How to Start a Podcast
Podcasting is the radio show of the future. A blend of the words iPod and broadcast, a podcast is a digital recording or video that is distributed over the Internet. Podcasts can be heard and seen on computers, portable players such as iPods, and anything else with Internet access. Podcasts can be a single event or a series. Politicians, writers, entertainers, teachers, or just about anyone can host and distribute their own podcast.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Challenging
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- Audio recording software
- Video recording software
- Music and/or sound effects (optional)
- Website or blog
-
-
1
Make sure you can legally podcast a creative work. If the podcast is an original creative material, there is no problem. With any entertainment medium, all words, music, or video can only be broadcast with legal permission.
-
2
Download recording software. There are several to choose from, but a free, open-source software such as Audacity is used by many podcasters (see link below).
-
3
Convert video podcasts. Some videos must be converted before distribution in order to be viewed on iPods or other devices. Apple recommends using a FireWire camera. This is an easy way to video if you own a Mac, but using other video recording software can be used and converted.
-
4
Record your podcast. Popular podcasts include radio or TV talk show-type themes, audio books, sermons, speeches, call-in shows, or news broadcasts. Creatively, the source or theme of a podcast is completely open.
-
5
Edit your podcast. Recording software such as Audacity comes with editing options. Editing is the processing of removing mistakes or problems in the recording and adding music, sound effects, or additional material. As always, make sure you have legal permission to use any special effects.
-
6
Get a Creative Commons license. Creative Commons is a United States charitable company that provides licenses for creative works according to the restrictions you set. These are often used for podcast works in order to allow easy, but protected, distribution.
-
7
Distribute your podcast. This may be as simple as uploading to a personal or business website using an RSS (Really Simple Syndication) file. This will give identification to the podcast file. The only requirement is that the server can handle the file size. Submitting a podcast to the iTunes store requires more effort. For iTunes the file must be in one of the following formats: m4a, mp3, mov, mp4, m4v, or pdf. In addition, iTunes requires an RSS feed, or XML file., that is posted to a separate server.
-
8
Syndicate the podcast. For podcasts published on a regular basis this allows listeners and viewers to receive notice that a new episode has been posted.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Creative Commons does not offer legal advice, so if you have specific questions you will need to retain an attorney.
