Call Me A Podhead

« Lords of Dogtown | Main | links for 2005-06-17 »

Call Me A Podhead

They did that in the office yesterday.

Everyone seems to think I've lost it over the promise of podcasting.

Sure its a niche inside a niche inside a niche.

But so was the homebrew computer club in the mid 70s.

Here's how I see it:

iTunes is going to include a podcast aggregator in the next version, due out this summer. Then everyone with an iPod is going to be able to get podcasts. That's a lot of people, probably north of 6 million people by now.

There are a growing number of places you can record, store, and publish podcasts online; Odeo, LibSyn (no recording tools yet), ClickCaster, etc, etc. I wouldn't recommend trying to do this in TypePad, they just haven't made podcasting easy enough yet.

While its not as simple to create a podcast as it is to create a blog, I think it will be before the end of the year.

So, you'll have millions of people creating podcasts and tens of millions of people being able to recieve them simply in their primary music application.

That seems to be a recipe for something more than a niche inside a niche inside a niche.

Now let's talk about the applications.

I went on a bike ride today.

The first thing I listened to was the most recent Mass Hysteria podcast. This is a fantastic podcast. I've written about it many times now. Paul and Janine talk about their family and their life and play music. They played four songs on this podcast, all of which I have never heard, and all of which were great. Really great. So great I am going to have to go out and buy four CDs now.

Mass Hysteria is so good that a cool Boston radio station, like 88.9 (WERS) or 89.7 (WGBH), somewhere left on the dial, should pick it up.

And I am sure there are literally hundreds of shows like it.

While I am on the subject of traditional radio taking advantage of podcasting, let me suggest that NPR pick up Down In The Flood. I think Jason's tour of american roots music would be a huge hit on NPR.

Then there was the experience of listening to my "elevator pitch" podcasts on the way back from the GW Bridge. I heard two solid pitches. Please send more.

Everyone spends time in transit, whether its on the train, subway, car, or walking to work (like I do). That is a time when most people listen to some sort of audio programming.

If you take the soon to be mass market availability of podcasts, the really high quality of some of them, the massive peer production economies, and the new applications that can evolve, you've got something really interesting.

That's why I am a podhead.

Comments (14) | | TrackBack (7)

TrackBack

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d83451b2c969e200e550221f738833

Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Call Me A Podhead:

» ON PODCASTING AVATARS AND ELEVATOR PITCHES from *michael parekh on IT*
SEEING IS BELIEVING... New York VC Fred Wilson has been on the bleeding edge of web technologies for a while using delicious RSS tags for people to send him recommended music, and now elevator pitches via podcasts. [Read More]

Tracked on Jun 16, 2005 11:43:48 AM

» ON PODCASTING AVATARS, ELEVATOR PITCHES AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE from *michael parekh on IT*
SEEING IS BELIEVING... New York VC Fred Wilson has been on the bleeding edge of web technologies for a while using delicious RSS tags for people to send him recommended music, and now elevator pitches via podcasts. [Read More]

Tracked on Jun 16, 2005 11:57:51 AM

» Pod Cast Is The Trojan Horse from The Hitchhiker's Guide to 650
Before I jump in, I just created a category for my posts called “Half Baked Ideas.” I usually have a random idea a day while aimlessly surfing the web, I wanted use my blog as a forum to share them. Some will be applications, utilities, pl... [Read More]

Tracked on Jun 16, 2005 5:09:05 PM

» PodCasting Party - Welcome Fred from John Furrier
Welcome to the party Fred. [Read More]

Tracked on Jun 16, 2005 9:53:01 PM

» PodCasting Party - Welcome Fred from John Furrier
Welcome to the party Fred. [Read More]

Tracked on Jun 16, 2005 9:54:51 PM

» Podcasting and the Guy Next Door from Newsome.Org & Rancho DeNada
Fred Wilson, a smart and interesting father and venture capitalist, whose Blog I read literally every day, wrote an excellent post about the great potential of Podcasting, and why he thinks it will become a bigger, more mainstream thing. He said it bet... [Read More]

Tracked on Jun 16, 2005 10:55:43 PM

» Furniture directory of UK wholesale distributors from Furniture Manufacturers Directory
Wholesaler UK trade directory listing of wholesalers, trade suppliers & manufacturers of furniture & furnishing products... [Read More]

Tracked on Apr 22, 2006 6:42:36 AM

Posted June 16, 2005 in Venture Capital and Technology

Comments

Fred - I'm not podcasting yet, or even listening to podcasts, yet I agree with you. The past 2 decades have forced the entire global population to become part-time typists - because it became infinitely easier to collate & distribute text than spoken words - but if the platform changes again, I for one, would love to throw away my keyboard, and go back to reading for leisure purposes.

This technology, like blogs themselves, has potential for communications applications way beyond "publishing": I like the idea of podcasts for context-sensitive training application - 50% of us are "audible learners" - in a mass training environment (like a call center), employees could subscribe to feeds containing content relevant to their training needs - integrated to a performance and workflow management system, this could be a powerful tool. And what about the "many-to-one" podcast platform - instant, globally accessible voicemail!

The day will come when this comment takes 2 minutes to dictate! Please - fund these guys, Fred, I'm sick of typing! (ano. podhead)

Posted by: David Gibbons | Jun 16, 2005 10:35:39 AM

Fred - what do you think about the market opportunities for aggregators/branders around a certain category? For example (not necessarily a good example) - cooking podcasts from a website that is the equivalent of the Food Network on cable tv? Seems like you could aggregate a lot of programming, vet it to make sure it is of quality, etc. and that would be valuable to consumers when podcasts explode and there is as much clutter as there are in search engine results right now. You make money the same way TV does - by selling ads, and maybe having other exclusive content that is only available by subscription. This would also probably have a "celebrity endorser" quotient as well. Additional value ad for user would be to have all the programs extensively indexed so that the programming is searchable along a variety of axis - including of course, author/speaker, subject matter, date, etc.

Of course, in order to leverage iTunes, etc. you also make your programming available through others, but you try to also build traffic to your primary distribution site.

Posted by: Joe Agliozzo | Jun 16, 2005 12:18:22 PM

Frank Barnako reports on his blog that Alex Nesbitt of Bella Ventures (formerly BCG) agrees with you about the economic potential of podcasting. He also notes that there is a dearth of the type of content people really want: EROTIC podcasts...

http://barnako.typepad.com/barnakocom/2005/06/podcast_busines.html

Posted by: Jonathan | Jun 16, 2005 2:33:13 PM

As a dad, I spend a lot of time listening to audio (while I'm washing dishes, cleaning the house, etc.).

But rather than listening to podcasts, I listen to books on tape.

With books on tape, I can know that the content has been highly polished, and can be pretty certain that I'll gain something from it.

And there are more books out there than I'll ever be able to read.

But I'll admit that I'm intrigued by the immediacy of podcasting.

Posted by: Chris Yeh | Jun 16, 2005 2:35:00 PM

As a data-point - I'm quite happy using Blogmatrix Jager as my blog reader and podcast aggregator. It inserts new podcasts into iTune playlists - simple but works.

Posted by: Deepak Thomas | Jun 16, 2005 6:17:27 PM

"While its not as simple to create a podcast as it is to create a blog, I think it will be before the end of the year."

Happy New Year!

Podcasting made simple screencast

Because it's so easy we're doing things like conversational podcasting. Just like Fred's podcast and pitch feeds. Every tag on BigFeeder.com has a "blog", feed and playlist for instant listening. Check these out:

http://bigfeeder.com/tag/mcl-discuss
http://bigfeeder.com/rss/tag/mcl-discuss
http://bigfeeder.com/m3u/tag/mcl-discuss

Posted by: James Prudente | Jun 16, 2005 8:46:46 PM

Fred,
I agree with you 210%. Dave Hornik and I talked about you today on my podcast show PodTech.net InfoTalk. Also check out my John Markoff podcast www.PodTech.net - John talks about how the homebrew club mirrors what going on today..

I want to do a InfoTalk PodTech podcast with you.

John Furrier
founder PodTech.net

Posted by: John Furier | Jun 16, 2005 9:50:17 PM

I checked out that link you sent, he called Alejandro 'Alexander'. If you're going to namedropcast, get the names right.

Posted by: jackson | Jun 17, 2005 12:50:04 AM

I would kill to get all (or at least the portion that I preselect) of the business news from the Wall Street Journal and a few other print sources that I like to read, sent to me in an MP3 form each day.

I would actually buy an MP3 player for that!

Posted by: Josh Kerbel | Jun 17, 2005 5:22:18 PM

Fred.... Which pitches did you like?

Posted by: Rick | Jun 19, 2005 2:32:25 AM

Looks like you were right. After two days, there have been one million podcast subscriptions in iTunes:

http://applematters.com/index.php/section/comments/itunes_podcast_subscriptions_top_one_million_in_first_two_days/

Posted by: Bill Erickson | Jun 30, 2005 6:39:29 PM

Posted by: ad aware | Nov 17, 2005 9:22:29 AM

amateur couple amateur gay amateur gratuit amateur libertin amateur nu amateur porno amateur sex amateur sexe amateur video amateur webcam amateur x amateur anal fisting anal anime asiatique nu asiatique bite black anal blacks on blonde webcam gratuit webcam sexe femme black webcam chat cul cul gratuit couple amateur erotique ejac feminine ejac facial defloration coquin blonde salope bondage voyeur gratuit erotique gratuit bukkake cul de femme black teens ejac faciale chatte chatte humide double anal film x amateur free porn movies femme mature femme nu femme erotique femme facile xxx fetichisme femme mure film amateur femme en chaleur femme cochon film sexe femme sex x amateur femme coquin femme mure nu femme sexe fille facile femme nu gratuite film sexe gratuit femme photo hardcore gros penis grosse salope hentai x histoire erotique young porn gros teton gratuit sexe jeune gay video grosse femme grosse bite jeune femme gros sein gros cul gros sexe jeune amatrice hentai jeune chatte jeune femme nue hard sexe jeune lesbienne mangas erotique jeune nu voyeur france mangas sexe jeune vierge mature lesbian mature gratuit lesbienne nu mamie jeune gay masturbation femme lesbienne photo lesbienne gratuit lesbienne gratuite jeune sexe jeune salope lesbienne jeune fille voyeur mature mature sex sex mangas sexy lingerie video coquin video de cul transsexuelle sexe video sexy mature triple penetration video amateur video amateur x sexe vieille sexe mature sexe porno sex xxx teen amateur sexe webcam sex femme video cul gratuit sexe video gratuit teen porn sexe video gratuite sex mature sexe photo mature women photo gratuite sexe photo de cul photo gay gratuite photo de cul gratuite photo amateur mure petite chatte photo salope photo lesbienne mature sexe video hentai video lesbienne photo gay gratuit photo femme video erotique partouze photo cul gratuite photo sexe amateur photo de chatte penetration photo gratuite femme nu photo fille photo xxx portail du sexe photo sein photo sexe gratuit video salope porn porno asiatique photo sexe porno mature porno black sein de france video mature photo sexe gratuite sein salope gratuit photo transsexuelle porno amateur photo voyeur porno sexe poitrine salope salope gratuite video sexe sexe femme video xxx gratuit sexe hard gratuit sexe fr sexe amateur gratuit sex amateur gratuit sexe en direct sexe gratuit photo sexe hard sexe gratuis sexe gratuit sexe feminin sexe amateur sexe gratuit video video sexe gratuit video xxx sein enorme sein gratuit sexe sexe gaulois sex amateur sexe extreme sexe hardcore blague codec divx ad aware antivirus divx a telecharger antivirus en ligne chanson a telecharger codec telecharger carte postale ancienne antivirus gratuit blague humour divx codec carte postale virtuelle blague blonde divx dvd clone cd bitdefender carte postale antivirus a telecharger antivirus gratuit a telecharger emule telecharger gratuit film gratuit a telecharger film porno a telecharger film porno gratuit a telecharger film x a telecharger fond d ecran a telecharger horoscope horoscope cancer divx gratuit edonkey edonkey 2000 emoticone a telecharger emoticone a telecharger gratuit emule france emule gratuit emule telecharger film a telecharger emule film x gratuit a telecharger firewall horoscope taureau horoscope verseau jeu a telecharger jeu pc a telecharger jeux a telecharger jeux a telecharger gratuit jeux a telecharger sur pc jeux de voiture jeux flash a telecharger horoscope capricorne horoscope chinois horoscope du jour horoscope gemeau horoscope gratuit horoscope lion horoscope poisson horoscope sagittaire horoscope scorpion horoscope vierge imesh kazaa msn messenger 7.5 telecharger messenger 7.5 mp3 gratuit telecharger mc afee logiciel gratuit mp3 gratuit msn messenger telecharger kazaa telecharger messenger mp3 telecharger logiciel antivirus msn messenger plus kazaa lite telecharger kazaa lite logiciel architecture mp3 telecharger gratuit msn 7.5 telecharger msn messenger 7.5 messenger msn recette partition guitare nero burning rom partition de musique musique mp3 musique mp3 a telecharger nero 6 norton antivirus 2005 nero express nero norton 2005 musique a telecharger gratuite musique musique a telecharger gratuitement norton musique a telecharger gratuit nero burning musique a telecharger msn telecharger partition gratuite recette minceur recette de salade shareaza telecharger recette gateau chocolat recette punch recette courgette recette gateau recette cocktail sims 2 telecharger recette sangria recette pain recette facile sims 2 telechargement recette paella recette crepe recette de cuisine recette dessert recette de julie recette de confiture recette barbecue telecharger kazaa lite gratuit telecharger emule telecharger les sims gratuitement telecharger kazaa little telecharger kazaa gratuitement telecharger gratuitement msn telecharger kazaa lite telecharger emoticone telecharger emule gratuit telecharger kazaa en francais telecharger gratuitement kazaa telecharger e mule gratuit telecharger gratuitement msn messenger telecharger divx gratuit telecharger les sims 2 telecharger les sims gratuit telecharger jeu flash telecharger kazaa gratuit telecharger gratuitement logiciel telecharger emule gratuitement solution jeu telecharger divx solution jeu video telechargement gratuit de film telecharger clone cd telechargement film x gratuit telechargement logiciel telechargement film divx telecharger antivirus gratuit solution telecharger codec divx telechargement film telecharger chanson skype telechargement film porno gratuit telechargement film porno telecharger acrobat reader telecharger antivirus tablature guitare tablature telecharger mp3 telecharger mp3 gratuitement telecharger msn telecharger msn 7.5 telecharger msn 7.5 francais telecharger msn 8.0 telecharger msn gratuit telecharger msn gratuitement telecharger msn mesenger telecharger msn messenger 7.5 telecharger msn messenger 8.0 telecharger msn messenger plus telecharger msn plus telecharger music mp3 telecharger musique gratuite telecharger logiciel divx telecharger logiciel gratuit telecharger logiciel mp3 gratuit telecharger messenger telecharger messenger 7.5 telecharger winamp telecharger windows messenger telecharger winzip telecharger winzip gratuit telecharger yahoo messenger zone alarm telecharger nero telecharger nero 6 telecharger nero gratuit telecharger nero gratuitement telecharger norton antivirus 2005 telecharger shareaza telecharger shareaza gratuit telecharger shareaza gratuitement telecharger video telecharger video porno gratuit telecharger video sex telecharger video x

Posted by: amateur couple | Nov 30, 2005 8:11:18 AM

Hi Fred

How do you think Podcasting might fare across cultures and languages? or is this just something for Sand Hill Road?

There are plenty of companies in China looking for US private equity and venture capital should they Podcast to get attention?

cheers Andrew

Posted by: Andrew | Jan 20, 2006 7:11:31 AM

A VC

Musings of a VC in NYC

Call Me A Podhead

TrackBack

Comments

Post a comment

Flickr Photostream more →

A VC

Musings of a VC in NYC

Call Me A Podhead

TrackBack

Comments

Post a comment

Main RSS Feed of All Posts

Flickr Photostream more →