Rise of Podcasts

It is all changing...but how fast?

It has been said many time before. Radio...as we know it...is dead. Television, Cable, Satellite Radio, Internet Radio...now podcasts?  Maybe.
Check out this report heard on Weekend Edition today.

Podcasts Rise In Popularity, Funded By Advertisers And Listeners

Funding includes crowd funding, and advertising. This makes a few of these podcasts self-sustaining. Are podcasts ready to supplant radio. By public radio standards the audience is still niche. The costs are a lot lower than radio. It's an advantage. Running a public radio station is expensive.

Disruptive Technology

New technology is around the corner that will take away radio's advantage in the car. John C. Dvorak is cohost of the No Agenda podcast. He says this new technology is also bringing into question the future of broadcasting itself. "I think it is disruptive. And eventually, when we have real-time Internet availability in a moving car, it's going to be very difficult for conventional radio to compete with this model. I just don't think it's possible."

Public Radio is safe for now. Once the community of listeners disperses in large enough numbers to other platforms, Public Radio will no longer be able to support itself. I fret that the true loss may be the editorial gatekeepers.  I search for trusted sources for information. Where are the firewalls and editorial standards in social media? I'm not sure I can trust bloggers and podcasters. Not from what I've read and heard.