Podcasting

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Podcasting

• Saskatoon Catholic Cyber School

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What is Podcasting?

• A podcast is a multimedia file that is
  distributed by subscription over the Internet
  using syndication feeds, for playback on mobile
  devices and personal computers.
• Like 'radio', it can mean both the content and
  the method of delivery the latter may also be
  termed podcasting.
• The host or author of a podcast is often called a
  podcaster.

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What is Podcasting?

• Though podcasters' web sites may also offer
  direct download or streaming of their content, a
  podcast is distinguished from other digital audio
  formats by its ability to be downloaded
  automatically using software capable of reading
  feed formats such as RSS.
• RSS means Real Simple Syndication, an internet
  broadcast method.

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The History of Podcasting?

• The concept of podcasting was suggested as early
  as 2000 and its technical components were
  available by 2001, then implemented in the
  program Radio Userland an internet radio system.
• In 2003 regular podcasts started showing up on
  well-known Web sites and software support spread.

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The History of Podcasting?

• The editors of the New Oxford American Dictionary
  declared "podcasting" the 2005 word of the year.
• Defining the term as "a digital recording of a
  radio broadcast or similar program, made
  available on the Internet for downloading to a
  personal audio player".
• The name has aroused some controversy for
  implying one needs an iPod to listen to podcasts,
  when in fact all portable media players will play
  them.

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How Podcasting Works

• The publish/subscribe model of podcasting is a
  version of push technology, in that the
  information provider chooses which files to offer
  in a feed and the subscriber chooses among
  available feed channels.
• While the user is not "pulling" individual files
  from the Web, there is a strong "pull" aspect in
  that the receiver is free to subscribe to (or
  unsubscribe from) a vast array of channels.

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How Podcasting Works

• Podcasting is an automatic mechanism whereby
  multimedia computer files are transferred from a
  server to a client, which pulls down XML files
  containing the Internet addresses of the media
  files.
• In general, these files contain audio or video,
  but also could be images, text, PDF, or any file
  type.

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How Podcasting Works

• The content provider begins by making a file (for
  example, an MP3 audio file) available on the
  Internet.
• This is usually done by posting the file on a
  publicly available webserver.
• The only requirement is that the file be
  accessible through some known URI (a
  general-purpose Internet address).
• This file is often referred to as one episode of
  a podcast.

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How Podcasting Works

• A consumer uses a type of software known as an
  aggregator, such as a podcast receiver, to
  subscribe to and manage their feeds.
• A podcast specific aggregator is usually an
  always-on program which starts when the computer
  is started and runs in the background.
• They work exactly like any newsreader someone
  would use to manage other web subscriptions.
• The downloaded episodes can then be played,
  replayed, or archived as with any other computer
  file.

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Why choose Podcasting?

• Podcasting's initial appeal was to allow
  individuals to distribute their own "radio
  shows," but the system quickly became used in a
  wide variety of other ways
• distribution of school lessons,
• official and unofficial audio tours of museums,
• conference meeting alerts and updates,
• police departments to distribute public safety
  messages.

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Uses of Podcasting

• Podcasting can be used in a number of different
  ways, including
• A way for people and organizations to avoid
  regulatory bodies that would not allow a program
  to be broadcast in traditional media.
• A way for news organizations to distribute audio
  or video as an addition to their existing text
  (or mostly text) news products.
• Education Podcasting can be categorised as an
  m-learning strategy for teaching and learning.
• These are only a few of the many uses of
  podcasting

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How to Podcast

• Podcasting can be broken down into four steps
• Plan
• Produce
• Publish
• Promote

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How to Podcast

• PLAN YOUR PODCAST (1/2)
• You are probably anxious to press record and get
  your voice on the net.
• A little planning will help you stay focused.
• In the end you will produce a better podcast that
  will attract and keep more listeners.
• This will also make your job as a podcaster a lot
  easier.

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How to Podcast

• PLAN YOUR PODCAST (2/2)
• Here are a few questions for you to consider and
  help you make some important decisions about
• Podcast Topic
• Podcast Format
• Choosing a location for your podcast
• Plan each episode of your podcast before you
  record

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How to Podcast

• PRODUCE YOUR PODCAST
• This is where you will open the mic and start
  talking (or whatever else you plan on doing in
  your podcast).
• Make sure you have the appropricate podcasting
  gear and podcasting software.

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How to Podcast

• PUBLISH YOUR PODCAST
• Once you've created your first podcast, you need
  to prepare it for publishing and post it to the
  internet.
• Typical steps in publishing
• Create the mp3 file
• Podcast hosting
• Uploading your podcast
• Writing and posting show notes

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How to Podcast

• PROMOTE YOUR PODCAST
• Of course you'll want more listeners for your
  podcast.
• You want to become a recognized expert and
  celebrity on the internet now that you have your
  own show, right?
• The most efficient way to promote is to be
  listed in a podcast directory such as Odeo or
  iTunes.

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Examples of Podcasts
Click the Q to start the podcast

• Join host Bob McDonald each week to find out
  the latest in science, technology, medicine and
  the environment.
• We cover every aspect of science, from the quirks
  of the expanding universe to the quarks within a
  single atom...and everything in between.

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Examples of Podcasts
Click the Q to start the podcast

• NOVA is a popular science television series
  produced by WGBH Boston.
• NOVA is the most-watched science television
  series in the world.
• It is also one of television's most acclaimed
  series, having won every major television award,
  most of them many times over.

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Video Podcasts

• Video podcast is a term used for the online
  delivery of video on demand video clip content
  RSS enclosures.
• The term is an evolution specialized for video,
  coming from the generally audio-based podcast and
  referring to the distribution of video where the
  RSS feed is used as a non-linear TV channel to
  which consumers can subscribe using any computer.

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Video Podcasts

• From a web server, a video podcast can be
  distributed as a file.
• Downloading complete video podcasts in advance
  gives the user the ability to play the video
  podcasts offline on, for example, a portable
  media player (iPod).
• Channeling of on-demand content has major
  benefits for both publishers and subscribers.
• Publishers can still bundle content for their
  audience. Subscribers can consume content
  on-demand.

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Examples of Video Podcasts

• The video podcast, Woven Shadows, is a series of
  digital photography tutorials.
• They are short, to-the point,a nd cover one
  principle at a time.
• The video tutorials are hosted by Jerry Hyman,
  who is a professional photographer.

Click on screen to start video podcast
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Examples of Video Podcasts

• The only Mac show youll ever need.
• Experts talk about everything Mac, including
  hardware, software, pro apps, and tips
• Every show includes interviews with the most
  interesting people in the Mac universe.

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Resources

• www.wikipedia.org
• www.apple.com
• www.odeo.com

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• Thank-you
• Norm Lepage
• B. Ed M. Ed