A podcast is an audio program that you can listen to online in apps on your phone or download and listen to when you don’t have an Internet connection.
How podcasts differ from radio
In some ways, podcasting is similar to radio. But there are a few important differences:
- Podcasts are not broadcast on the radio airwaves, but are distributed over the Internet;
- A radio broadcast is in real time, while you can listen to a podcast online or download it, and you can pause and resume playback, go back to the beginning, or skip some parts;
- Radio shows are played according to the schedule, and you can choose your own podcasts.
Podcasts are often posted online at a certain time, which makes them similar to radio shows. Unlike radio, podcasts are convenient because they can be downloaded on almost any modern gadget – smartphone, tablet or laptop. Thus, you can listen to them if you don’t have a radio or if, for some reason, it doesn’t pick up your favorite radio station, e.g., when you’re out of town.
There are several common formats.
Monologue. One author speaks on topics that concern him or her and that interest his or her listeners.
Dialogue. A classic example is an interview in which the host asks questions of a politician, writer, businessman, or some other interlocutor.
A conversation between several people. Many variations are possible here – from a conversation between experts to a radio play or audiobook, where each character will have his own voice.
Podcasts are made on a wide variety of topics. It gives to each listener a possibility to choose what is interesting for him/her: politics and sports, cars and humor, history and advanced scientific discoveries, life of stars and actual financial news, and many-many other things.
You don’t need sophisticated, expensive equipment and a whole team of people to write, record and broadcast a podcast. All this can be done by one person. This opens up a wide space for creativity and allows talented authors to address the audience on a variety of topics.