Digital World

The Howard Stern Podcast Problem

Because podcasting is such a new, exciting, cutting

edge phenomena, many people are eager to get

connected, and hence the Howard Stern podcast.

Everyone wants to be part of the next big thing, but not

everyone is suited or ready to do so. The Howard Stern

Podcast was created and shown on iTunes, the Apple

company's music store. However, the podcast was never

updated, and the only clip ever provided didn't even

include Howard Stern. This has brought a lot of flack

down on Howard Stern, as well as Sirius Radio, which

broadcasts Stern. Many of these people would have

preferred to hear Stern when they wanted to, as a

podcast, and were disappointed that the feed was not

being used.

The Howard Stern podcast is probably an example of

some of the problems that can arise with podcasting. Its

new, and very hyped, so everyone wants to be a part of

it. However, the podcast is designed to be free. RSS

feeds are designed to easily distribute files, that can

then be redistributed and shared by the users who

download them. It would be close to impossible for a

podcaster to charge for their content. Either the

podcaster would have a small circle of people who

enjoy the feed, and very few who would want to pay for

it, or be very popular, as Stern is, and have the problem

of paying customers possibly redistributing the content

so others won't need to pay.