Podcasting for Print Publications
Posted on 29/09/06 14:34
I am attending the Podcast and Portable Media Expo in Ontario, California today. The first session I am going to write about concerns Podcasting for Print Publications.
Print publications are experimenting with new ways to reach their audience. Curt Brandao, Universal Press Syndicate columnist, stressed that the first impression of your outfit, your business, is what people see on the internet. With people interested in traffic reports for their morning commute, or looking to buy movie tickets from the comfort of their chair, the first source of news, entertainment and services is often through the Web. The probable order of source selection for information is Internet, TV, radio, and finally, newspaper.
Marcus Chan, San Francisco Chronicle technology editor, started podcasting on behalf of his paper without asking or even telling them about it. He realized that those in print media needed an edge, given the competition in the news business -- especially in light of an apparently shrinking print media audience. Blogging software was one piece of technology that expedited news delivery to the web that he spoke about; Reporters can now directly post stories for the paper. Marcus also spoke about how podcasting allows the paper to reach niche audiences that were nearly impossible to contact in the past. For example, there were no reporters assigned to cover the Filipino demographic, so pinoy.pod was created to offer podcasts about stories of the Filipino experience. Other Chronical podcasts can be sampled here.
One of the most fascinating concepts that Marcus mentioned were “Open Mic” podcasts which would allow content generation by readers/listeners. He had no idea where that idea might lead, but I thought it might be an interesting idea to explore at the University of Washington.
Print publications are experimenting with new ways to reach their audience. Curt Brandao, Universal Press Syndicate columnist, stressed that the first impression of your outfit, your business, is what people see on the internet. With people interested in traffic reports for their morning commute, or looking to buy movie tickets from the comfort of their chair, the first source of news, entertainment and services is often through the Web. The probable order of source selection for information is Internet, TV, radio, and finally, newspaper.
Marcus Chan, San Francisco Chronicle technology editor, started podcasting on behalf of his paper without asking or even telling them about it. He realized that those in print media needed an edge, given the competition in the news business -- especially in light of an apparently shrinking print media audience. Blogging software was one piece of technology that expedited news delivery to the web that he spoke about; Reporters can now directly post stories for the paper. Marcus also spoke about how podcasting allows the paper to reach niche audiences that were nearly impossible to contact in the past. For example, there were no reporters assigned to cover the Filipino demographic, so pinoy.pod was created to offer podcasts about stories of the Filipino experience. Other Chronical podcasts can be sampled here.
One of the most fascinating concepts that Marcus mentioned were “Open Mic” podcasts which would allow content generation by readers/listeners. He had no idea where that idea might lead, but I thought it might be an interesting idea to explore at the University of Washington.
