“There will be podcasts for an audience of one and podcasts for an audience of one billion”

To accompany my column this week on podcasting (which will appear here when it’s out; subscription only I’m afraid), here’s a snippet from an IM interview with Cameron Reilly of The Podcast Network on podcasting:

Jeremy: How about the big picture: What might people be using podcasts for in the future? And why has such a simple idea only come to pass now?

 

Cameron: let me take the second first cuz its easier. People tried to do internet radio for years and it failed because the delivery technology wasn’t ready. It’s only been in the last couple of years that we’ve finally seen the convergence of three key technologies:
1. tens of millions of low-cost mp3 players
2. low-cost ubiquitous broadband internet access
3. low-latency VOIP services such as Skype

 

As for where it’s going to go, I think we’ll see podcasts cropping up in all areas of our lives. How long before the first true global superstars of podcasting appear? There will be podcasts for an audience of one and podcasts for an audience of one billion (when will Pius start the true Pope-cast?).

 

As media companies and regulators around the world try to censor our lives and prevent us from listening to the content we want, when we want, many people will turn to creating their own content. Welcome to Generation C.

Thanks, Cameron.