Recently, our team had an internal discussion around adding a social audio section to <\/span>Podcast Magazine<\/span><\/i>\u00ae. I am a proponent of the idea. Others have a differing viewpoint.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Their contention is that <\/span>Podcast Magazine<\/span><\/i> should be focused on, well\u2026 podcasts, podcast culture, and the podcast industry.<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019m of the mindset that social audio <\/span>is <\/span><\/i>a podcast\u2014one that is conducted with an audience in attendance, allowing for their participation if desired\u2014and absolutely needs to be included in the current podcast discussion.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Naturally, this begs the question: <\/span>\u201cHow does one define the word <\/span><\/i>\u2018podcast\u2019<\/span>?\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

According to Merriam-Webster, a podcast is defined as:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A program (as of music or talk) made available in digital format for automatic download over the Internet.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Fair enough. However, this definition was originally created in 2004. 17 years have passed since the podcasting phenomenon was brought to life. Needless to say, the industry has evolved substantially since that original definition was coined, as have our collective consumption habits and creation abilities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I would argue that it\u2019s high time we revisit this definition.<\/b><\/h2>\n

Today, I would define what constitutes a \u201cpodcast\u201d with three simple words:<\/span><\/p>\n

Audio. On. Demand.<\/span><\/p>\n

The caveat, I would add, so as to avoid the debate that terrestrial radio should be included in this discussion, is that said audio is accessible via, and delivered through, the Internet.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I would therefore offer the following 2021 definition of a podcast:<\/span><\/p>\n

Audio on demand accessible via, and delivered through, the Internet.\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/h2>\n

In other words, if you can turn on your preferred device\u2014mobile phone, iPad, laptop, etc.\u2014and access, via the Internet, the audio content you <\/span>choose <\/span><\/i>to consume, you are listening to a \u201cpodcast.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Based on this definition, the following categories should be included within the context of this discussion:\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n
• Traditional podcasts (evergreen, recorded files accessible via podcast distribution platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.),<\/span><\/li>\n
• Social audio (real-time conversations, live \u2018podcast\u2019 interviews, and recorded files accessible via Clubhouse, Greenroom, etc.), and<\/span><\/li>\n
• Audio books (recorded spoken word files accessible via Audible, Scribd, etc.).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

  That\u2019s my take. I\u2019d love to hear yours.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

  So\u2026 please email me at <\/span>Steve@PodcastMagazine.com<\/span><\/a> and let me know how YOU define the word \u201cpodcast.\u201d Alternatively, join the conversation in our Facebook group:<\/span> https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/ThePodcastMag<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

  In an effort to maintain consistency, please format your response as an answer to this fill-in-the-blank statement:<\/span><\/p>\n

   <\/p>\n

  A podcast is _____________________.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

   <\/p>\n

  I\u2019ll then share as many responses as I can in next month\u2019s Letter From The Editor.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

   <\/p>\n

  Let the debate begin.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

   <\/p>\n

   <\/p>\n

   <\/p>\n

  September 2021<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  Recently, our team had an internal discussion around adding a social audio section to Podcast Magazine\u00ae. I am a proponent of the idea. Others have a differing viewpoint.\u00a0 Their contention is that Podcast Magazine should be focused on, well\u2026 podcasts, podcast culture, and the podcast industry. I\u2019m of the mindset that social audio is a podcast\u2014one that is conducted with an audience in attendance, allowing for their participation if desired\u2014and absolutely needs to be included in the current podcast discussion.\u00a0 Naturally, this begs the question: \u201cHow does one define the word \u2018podcast\u2019?\u201d\u00a0 According to Merriam-Webster, a podcast is defined as:\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2208,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1610],"tags":[1614,1612,1615,1576,58,1613],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n