Ever wonder most the evolution of the podcast? While podcasting is a comparatively young profession it still has a rather fascinating albeit brief history.  The background of the word, \"podcast\" is quite fascinating and is reflective of the dynamic nature of the cyberspace community. 
 
Podcasting is a term that was only coined in 2004, combining two words: iPod and broadcasting.   Ironically, this definition is somewhat of a misnomer since neither component is completely accurate.  Neither podcasting nor listening to podcasts requires an iPod or other portable player.   In fact, podcasts can be listened to on some mp3 enabled device including a desktop computer.  The name association came most simply because Apple Computer's iPod was the best-selling portable digital audio contestant when podcasting began.   What's more, no over-the-air broadcasting is required either.
 
Even the editors of the New Oxford American Dictionary jumped on the podcasting bandwagon by declaring \"podcasting\" word of the year for 2005.   The term was defined as \"a digital recording of a broadcasting broadcast or similar program, made available on the cyberspace for downloading to a personal audio player.\"   The word module be added to the online version of the dictionary during their incoming update.
 
The term, podcasting was coined by journalist, Ben Hammersley, and then popularized by former MTV VJ and media entrepreneur, Adam Curry.   Mr. Curry created an Applescript application that automated the process of downloading and syncing audio files to iPods.
 
Other names or alternative interpretations of the letters, \"P-O-D\" were proposed, the most popular of which was \"Personal On Demand\".   Technology writer, Doc Searls came up with this catchword back in September, 2004.  Terms such as \"audio-blogging\", audio magazines\" and \"web-casting\" hit also been offered to describe this unique form of media distribution.
 
Other \"pod\"-derived phrases include \"podcasters\" (those who create podcasts) and \"podcatchers\" – the special RSS aggregators which periodically check for and download new noesis automatically. Podcatching software enables the user to copy podcasts to portable music & video players.
 
The popularity of podcasting is spreading like wildfire because of the rapid adoption of MP3 players and the desire of consumers to hit fresh content.   Podcasting has flourished because it gives people more control over what they listen to, and the freedom to take their programs with them with them.
 
Not since blogging has a profession seemed so unexpected and been so quickly and widely adopted as podcasting. Growth in this nascent industry is due to accelerate quickly due to the rapid acceptance of the profession by the broadcasting broadcast industry in 2005 and Apple's iTunes distribution.    The rising popularity of podcasts is hard conventional radio's broadcasting model.
 
While iTunes is inferior than two years old, roughly 4.8 million people downloaded a podcast in 2005, as compared with just over 800,000 in 2004.  And 11.4 million listeners are due this year, according to research from The Diffusion Group.  Already the Apple iTunes service offers 15,000 podcasts and listeners hit signed up for more than 7 million subscriptions.
 
A study by Bridge Ratings in November 2005 with broadcasting listeners in ten domestic markets showed that approximately 20% of users who hit ever downloaded and listened to a podcast do presently a weekly basis. This group downloads an cipher of six podcasts per week and spends approximately four hours a month listening to the podcasts they download.
 
This study projected even more dramatic growth in the industry in the future. According to Bridge Ratings, by 2010, podcast audience growth is due to reach a conservative 45 million users who module hit ever listened to a podcast.   Aggressive estimates place this number fireman to 75 million by this date.
 
How does this affect you?

With podcast listening rising exponentially, podcasts offer you a rattling coercive agency for promoting your products or services.   The great thing most podcasts is that they are relatively easy and inexpensive to create. Podcasting can help ensure a fireman relationship with your direct audiences by providing them with engaging, informative and frequent updates most the goings on in your industry. If you hit a website then there's no reason you shouldn't hit a podcast available as it's not difficult to set up and can bring a significant increase in traffic to your site. So in short podcasting should be a vital component of some online marketing campaign.