Podcasting – to Infinity and Beyond!

No matter how you look at them, Podcasts are simply amateur audio recordings.  Some are in show formats, some are simply stream of consciousness audio musings, others are indistinguishable from professional radio station fodder – but, no matter what the content, they are what they are.

Interestingly enough, user generated content has been a huge part of the terrestrial radio business for decades.  Call in shows are a staple of the business and what could be more user generated, than users calling in? Well, now that you ask, Podcasts!  Joel Hollander, Infinity’s CEO, has announced that Viacom’s radio arm will convert its underperforming San Francisco-based KYCY-AM station to an “all Podcasts all the time” format.  What a great … um … wait a minute … just how underperforming is KYCY anyway?

The magic of Podcasting is its ability to disintermediate traditional distribution models and empower individuals to get their messages and music out to a select audience.  Broadcasting a Podcast will either be identical to broadcasting an amateur hour or it will be so narrow focused it won’t find an audience.

I love new stuff, and I truly wish that this was new – but it isn’t.  They could have just taken an ad in the local paper and said, get your stuff on the air free! 

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