"The word ”podcast” is a concatenation of the words iPod and broadcast. The underlying technology used for podcasts, called RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is capable of containing any type of media including audio, video, graphics, and more."[1]
To me, podcasts represent yet another addition to an incresing number of highly granular sources that provide society and more fundametally humanity, with an opportunity to selectivly theme itself on an individual basis. What that basically means is that in today's day and age, we have choices that determine how we choose to opinionate ourselves based on readily available knowledge or accentuate our style and behaviour. Lets reflect chronologically on what I've just said, twenty years ago, people did not have that choice to expose themselves to whatever they wished to experience. We now have that opportunity. My intentions are not to force you to translate the podcast explosion, into a radical and direct transcendental form of wisdom; far from it, but it is an immersive way of incorporating our interests seamlessly into our daily lives, so in this sense it is a trusted state of consciousness that we are ready to inculcate.
The principles of podcasts are simple, podcasts are and can be auto-scheduled and portable deliveries of voice or video content, free or otherwise and has found its place in our daily lives, whether it be a form of time pass during our daily commuting, or simply for the sake of interest. I firmly believe that the podcasting way of delivery is still in its early stages of infancy, we are yet to assimilate exactly how large the podcast footprint actually is. Its a great opportunity to simply bask in the ambiance of a "Stanford Liberal Arts Coursecast" (one of the best I've ever listened to on an array of various topics) or learn the lessons of the past in the "Hardcore History" podcast, or simply learn a new tongue.
The benefits of free content is glaringly obvious, but lets not foget that the integrity of some of these casts are also questionable. Knowledge and its continuous pursuit are much like convictions of courage, summarised by the quote, "Courage is more than standing for a firm conviction. It includes the risk of questioning that conviction."[2]
I have purposefully split the content that I encountered in my experiences into 2 fairly self-evident categories below, The Good and (The Bad and Ugly).
The Good
Deloitte Insights Podcast - A podcast by Deloitte & Touche USA LLP, on the subject of emerging markets and the dynamics of the competetive landscape of the converged communitywith a specialized focus on the evolution of Technology, Media and Telecommunications Business Models.The Bad & Ugly
In this case the bad met ugly in perfect sync, this cast could possibly be the worst thing that could happen to the budding sport of cricket in the Americas. The podcast is called "Cricket America", first off don't let the name fool you into assuming that this podcast is official or that it represents material from any credible organisation. Far from it, it is a very amateur voice based cast of the state of the sport in the Americas, and is followed by a coaching section at the end for upcoming enthuisasts. What is put out to be a cocktail mix of the latest developments in the sport in the Americas with insightful tips to impove your game, turns out to be a mundane and inconsistent recital of the weeks results and shallow technical advice that lay out the blueprints for a cricketing fiasco, perhaps in the worst case, even bodily injury!
References
1. Apple
2. Julian Webber Gordon
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