Webeye

August 21 2008 – Podcasts, Are You Receiving?

In Internet on June 30, 2008 at 11:58 am

Ever wonder what people, siting next to you on the bus, are listening to on their headphones? The chances are that some of them will be listening to a podcast.

Podcasts are audio files, that can be downloaded from a website, and then transferred to an mp3 player. They can then be listened to on the commute to work, or while at the gym, gardening, or during any other activity. In 2005, when eStuff last talked about podcasts, they were in their infancy. Now it is possible to get podcasts from most broadcasters’ websites. Podcasts are also available from other sources. Apple’s iTunes is the most famous. Other sites like podcast.com, Podcast Alley, and Podcast Directory are also providing a service, while in New Zealand Big Pod is the place to go.

The last eStuff article on podcasts urged Radio New Zealand to take the example set by the BBC, and start providing podcasts. RNZ now has a podcast web page, providing downloads of most of their programmes. For instance each Morning Report, Nine To Noon, or Saturday Morning segment is available individually. This makes it very handy for people who missed, for example, an interview, to download just that bit of the show.

One podcast of special interest is the Podcast Classics, where local orchestras have been recorded by RNZ, and the subsequent performance is made available, free of charge, for download. As I write, Beethoven’s 6th and Anthony Ritchie’s Second Symphony are available. This is a wonderful way to build up a legal classical music library on your computer, and mp3 player.

There is however, as I found out, one problem with the general podcasts. Recently I missed the “Music With Manu Taylor” segment, of Nine To Noon. Knowing that RNZ had podcasts available, I went to the website, and downloaded the podcast. I then begrudgingly started the dishes while listening on my mp3 player. The concept of “Music With Manu Taylor” is to play three tracks from newly released CDs. Manu then comments on the CD. This helps listeners know what is available, and assists in CD purchasing decisions. I judge that on the weekend following Manu’s segment, a fair number of CDs are purchased, based on what people have heard him play.

So imagine my surprise when the podcast had no music in it at all. I made a quick trip back to the website, and found the following statements: “Due to copyright restrictions, all music has been removed”, and “Not all audio is available via podcast for copyright reasons”. I understand that RNZ is unable to include music on podcasts, because the record companies are worried that people downloading the podcasts would then pirate the music, and they would not sell any CDs. This seems a little counter-productive. The sole purpose of “Music With Manu Taylor” is to sell CDs. There are now three CDs that I haven’t heard, and because the music was removed from the podcast will never know if I want to buy..

We are in the 21st century, it is a digital age, people now listen to “broadcasts” in a different way than their grandparents. It is extremely short-sighted of record companies to impose this restriction on podcasters. No wonder CD sales are dropping faster than Labour’s popularity, in the opinion polls.

Podcast Links

Some Broadcasters that have Podcasts

Podcast Directories

New Zealand Podcasts

Podcast Software

Some Of My Favourite Podcast Sites