Don't Call It A Podcast

I'm so sad that I can't make it to Podcast Expo this weekend due to schedule conflicts, but if I were there here's something I'd want to talk about with my fellow podcasters. In my keynote last year I warned that the name "podcast" was a problem. Not only is the word "pod" closely associated with Apple's iPod in the minds of listeners, but I also felt, somehow, that the name itself is slightly demeaning. Now, a year later, I think I've pinpointed what made me so uneasy about the word "podcast." It's become clear to me that there is no such thing as podcasting! Technically, a podcast is audio or video enclosed in an RSS feed. It's the RSS feed that magically turns audio or video into a podcast, but why do we focus on the RSS? You don't distinguish a blog from its RSS feed. There's no "blogcast." You talk about radio shows and TV shows, but no one who does a radio show says they do a "radio." Podcasts don't exist separately from their content. I create shows that are distributed on the Internet via download, Flash, and, oh yeah, RSS, but it's the show that's the thing. By focusing on the RSS we've confused people and limited our audience. Even the word I suggested last year, "netcast," doesn't serve. It's a show, period. It doesn't matter how it's distributed. It's all just content. Tying the content to its method of distribution is confusing our audience and holding us back. Words are powerful. Using the right words about what you do is important. It helps you understand what you're up to and it helps the audience understand what you offer. The word podcasting worked for us in the beginning, but it doesn't work any more. I am not a podcaster. I'm a journalist, a pundit, an entertainer. I create audio and video shows and distribute them over the Internet. Maybe that's YouTube, maybe it's my own web site, maybe it's via an RSS feed. The medium isn't the message - the message is the message. It's not a podcast, it's a show, and I plan to call my shows by the right name from now on. Fellow podcasters, and podcast listeners, what do you think? Have fun at PME this weekend. I'm with you in spirit! (On a side note, I'm writing this in the Vancouver airport. It's not a good idea to blog while eating a Cinnabon®. I need a Handiwipe!)

TWiT Update

Don't bug me. Dane has the day off and I've got to get TWiT 113 and The Tech Guy 388 out the door before I go home. Oh yeah, and Munchcast 7! It's been a long time since I had to burn the midnight oil editing TWiT. It really makes me appreciate Dane's help, and the TWiT donors that made Dane's salary possible! Amber was back tonight and we recorded a new net@nite. There were some technical issues during recording so the Talkshoe version won't sound so hot for the first 15-20 minutes. The podcast will be fine - that comes out on TWiT.tv Tuesday. After recording, Amber and I talked about our grueling schedules. She pointed out that most TV shows don't go continuously. They'll end their seasons, take some time off to refresh, then come back for a new season. She suggested that maybe we should do that with netcasts, too. I certainly would welcome some time off - but the idea of going into hiatus with our shows scares me, too. I think most people want and expect the show to be there every week. It's part of their routine. I'd be afraid that people would forget us if we took a month or so off every year (not all at once mind you, but one netcast at any given time). As listeners what do you think?

To Do List

Things to do tomorrow: 1. Fix last week's Jumping Monkeys (there's stray audio at the end) 2. Edit and post this week's Jumping Monkeys 3. Edit and post Saturday's Tech Guy 4. Edit and post Munchcast 5. Record Cali for today's radio show 6. Do the radio show 7. Edit and post the radio show 8. Record TWiT (better get a panel together now!) 9. Record net@nite 10. Collapse Oh yeah, and I better call Shooby and make things right there, too.

Morgan Webb!

Be Mine

TWiT is going up at one minute past midnight Monday morning (I'm holding it a little longer than usual because Dvorak revealed some news that's embargoed until then). I also have a new FLOSS Weekly and this WEEK in LAW to post this week. Monday I'll post a visit to the actual Gadget Warehouse, recorded when I was with Dick DeBartolo in Manhattan last week.

Before I left on vacation I had a great conversation with the people at Vox. I've been looking for a web backend for the new Tech Guy radio show. The wiki I'm using now just doesn't offer the social networking features I'm looking for. Thanks to Anil Dash and the folks at Six Apart I think I'm moving to Movable Type /Typepad (not sure which right now) with a new design from Apperceptive. We'll continue to use the wiki until that's done.

I'm also commissioning a theme song from the great Ashley Witt. Ash has done so many of the TWiT themes including Doin' the TWiT.

The show launches in one week - I'll have a final list of affiliates soon.