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Coming Soon to an "Earbud" Near You
Podcasting's on-demand audio holds research promise
Heard of podcasting? If not, join the crowd. In a July 2005 survey by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, only 13% of respondents "have a good idea" what podcasting is.
Tim Wilson is out to boost that number. Wilson, a technology integration specialist for the Hopkins Public Schools (Hopkins, Minn.), is also the author of The Savvy Technologist blog and spinoff podcast. As recently as last October, Wilson was discussing podcasting to a group of teachers, remarking that "hundreds" of such downloads existed. Today, that number is in the thousands.
His point: technology grows rapidly to the point where something unheard-of just a year ago is soon part of the tech vernacular. Those familiar white earbuds sprouting on owners of such products as Apple Computer's iPod player are primarily used to hear music downloads.
But podcasts — radio-style shows from major media outlets and individuals alike — are gaining a foothold. It's audio (and, increasingly, video) downloaded, organized and played according to the listener's time and interest. Think of it, says Wilson, as "TiVo for the radio."
Still, as an emerging technology, "podcasting isn't likely to threaten traditional broadcasting any time soon, as the number of digital music players is only in the tens of millions, compared with hundreds of millions of radios," wrote Associated Press reporter Matthew Fordhal in an article printed in USA Today in February 2005. "But as the player market grows — and more devices such as cell phones become capable of play audio files — it could pull away advertising dollars, especially those that target younger generations."
Podcasting goes to school
On-demand audio opens up a new dimension for learning. History buffs could listen to period music. For those interested in first-person narratives, interviews with veterans of the Civil Rights movement. For language arts followers, recited poetry or scenes from a play. And science is ripe for the technology, with audio downloads geared toward biology, chemistry, physics and more. In July, Technorati podcast live from space during the Discovery shuttle mission, combining blogs, posts, photos and audio to cover this important event.
As Wilson sees it, podcasting enhances listening skills in researchers. And as the technology becomes more sophisticated and accessible, people "can develop from listeners into producers."
So should everyone rush to podcast technology? No, says Wilson. In an environment of rapid change, "you pick and choose" the tools that suit your needs.
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