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A podcast is a collection of digital media files which is distributed over the Internet, for playback on portable media players and personal computers. The term podcast, can be used in the same way as we use the word "radio", which could refer either to the content itself or to the method by which it is syndicated; the latter is also termed podcasting. The host or author of a podcast is often called a podcaster.

The term "podcast" is a portmanteau of the words "iPod" and "broadcast", the Apple iPod being the brand of portable media player for which the first podcasting scripts were developed. These scripts allowed podcasts to be automatically transferred to a mobile device after they are downloaded.

Though podcasters' web sites also offer direct download or streaming of their content, a podcast is distinguished from other digital media formats by its ability to be syndicated, subscribed to, and downloaded automatically when new content is added, using an aggregator or feed reader capable of reading the feed format such as RSS.

Below is a diagram which illustrates the various components involved in delivering and receiving a podcast

Each component is described in more detail below:

Content - A podcast will involve a number of digital files hosted on the Internet. Each podcast episode is represented by one of these files. In general these are files encoded in a standard format such as MP3 so that they can be played on the majority of digital media players and PCs.

Podcast Feed - This is a simple file which basically consists of a list of the podcast episodes with some additional descriptive information called metadata. This metadata provides details of the podcast and also details for each episode which helps a listener decide whether to subscribe to the podcast and then which episodes to listen to. This file also includes the details of where the media file for each episode is located on the Internet (given as a web address e.g. http://www.567.co.za/episode1.mp3) so the podcast aggregator knows where to find it.

Feeds are generally automatically generated and written in code called XML conforming to a standard such as RSS (Really Simple Syndication).

Podcast aggregator - This is PC based software that provides specific functionality for subscribing to and receiving existing podcasts. Typical functionality of this software includes:

Subscribing to a podcast feed.
Regularly checking subscribed podcast feeds for updates.
Alerting the listener when a new podcast episode becomes available.
Downloading the episode file from the Internet.
Playing the audio file.
Transfering the audio file onto a portable media player (e.g. synchronising with an iPod).
There are many software packages that provide this functionality most of which are free e.g. iTunes & Juice.

Note - there are also web-based podcast aggregators which provide similar functionality via a secure website. These systems do not download and transfer the podcast episodes on to a portable playing device and therefore require podcast episodes to be listened to on a PC that is on the Internet.

Portable digital media player - a small electronic device that stores and plays audio files. The most well known example is the iPod but there are many others. In addition many modern mobile phones can receive and play podcasts with free software such as that offered by Pod2Mob.

Here it is, plain and simple!

So basically I can download radio content and listen to it anytime I like?
Exactly. Rather than have to tune in at the broadcast time of the programme, you can simply download the content and listen at your convenience.

Is the Podcasting Aggregator Software free?
Yes. We recommend using Apple iTunes (Mac & Windows).

Getting the podcast

1. If you already have iTunes you can just click on the icon and it will subscribe to the podcast automatically with the default settings.
OR
2. Once you have downloaded iTunes, open it and drag the XML Podcast icon into the podcast section of iTunes.
3. Adjust the settings on iTunes to update automatically every time you log on to the internet, or only when you prompt it. To set the frequency iTunes checks for new subscription podcast episodes, choose Edit > Preferences and click Podcasts. Then choose an option from the "Check for new episodes" pop-up menu.
4. It'll take a few minutes to download the content each time you log on (depending on your connection).
5. When you subscribe to a podcast, you will receive the previous 10 feeds automatically.

Do I need an iPod to get a podcast?
No. In fact, anything will work, as long as it plays MP3 files. You can even listen on your computer. You could even use your PDA or smartphone.

What format will the podcasts be in?
They will be in MP3 format, meaning you will be able to play them on any portable media player, as well as any PC, Mac or Linux platform computer.

What shows will you be podcasting?
You can see a list of the shows with their own podcast feeds here.

Where can I learn more about Podcasting?
The online encyclopedia Wikipedia has a comprehensive article on the subject.