A
podcast is an audio file that can be made available for others, usually via a
web site, to download and listen to whenever they want, and that they can take
with them on portable devices.
One
of the most important advantages of podcasting is that the production process
is very easy. Podcasters usually record using a digital recorder device or a
microphone connected to a computer. Editing consists of listening to the files,
cutting and pasting parts of the file, inserting music, introductions,
transitions etc and getting program to an adequate length.
The
key to podcasting is making audio files available on the web and allowing
people to subscribe to them using an RSS feed. There are different applications
to subscribe to podcasts; they are usually called “podcatchers”. Most podcast
formats allow the transfer of file to portable devices such as mp3 players.
Strategic
value of podcasting:
It
provides value for the organisation’s communication strategy by:
- · Overcoming literacy barriers among the audience
- · Engaging many different voices
- · Capturing oral history, popular music and so on
- · Disseminating audiofiles