ButtUgly: Main_blogentry_010905

Finnish Broadcasting Company goes podcasting

http://www.yle.fi/podcast. Whee! Random thoughts on the subject.

Unfortunately, the programs available don't seem that interesting to me. However, since it's so darned easy to listen to without having to arrange my physical presence next to a radio at a certain time, I'm going to subscribe to some, just for the heck of it. I mean, I get to preview at will, and subscribe at will, and the whole stuff just automagically ends up on my iPod. So far, the programs seem to be manageable in length; something that you can easily listen to while commuting.

I think the great promise of podcasting lies somewhere between the professionals and amateurs: semi-professionals targeting extreme niches (100 people) which is something that big media companies just are not interested in or capable of producing to; but yet at the same time it also allows better distribution channels for the traditional radio programming. For example: weekly podcasts of the YLE radio theatre... Yeah, I would *so* subscribe to them. Right now.

Since podcasting allows you to target niche audiences, would that also mean that there would be more freedom for the radio professionals doing them? Let your hair down? Be different? No need to "waste" air time, as there is no need to make programs certain length; nor is there a strong need to cut things just to fit in the slot.

Of course, getting the podcast feeds into your iTunes is a bit of a hassle right now. So maybe they should be submitted to the iTunes Music Store and other podcast directories? To make discovery of them easier?

(Thanks, Tuija!)

P.S. I seem to be unable to blog on Wednesdays. I have no idea why.