What is Podcasting?

Podcasting is internet radio, but more like the pioneering album FM stations that started in Honolulu in the 1960's than the Strictly Formatted corporate radio we suffer with today. Because the internet is not a broadcast medium like radio or television, there is no censorship. And because podcasting is very inexpensive to create and distribute, anyone can give it a try without paying for permits, building a transmitter or quitting their day jobs.

While it has been possible to download and listen to audio files on a computer for years, a few problems kept internet radio from becoming as popular as it could have been:

Audio files can be very large, if you didn't have a high-speed internet connection it can take forever just to receive the program.

Once a sound file was finally downloaded, there was no consistent format so you often had to also download or pay for a number of different players just to listen.

You had to then sit in front of your computer to listen, so unless you were at work and your co-worker were very forgiving, it was difficult to find the time to hear what you had worked so hard to get.

Way back in the last century, a man named Dave Winer came up with a way to let an online service "announce" to a "subscriber" or listener whenever something new was available for them to download. This technology is called RSS, reported to stand for "Real Simple Syndication."  Using a simple RSS "aggregating" program, you could automatically have news, pictures or even sound files downloaded to your computer, even while you weren't using it. Just leave your computer online over night, and in the morning you will have all sorts of neat stuff available to read, see and listen to.

This still left you attached to the front of your computer, but at least you no longer had to search and wait for content. Then, in 2003 a recovering MTV V-jay, serial entrepreneur and self-confessed geek named Adam Curry decided to close what was called the last yard - and automatically put sound files downloaded by RSS directly onto his iPod. He wrote a simple program, the first iPodder and gave it away free to anyone who wanted it. In order for them to have something to listen to he began producing "The Daily Source Code" , a 45-minute combination of music, stories, and geek-fun that is still one of the top rated podcasts of all time.

But rather than completely reinventing the poi pounder, here are a number of excellent resources and explanations

Wikipedia Entry on Podcasting

Yahoo! Podcast Directory About Podcasting page

Podcasting News Network Podcasting FAQ page

Do I have to have an iPod to listen to podcasts?

No. There is software available for Macintosh, PC and Linux computers that let you to load podcasts into a wide variety of personal digital audio players from many companies. You can also listen to podcasts directly on your computer if you don't mind sitting there like a lump.

Do I have to use iTunes to download podcasts?

No. There is other software, sometimes referred to as "pod catchers", on Macintosh, PC and Linux platforms. Popular "PodCatchers" are Juice which is free, and iPodderX , which isn't.

Where can I find podcasts?

Here are just a few of the more popular podcast directories:

iTunes Music Store Podcast Directory Install the free iTunes on Macintosh or Windows OS computers

Yahoo! Podcast Directory

Adam Curry's iPodder.org

PodcastAlley

Podcast.net

How do I create a podcast?

This might be complicated if you don't have any experience with sound recording, it can also be a lot of fun.

Getting a podcast out on the internet has three parts:

Audio Production Hardware

Audio Production Software

Distribution & Networking

First, you'll need a good microphone. Well, actually, first you need something interesting to talk about, no one wants to hear another fool blither about his personal hallucinations, there's enough of that already.

But if you do have an interesting story to tell, then get the best mic you can afford.

There are three types of microphone: Cheap computer mics, better consumer/performer mics and "sell the house Kimo, I'm getting a Neumann!" Prices range from under $50 for some surprisingly capable headset mics, to more than the cost of a small aircraft. Here's a tip: Any mic you own that works is the best mic in the world.

Once you have a mic, you'll need to plug it into you computer. Depending on the brand, and quality of your sound board, and the requirements of your microphone, you may also need a simple mixer. These can be found at Radio Shack and on line a cost of $50 and up.

Having plugged-in your mic, you'll need a good recording and editing program to capture then modify your sound file.

Here are some of the programs that can help you create and publish your podcast.

Audacity : A free audio editor for Windows & Mac OSX

GarageBand: (Macintosh OS X only)

CastBlaster: (Windows only)

PodcastMaker: (Macintosh OS X only)

iTunes: Free Podcast receiver and file converter for Mac & Windows

When you have an audio file you want to publish, the next step is to make it available on line so that your fans can get it into their computers. Most podcasts are published along with the RSS feeds available from blogging software. We don't have time or space here yet to go into a full explanation of Blogs, so an abbreviated description will have to do.

Blogs, unlike web sites, are like public diaries or daily journals where you post your thoughts and ideas for others to read. Anyone who finds your blog interesting can "subscribe" to it. No payment is necessary. Blogs contain a RSS "feed" so that any time you put up a new entry, your subscribers are automatically notified and any enclosed files will be downloaded to the users computer, then into whatever program they use to listen to or transfer music to their portable player. It's magic.

There are many ways to publish a blog.

The most popular right now is Blogger which runs entirely on the internet in stead of on your computer. MauiCAST uses a program called WordPress, free, open-source blog software that allows us to custom design and modify blogs to suit the needs of our ohana. Blogger.com is very easy to use, but limited, while other programs such as WordPress, or TypePad require some expertise on the part of the user but support many features.

Finally, for the terminally geek impaired, there is Libsyn, a low-priced service that will put up a blog and distribute your podcast all in one place. Libsyn is a great idea, but as with most great ideas, there are also limitations. But it's a great way to get your podcast off the ground and into that great feed in the sky.

To help you get started here are some of the better resources on the net:

Creating a podcast in GarageBand for Macintosh OSX

Yahoo! Podcast Directory Publish a Podcast page

TIP: At a recent Podcasting conference one of the speakers stated "We are close to parity with the subscribers - there are also most as many podcasts as there are people who listen to them..."

It is claimed that there are over 80,000 podcasts with 100 new ones being created every day. If you don't have something interesting to say, you will be lost in the crowd.

At the same time, if you make a mistake, such as using a song in your podcast without proper permission or saying something rude about someone, you could easily justify a copyright lawyer's visit to Hawaii and ruin your life in a big way. Remember, the internet is also a good forum to make a fool out of yourself in front of millions of people.

How will people find my podcast?

All of the above podcast directories allow you to submit your podcast feed for listings and so far, they all do this for free. Simply visit the directory and look for a link that says something like "Submit a Podcast/Feed/URL". In order to submit a podcast to the iTunes Music Store Podcast Directory, you must have an iTunes account which is free and a good idea anyway. You'll use the program iTunes to submit the address of your podcast's URL. Most of the other directories allow you to submit your podcast feed while visiting their site with your web browser.

Why doesn't my podcast show up in the iTunes Music Store Podcast Directory?

iTunes is the big fish in the pond. You'll want to submit your feed to their directory. It can take anywhere from two days to three weeks for a podcast to show up. The small staff of iTMS are notorious for their lack of responsiveness to people submitting podcasts, though they have started to contact podcasters with feedback on the reasons that their podcasts have not been included in the directory. One of the most common reasons for the exclusion of some feeds from the directory is a poorly formed RSS feed. The site "NobodyLikesOnions" has a great feed validator that checks for both standard RSS compliance as well as those special elements  that allow your podcast to display properly in iTunes.

Can I use music from my CD collection and include it in my podcast?

Probably not. Unless you want to spend a lot of time giving money to lawyers. The use of most commercial music on the Internet is supposed to be covered by current copyright law, but the application of copyright law to the internet is itself very confusing. Even if you know a recording artist personally and get their permission to use a recording, that will only be clear you for that recording. The composer, publisher or owner of the work will also have to be contacted for permission. These are often different than the artist or even the person who originally wrote the song.

For example, if you ask the band Na Leo (and their label) for permission to use the song, "I Miss You, My Hawai'i" in your podcast, you've only done half of the work. That song was written by Kenneth Makuakane, and he must also have to agree to your use of the song. Without this permission, you will be responsible for the payment royalties to him as composer as well. It's best to be very careful about how you use anyone else's work in a podcast. Since it's creation, way back in 2004, Podcasters have made a point of being very respectful of the rights of artists and publishers.

Adam Curry, the "Pod Father" has started a site called the Podsafe Music Network, were artists can submit music that can be used royalty-free in a podcast. There is a large selection of music there to choose from in many musical styles. There are also many sites that provide free or low-price music that is already cleared for use.

Check out FreePlay Music and GarageBand.com for more information.