Podcasting is simply a new way to distribute audio and video files to listeners.

Ipod + Broadcasting = Podcasting

The pod in podcasting refers to Apple's iPod digital music player, but an Ipod is not needed to listen to podcasts. A podcast can be listened to on any device capable of downloading and playing media files.

The most common devices used include ipods, other MP3 Players, PDAs, Cell Phones, and PSPs. Podcasts can also be listen to directly from your computer or streaming off the internet.

Podcasting is not just downloading media files off the web.

Theres more to it. Much more.

Listeners subscribe to a podcast show. Then special software periodically checks to see if any new podcasts are available. If a new show has been created, the software automatically downloads the audio file to the subscribers PC or directly to a portable media player such as an Apple iPod.

In this sense, podcasting is like "Tivo" for internet audio and video. In fact, Tivo now supports Podcasting.

Podcasting is quickly becoming a major media force. With stations like ESPN and Disney now publishing podcasts on a regular basis, it wont be long before its mainstream to the public. So who started this monster?

Podcasting has evolved to what it is today because of a number of different technologies coming together.

Portable media players, MP3s, RSS 2.0, podcatcher software and the popularity of high speed internet all play a big part in making podcasting possible.

Podcasting as we know it today can be traced back to two podfathers.

Adam Curry and software developer Dave Winer are credited with developing Podcasting as its heard on MP3 players around the world today.

Adam Curry developed a program called ipodder that allowed him to automatically download internet radio broadcasts directly on his portable MP3 Player.

Dave Winer heavily promoted RSS (Really Simple Syndication), mainly used by bloggers and news-like sites to syndicate their content to RSS-aware programs called news aggregators. Curry and Winer then developed a way to send media files through RSS feeds.

So how can you begin podcasting?

Its easy. In the most basic form you have 3 steps.

1. Record your audio and convert it to an MP3

2. Create a simple text file called an RSS 2.0 feed that describes your file

3. Upload your MP3 and RSS 2.0 text file to the web.

Head over to http://www.podcastalley.com and check out some podcasts and see what others are currently doing in the world of podcasting.

If you think you might have a show in mind dont hesitate to get started. Podcasting is still in its early stages. You can quickly have a worldwide audience for your show.