Pacifica Radio is a network of community radio stations with 5 sister stations at its core, and over 80 affiliate stations nationwide. In the last six months, we have been actively integrating 'Podcasting', into our Internet operations. We now offer over 100 Pacifica programs for Podcast, from 3 of our 5 Pacifica station's websites.

What is a podcast and what is the big deal about?
Podcasting refers to automation of content delivery (usually audio) via the Internet to individual online listeners.

It is a major step in easy online media delivery that utilizes a "podcatcher" that downloads the files while the Internet user is away from his/her computer.

A variety of Podcast software is available to receive a podcast (podcatch). A good open source podcatcher is called iPodder, and others include jPodder, Doppler, and iTunes (the latter is probably the most popular one).

Podcasting at Pacifica Radio
To date, Pacifica is exploring two ways to use podcasting for distribution of its content. First, some Pacifica stations use podcasting to allow listeners an easy alternative for accessing Pacifica programs online after they have been aired. We have also made this custom web application available to our affiliate stations. The application automatically archives radio programs, and makes them available for podcast and download on demand.

Pacifica listeners seem to have been already awaiting podcasting. We immediately experienced heavy traffic and feedback was positive. However, this has posed certain challenges to Pacifica. Podcasting allows listeners to access programming without having to visit our stations' websites, and since we depend on donations, we may experience a financial loss. To offset this, we have included a short pitch at the start of every audio file.

Our experience so far has yielded some interesting information. We expected usage to focus on the most popular radio programs; in fact usage has been broadly spread out across our schedule. Also, the programs that are most frequently podcast are not those we would have expected to be so popular. Thus, podcasting has become a new source of information about listener patterns and interests for us.

The second way that Pacifica is exploring podcasting has proven to be more problematic. It addresses a more 'business to business' need; our affiliated radio stations want to automatically access the programs we distribute online. However, delivery requirements include station authentication to confirm the recipients are affiliate stations (this is typically done via password).

Unfortunately, podcatching applications don't support authentication yet. Therefore, even though podcasting would be a desired method of distribution, we haven't been unable to successfully accomplish this yet. However, we believe that this is a temporary problem. We are exploring some possible solutions and also anticipate that newer versions of podcatchers will allow for authentication.

Not All Podcasts Equal Success -- Some Tips and Things to Think About!
Podcasting has made it easier to distribute programs, especially for independent producers. Consequently, many new Podcast-only programs have appeared.

A good strategy for producers to distribute their work has been to submit programs to every Podcast Directory possible. However, in an increasingly saturated market where online directories display long lists of programs, making one's work stand out has become increasingly a problem.

Even when a producer's program is chosen from a directory, habits of Podcatching end-users can present another problem. It gets down to a simple problem of time and attention span. With the amount of freely available podcasts, if programming doesn't grab listener quickly, they'll be on to the next podcast.

When new users get their portable mp3 device, they often enthusiastically subscribe to dozens of podcast feeds that look interesting from one or more 'Podcast Directories'. Due to the limitations of time, however, many of these programs may not be heard. Programs may get one or only a partial opportunity to be heard. Eventually, users often will unsubscribe from most of the dozens of Podcast feeds they initially subscribed to and keep the programs they already knew, with only very few new programs added.

Producers at community radio stations have an advantage because their content already enjoys a following. Bringing one's loyal listeners can prove pivotal when competing against new Podcast 'start-up' programs for the same Internet audience's time. However, the bottom line regarding succeeding in sustaining one's audience always remains the same -- to succeed at podcasting, like in any other medium, content must be compelling.

General Podcasting Info page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podcast

Podcast Directories (for accessing other content, or listing your program):
http://apple.com/itunes
http://PodcastPickle.com
http://PodcastAlley.com
http://PodcastingNews.com
http://iPodder.org
http://pacifica.org/programs/podcast/

"Podcatching" applications:
http://ipodder.sf.net
http://apple.com/itunes
http://jpodder.com

Pete Korakis is project manager for Pacifica's AudioPort.org and Pacifica.org. He is an avid radio listener (to WBAI-Pacifica Radio), who lives and works in Brooklyn. He has been developing web sites for various clients since 1998.