Exploring Video Podcasts

Although a video podcast is pretty much a video podcast, I have a classification system that I like to group video podcasts into. This system isn't scientific; it's just what makes the most sense to me, and it has some value because the content of video podcasts can vary greatly from category to category.

Homemade Vodcasts

The firstand some people would say the purestform of video podcasts is homemade video podcasts, created by amateurs who are interested in covering some topic that interests them personally. These programs are basically the same as audio podcasts, but they have a visual element, often not much different from that of a "talking head" news program.

Four great examples of homemade video podcasts:

• "Rocketboom"

• "Rumor Girls" (Figure 4.2)

  Figure 4.2. The "Rumor Girls" Web site.

  

• "Hockey Strike Webcom"

• "Mobility Today Video Podcast"

Video-Aficionado Vodcasts

Video podcasts in the second category are commercial-quality video podcasts. These may also be created by aficionados of a particular topic, but these folks are technically savvy and/or have access to high-quality video equipment and editing software, which makes the quality of their podcasts superior. A few good examples:

• "Happy Tree Friends"

• "Tiki Bar TV"

• "Beach Walks with Rox"

• "Cooking Kitty Corner" (Figure 4.3)

  Figure 4.3. The "Cooking Kitty Corner"Web site.

  

Commercial-Outreach Vodcasts

Vodcasts in this category are created to extend the reach of commercial enterprises. These include video podcasts like the following:

• "Barenaked Ladies Podcast" (Figure 4.4)

  Figure 4.4. BNL Blog, the Web home of "Barenaked Ladies Podcast."

  

• "The Ricky Gervais Podcast"

• "PC Gamer Podcast"

Converted-Media Vodcasts

The fourth podcast category includes the pure commercial podcasts that are derived straight from other forms of media: television shows and music videos that are available through the iTunes Music Store, as well as other television shows that are redirected into podcasts free of charge.

Although the quality of video podcasts generally goes up the closer one moves toward a commercial source, there are always exceptions to the rule. There certainly are some very high-quality homemade vodcasts, and there are also some poorly made commercial podcasts. That said, the general rule still applies.

Top Ten Video Podcasts

During the writing of this book, the top ten video podcasts, according to Podcast Alley (Figure 4.5), are

1. "GeekBrief.TV" (http://geekbrief.podshow.com)

2. "Port City P.D." (www.portcitypd.com)

3. "Izzy Video" (www.channelfrederator.com)

4. "Channel Frederator" (www.channelfrederator.com)

5. "Tiki Bar TV" (http://tikibartv.blogspot.com)

6. "Rumor Girls" (www.rumorgirls.com)

7. "Rocketboom" (www.rocketboom.com/vlog)

8. "Icenrye's Geocaching Videozine" (www.icenrye.com/newsite)

9. "PhotoWalkthrough.com" (www.photowalkthrough.com)

10. "ScreenCastsOnline" (http://screencastsonline.com/sco)

    Figure 4.5. Podcast Alley's list of top video podcasts at www.podcastalley.com.