PodSession

What is Podcasting**
 * [[image:http://image.wetpaint.com/wiki/nisc-web2session/image/1%205PMxxIgQAEMKXr53FctKg==28143/GW108H193 width="108" height="193" align="left"]]

Podcasting is online audio content that is delivered via an [|RSS] feed - like Internet radio on demand. However, podcasting gives far more options in terms of content and programming than radio does, and listeners can decide what programming they want to receive and when they want to listen to it. Listeners can retain audio archives to listen to when they choose. Blogs have turned many bloggers into journalists, podcasting has the potential to turn podcasters into radio personalities. Graphic courtesy of [|www.ArthurSlade.com]


 * Podcasting can be used in business, leisure, and educational institutions. It can be used for a variety of programs such as:**

> > >> > >> > >> > > >> > >>
 * //**News**// - Professional or student school news and announcement podcasts. You can get podcasts from most of the major new providers and from some smaller ones.
 * Sample: [|Porter Middle School's "graduation podcast"]
 * //**Music**// - Professional band promotional clips and interviews or student concerts or solos
 * Sample:[| Jazz Video Podcast]
 * **//Talk Shows//** - Industry or organizational news, investor news, sportscasts, news coverage and commentaries.
 * Sample: [|SpaceCast1]One of a series of student and teacher podcast linking students from around the world to discuss educational and teen issues
 * //**Training**// - Business, self-improvement, or school
 * Sample: [|SmallBusiness.com] podcasts provide tips and shared business insights
 * **//Stories//** - Story telling for children or the visually-impaired or people who enjoy audio stories. Radio-style performances by students of plays or short story readings. Sources for students to practice listening to other languages.
 * Sample story [|Robinson Crusoe] [|Podcast.net] offers many more stories in English and other languages as well as other podcasts.

Podcasting is the syndication of audio files using [|RSS]. First, you create an audio file (mp3 file) of whatever you want to say or play or sing, using software like GarageBand for example. After you save your file, you create an RSS file which holds the “directions” for sending your file when a user’s program like iPodder requests it, and then you upload the RSS “feed” and your .mp3 file to a server (web server) for people to subscribe to and listen to your outstanding podcast. [|PodcastingNews.com] has a good article about how podcasting works and links to more how-to articles as well as podcast directories and more.
 * How does it work**

For listeners of podcasts, it's simpler. You can subscribe to a podcast or even just find one using a search engine or one of the podcasting directory sites listed below, and click on it.

Technically, podcasting works the same as a standard RSS feed reader or news aggregator that you use for blogs, the only difference is that the feed you subscribe to contains an audio file in it. Instead of reading content in your RSS feed reader as you would a blog, you can listen to the content of your feed on your computer, using a reader or aggregator that supports podcasting, or you can listen to podcasts on an iPod or similar device. (Despite the name, you do not have to have an iPod to listen to a podcast.)


 * Finding and playing podcasts**

> [| Podcasting News] - Has an easy to skim directory of topics and includes video as well as audio casts. Now i know what it is!
 * [|Podzinger] Great podcast search engine that matches keywords to content of podcasts
 * [| Podcast Alley] - Podcast listeners delight. Provides access to many podcasts including the 10 ten as determined by listeners[|> PodcastBunker] - This site's stated goal is quality, not quanity.
 * [|iTunes]
 * Use any search engine and type in the kind of podcast you want. For example, news podcasts.
 * Some Podcasting Resources**

[| Podcasting Tools] - Everything you ever wanted to know about podcasting but were afraid to ask. **A very comprehensive site.** [|Webcasting Academy] - The Academy is a hands-on, collaborative training center for people interested in learning how to produce and host live, interactive webcasts. You can register to become an intern if you are interested. Steps for creating a podcast - [|RadioAbout.com] and [|CNet.com]

You can browse, link, even **create podcasts for free** on these sites >
 * [|Odeo]
 * [|Yahoo! Podcasts]

[|Google Base]
 * Resources for uploading a podcast you create**