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June 24, 2005
Coursey Misses the Point on Podcasting
By Christy Brewer
David Coursey writes that podcasting is going to be a loser. The tease to his article on publish.com admits that his arguments are vague, but he gives it a shot. He begins by talking about the technical difficulties iTunes has had, comparing to competing Windows Media and Real formats.
His big point in “calling the loser” is his claim that podcasting will not make it as a mass medium. Now, he admits that he’s good at calling losers, but I think he’s missing the point. He likens the flood of podcasts to the launch of just about every electronic communication medium: the flurry of people who start providing content, followed by the resulting plunge as they lose interest. It happened with desktop publishing, web sites, blogs, and now podcasting.
Is that a reason to call the technology a loser? Is that a reason for a company to dismiss podcasting as a valuable communication channel? Podcasting makes it easier for companies to publish audio – speeches, reporting calls, and even product announcements. Sure, everyone rushed in to desktop publishing and web sites, too, but the technology became refined and those who used it best came out on top. And so we should see the same with blogs and podcasting.
Seen strictly as a technology, it’s another tool. And, to quote Coursey, “… the tools give way to human intellect.” Companies who are smart will see this as another tool in the box, not a bet-all scenario.
Posted by staff at June 24, 2005 01:50 PM
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Comments
Update: iTunes now supports podcasting.
http://apple.slashdot.org/apple/05/06/28/122231.shtml?tid=176&tid=141&tid=3
Wow, it didn't take long for Apple to overcome that technical hurdle.
Posted by: Christy Brewer at June 28, 2005 01:47 PM
I wonder, too, if it's another case of viewing it too broadly and then realizing later that the tool will have more specific audiences. We were talking about this the other day and asked ourselves what kinds of podcasts would we download. I admitted readily that if it had something to do with my hobbies or a topic I was interested in that I'd want to listen.
Posted by: Charlie Kondek at June 30, 2005 08:49 AM
