Media companies hope to cash in on Podcasting

Big media is determined not to repeat the mistake it made when it ignored blogging. The industry hopes to capitalize on podcasting -- which lets nearly anyone "broadcast" on the Internet. Podcasts are recorded audio files, distributed via Internet download. "Everyone from Disney to Newsweek to National Public Radio is now offering podcasts, and Apple Computer, Inc. last month made it a whole lot easier to find them and download them to iPods [...] While profits remain elusive, there's a bigger prize out there -- the company that manages to become the go-to Web site for podcasts could gain enough leverage to strike favorable deals with proven content providers, and generate cash by charging for subscriptions and advertising."

Filed under: iPod, industry