Podcasting sucks, but there is hope ...

Submitted by Patrick Grote on Sun, 05/29/2005 - 2:40pm.

Is podcasting is a fad technology? Podcasting is pushed hard by people who grew up in the late 60s and early 70s who feel "the man" is controlling the airwaves and stifling their access to spoken word communication.

As a child of the 80s I never really understood these people when they said everyone should have a voice.

"You have a voice, so use it," is my common response. The claims of being censored or controlled is absurd, especially in today's world.

When podcasting started it was Adam Cury and Dave Winer at the forefront. I downloaded their first few attempts and laughed. Like I want to sit around listening to two guys talking about things. I have a limited amount of time and things to do. I read and comprehend faster because I can scan the information and absorb what is needed. I don't need to listen to prattle to get to the nuggets of information I need.

Some folks love podcasting because it gives them something to listen to during their commutes, working out or other times where they have split attention. Good point, but shouldn't the time you spend listening be worth something?

Of course, this swept through the internet and now everyone is talking about podcasts. It seems as if everyone who has access to a microphone, a computer and a website has tried it. Very few have done it well.

In the early days there was a lone exception for me and that was Christopher Lydon. He was doing this before it was called podcasting. His interviews were topical and meaty.

And that is what it boils down to for me. Meat. What can I get from a podcast that I cannot get from another source? Can a podcast give me something that equals more than the time it takes to listen?

In the last year there have been few offerings that stand the meat test, but times they are a changing and there were two recent announcements that show podcasting has a future.

The first is the podcast of a museum tour. Excellent idea. David Gilbert, a professor of communication at Marymount Manhattan College and his students decided to create their own audio tour of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Instead of listening to a museum employee bore you with facts about what you are seeing, these podcasts take new looks at it.

This is what Podcasting is good for. It's not for listening to someone talk about their day nor to have someone pontificate. It's for using audio to benefit you.

The second item that demonstrates podcasting's future is the US Soccer national team. This Podcast is designed to give you access to the team and the games that you normally wouldn't have. If you're a fan of soccer this is information, not someone's opinion, that you can really enjoy and use.

So, does podcasting sill suck? Sort of. It's evolved into a form of communication that serves a purpose. The trick is finding the information you need, want or might be interested in.

Does podcasting give everyone a voice? Absolutely. So, what. The gold is in the information not the bluster.