Podcasting

Though most commonly used for audio, podcasts are increasingly used to deliver short films and video content. A podcast is a relatively new method of streaming, but is actually a form of RSS feed - a method of syndication website content using a simple form of XML. It enables users to receive content - eg. short films or video - directly which they can watch at their leisure on a variety of different devices. Used in conjunction with 'live' streaming it has proven to be an immensely popular method of reaching new audiences. 'Podcasting' is the buzzword of the minute and the BBC has embraced it with gusto.

Podcasts are platform and browser-independent and are available (in varying degrees) for PCs, mobile phones, PDAs, mp3 players, as well, of course, as iPods

Technology is also rapidly becoming available to deliver podcasts to mobile phones via MMS (Multi-media messaging) and other platforms. MMS is not a suitable platform for short films but podcasting technology is advancing quickly and it will probably not be long before podcast-enabled mobile phones become widely available.

You don't need a gadget to view podcasts as they are also available on PCs and there are a number of different programs available which allow users to subscribe to them - including some Internet Browsers and iTunes. Although iTunes is probably the most successful other dedicated cross-platform podcast and news-reader clients are available, e.g. iPodder.

Because there may be some confusion as to how users should subscribe to a podcast, and inevitable complaints that podcasts are best experienced on expensive gadgets, we tend to recommend that the content is simultaneously streamed to users online.

Please contact us if you are interested in podcasting or podcast hosting and would like us to set it up for you. Our content management system Archimedes will make the process fast and simple.

Click here to read how Bermuda Shorts use podcasting to distribute their animation showreel online.