It all started back in the day where iPods and other MP3 players were in the pockets and purses of many, birthing a concept of amateur radio. Ben Hammersley, writer for The Guardian, discusses this in his February 2004 article. What he didn’t realize after publishing the article, is that he came to name the online radio he was discussing.
Podcasting.
Derived from the words “iPod” and “broadcasting”, podcasting was born early 2004 when Adam Curry, also dubbed the “Podfather”, and Dave Winer created a program called iPodder. This would allow people to download internet radio broadcasts to one’s iPod. The program improved with the help of several developers and podcasting quickly became more known.
While today it remains on the down-low, digital streaming services like Spotify have brought podcasts back into the light. From comedy to education to more, podcasts have grown due to the lack of licensing and regulations to form a broadcast. No restrictions means anything and everything goes, from the subject to the language used. It also means that everyone and anyone can create their own podcast, not needing to rely on ratings and listeners.
If you’re interested in looking into this hidden world of audio entertainment, there are many platforms that provide access, including Apple’s Apple Podcasts and the audio streaming platform Spotify.
Hammersley, Ben. “Audible revolution”. TheGuardian. 11 February 2004. <https://www.theguardian.com/media/2004/feb/12/broadcasting.digitalmedia>
Watson, Stephanie. “How Podcasting Works”. HowStuffWorks. <https://computer.howstuffworks.com/internet/basics/podcasting4.htm>