Why Podcast?

The answer to the above question is simple: Podcasting is so incredibly simple, especially compared with getting your own FCC license, that virtually anyone with a personal computer and an Internet connection can produce a show that could potentially be heard by tens of thousands of people. In the United States alone, where freedom of speech is set forth as one of the founding pillars of society, one does not have to take a large leap of faith to imagine that the podwaves are filling with interesting, offensive, humorous, and often inane chatter.

You may ask, "Who is podcasting?" That question can be answered very simply: Everyone is podcasting, Figure 1.3 shows Bob Goyetche podcasting out of his home in Deux-Montagnes, Quebec. By everyone, I mean people from all geographic locations and all walks of life. If the Internet ushered in a revolution in information dissemination, podcasting has done the same for the audio format. Podcasting is the metaphorical saw that cuts through the chains of radio, be it satellite radio or the old-fashioned AM/FM brand.

Figure 1.3. Bob Goyetche podcasting from his home in Deux-Montagnes.

Photo courtesy of Bob Goyetche

The following is a short list of the sorts of topics that are routinely discussed in podcasts available today:

• Wine connoisseurship

• Husband-and-wife relationships

• Suburban life

• Christian fundamentalism

• Geek news

• Science fiction

• Comedy

• How-to shows

• Sports

• UFOs

• Music shows of all genres

Needless to say, this list could go on and on. And on. The number of podcasts is growing exponentially, and by the time you read this book, there likely will be a podcast for nearly every subject that could come to mind. If you can think of a subject that isn't covered, you've found your niche to start podcasting yourself!