed in the podcast directory.
It’s stupid for Apple to not list podcasts which charge a fee. If consumers are willing to pay for a particular podcast, why does Apple insist on blacklisting it? And nobody should defend Apple because consumers are still free to go to individual websites to obtain fee-based podcasts–that’s BS. The great thing about the Apple arrangement is that you can just go to one site (Apple) and browse & subscribe to whatever you want. Sure, Apple has the RIGHT to do this, but it’s wrong to be so limiting.
Apple, leave consumers/providers free to make their own decisions!!!
I don’t get why Apple thinks it’s OK for podcast providers to make money by including advertising but not by charging a fee. I would rather pay a fee than have my podcast interrupted by ads.
C’mon Apple, we’re big boys and girls, fully capable of making these choices on our own.
Ongoing History of New Music with Alan Cross
Friggin awesome
I don’t know that Apple feels that fee-based podcasts are “bad’, I think, like monthly subscriptions, that fee-based podcasts are an idea Apple will embrace when the market is there.
Forget about Apple making a fee right now. From what I understand — wasn’t this in the article about NPR switching to Podcasts? — Audible.com has an exclusive agreement with Apple regarding for-sale spoken word content. As long as Audible has that arrangement, Apple CANNOT charge for Podcasts.
apple doesn’t charge because most podcast are free right now as it is. why would they charge for adam curry if adam curry doesn’t charge for it on his own website? that would defeat the purpose. as it is, podcasts are another example of the the democratization of the internet. anyone can do it, regadless of their political, or social bent; as long as they have the right technology to produce it. apples is just positioning itunes to be “the” right technology to subscribe and listen to them.
Remember the adverts on a podcast about fishing would be adverts of interest to people who fish. Mac podcasts would advertise Mac gear and so on. You would listen to most podcasting adds.Can you say targeted audience?
I have one question:
Where are your podcast Noam Chomsky, Tarik Ali and like-minded fellows?
I’m sure Chomsky et al. are readying their podcasts as we speak – any chance to hear a recording of their own voices…
in the meantime, to tide you over:
America stinks!
America stinks!
America stinks!
America stinks!
America stinks!
Trust me! I teach at MIT!
Chomsky in a nutshell…