Beyond audio broadcast: interactions in podcasting

Resumo

Podcasting is a media process that emerges from the publication of audio files on the Internet. Due to the minimal technological structure required, production and distribution can be carried out simply by just one person. In other words, it enables independent production with a global reach. Podcasts can not only be searched for on the Internet, but also subscribed to (via the RSS feature) to automatically receive new episodes through the use of aggregator software. As well as audio, each program can contain images, hypertext links and be divided into chapters. In this way, it goes beyond mere listening, offering a multimedia experience and forms of navigation, both within the program and on the web. Podcasting, however, is not just about easily broadcasting content on the web and new forms of reception. As podcasts are usually linked to a blog, dialogical interaction can take place between all the participants in the process, blurring the traditional separation between the instances of production and reception in the mass context. In addition to detailing the conditions of production and reception of podcasts, in contrast to broadcast radio, this article also seeks to reflect on the process of remediation between podcasting and broadcasting, the potential of this new medium as a micromedia (Thornton, 1996) and its impact on the recording industry.