By Teresa A. Martin
Newly elected governor Deval Patrick has posted his first podcast. His staff says this isn’t a one-time deal; as part of his communications plan he’ll be doing a weekly 4-5 minute podcast. The podcasts are available at the Mass.gov site.
How fast we move. A short year ago ‘podcast’ was barely a word and today it is about as mainstream as you can get.
A podcast, if you’ve not experienced one, is basically a radio show. It is an audio file that you can download and listen to on your computer, on your ipod, or on your other digital audio devices. You can subscribe to an ipod, so that it downloads automatically for you, too.
Podcasts are part of the larger trend toward individualized consumption of media. Instead of having to consume information when someone else wants us to, applications like podcasting give us control over time and place. For example, I sometimes download NPR podcasts of favorite shows and listen to them when I’m driving – it lets me time shift content to a time and place that is convenient for me.
Podcasts have also created a new opportunity for voices to be heard. The barriers to entry are quite low. All it takes to create one is some simple digital recording equipment and some software for working with the audio and distributing the podcast. Much of this is already incorporated into standard consumer grade computers or available free for at low cost online.
Even higher quality level recording equipment is within the realm of affordable – one popular professional recorder, from old line pro-radio company Marantz, sells for about $700 for example. There is a plethora of other recording devices in the $400 range.
Are you a garage band that wants to do a regular show with your music for your fans? Are you a history teacher who wants to share great works and tips for teaching them? Do you want to share your passion for tango music? Are you a high school student who wants to share your story with the world? As you a politician looking for yet another channel to communicate to your constituent?
There is no limit to the applications of the podcast.
To listen to one is just as easy. There are many player applications, such as iTunes that ship preinstalled on most computers. You can manually download a podcast and listen it directly from your computer. Or, you can synch it to your iPod or other portable audio device and listen to it on the go. It really is just a matter of about four mouse clicks, no special knowledge required.
There is long history of using technology to communicate. FDR’s famous fireside chats made clever use of that new application, radio, to reach out to people in a very intimate and personal way. The first of these was broadcast on March 12 1933 and he would go on to do 31 of them over time.
These broadcasts aren’t available as podcasts ... yet. But they very well could be.
It is unclear how many people want to listen to a weekly update from Deval. Sample scintillating text from the inaugural podcast:
The Lt. Governor and I met with local officials from the Massachusetts Municipal Association and began the critical work of rebuilding working relationships with leaders of cities and towns, people who are on the front line of delivering services to our people.
But that’s not the point. Any attempt at communication is to be welcomed and using podcasts as one tool to do only makes sense. It is part of the new landscape of media and of the potential power it bring to all our voices.
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