MappingTheWeb //

[Why Hasn’t Podcasting Caught On Yet?] - When “podcasting” emerged a few years back, enthusiasts quickly proclaimed it to be the next big thing. As is the case with the so-called “semantic web”, podcasting has failed to live up to expectations. But why? The benefits are obvious and publishers are going to great lengths to be heard.

The first thought that comes to mind is time. Maybe people just don’t have enough time in their day to incorporate podcasting listening. Maybe their routine is simply unable to accommodate podcasting.

My second thought focuses around hassle. The requirement of a podcast download, followed by the transfer it to a portable device, may be enough to turn some away.

My last thought centers around the technical aspect of podcasting. RSS is not a mainstream term. In fact, it is rather intimidating to some. Even the term “podcasting” itself may seem daunting. This may seem silly to many of us who live and breathe the web 2.0 world, but sometimes we must take a step back and look at things from a different perspective. Maybe the terminology is just too overpowering and potential users simply shy away.

I can’t see price as being an issue, as most podcasts are offered free of charge. Most publishers seem content with a captive audience - money doesn’t seem to be the key motivator or driver.

Apple has done a lot to bring podcasting mainstream. After all, the company does produce the most dominant podcatching client available on the market, iTunes. Very few other companies have really done much to push the podcasting industry forward.

I have yet to really pinpoint why podcasting hasn’t caught on yet. I do believe it is only a matter of time, but how long? An explosion within the space has been touted for quite some time, yet we’re all still waiting…

Do you have any thoughts as to why podcasting hasn’t caught on yet or reached a more mainstream audience?