This week Apple Computer added
podcast features to its
iTunes music software, the free application that everyone who owns an
iPod uses. I dutifully downloaded my updated copy of iTunes, and I'm impressed.
What this means is that podcasting has taken a big step toward being mainstream. Rather than consumers having to jump through hoops and find a separate application in order to listen to podcasts, it's simply part of an application that millions of people already use.
What this means for news organizations, I think, is that it's time to jump on the podcasting bandwagon. As reported in this blog, a number of news websites have begun offering podcasts; there's lots of experimentation going on. Apple's moves confirms that that's the right path.
Every public radio station probably should be offering podcasts by now (but they're not all doing it yet). Newspapers should certainly be figuring out their podcasting strategies.
The next conversation we should be having is how to support podcasting initiatives. Lead-up commercials for podcasts is the likely way to go, but how long should they be? My inclination: The shorter the better, if they are to be heard rather than fast-forwarded through.
