Podcasting first began in 2004 when an MTV video jockey collaborated with software developer Dave Winer to make something called the iPodder.
This program allowed them to download internet radio broadcasts to an iPod. Winer also created the Real Simple Syndication Feed (RSS), a key component of podcasting.
Once the iPodder was created, other developers improved on the free australian email leads idea.
Until this point, podcasting didn’t really have a name. In fact, the name wasn’t coined until late 2004. Podcasting was first mentioned by Ben Hammersley in an article in The Guardian. Hammersley wrote:
“With the benefit of hindsight, it all seems quite obvious. MP3 players, like Apple’s iPod, in many pockets, audio production software cheap or free, and weblogging an established part of the internet; all the ingredients are there for a new boom in amateur radio. But what to call it? Audio-blogging? Podcasting? GuerillaMedia?”
Christopher Lyndon, a former New York Times and NPR journalist, was one of the first pioneers of podcasting. In fact, he was the first voice recorded to an MP3 file and released on an RSS feed.
In the same Guardian article, Lyndon is quoted as saying, “It’s an experiment, really…Everything is inexpensive. The tools are available. Everyone has been saying anyone can be a publisher, anyone can be a broadcaster…Let’s see if that works.”
Like blogging, podcasting presented an opportunity for the common person. You didn’t need to invest in expensive equipment or a recording studio to release audio recordings to the masses.
The consumption of podcasts has really exploded over time. It’s a growing field with more people listening and recording. For those who are intrigued by podcasting, here’s why now is a GREAT time to start.
What’s Exciting About Podcasting