Some of the biggest names in media have become involved with podcasts as they seek to keep pace with technology instead of falling behind.
Even with a reported tailoff in listeners, Rush Limbaugh still holds a commanding lead in numerous radio markets. Clear Channel Communications, which owns Mr. Limbaugh’s show under the Premiere Radio Networks umbrella, has been working to further monetize that lead via podcasts.
The Wall Street Journal touched on podcasts in a nice story by Nick Wingfield and Sarah McBride this morning. Clear Channel and other media powers like Walt Disney and Washingtonpost.Newsweek have decided to run ahead of the podcast curve, instead of falling behind yet again to an advance in technology.
In the Clear Channel example, it makes many podcasts of its shows available for free. Those podcasts begin with a 15-second ad lead-in, short enough to keep listeners from skipping over it. Mr. Limbaugh’s show is available via podcast, but to get that one has to purchase a membership to the “Rush 24/7” club.
Clear Channel’s Premiere Radio Networks has started to experiment with a subscription service. A monthly $7 fee gives members access to podcasts from Rush Limbaugh, Phil Hendrie, Art Bell, and others.
Disney, with its ABC and ESPN properties along with its own programming, has its podcasts freely available from places like Apple’s iTunes and Yahoo’s new Podcasts service. Slate Magazine, the online publication owned by Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive, has a podcast available.
With sites like Google and Yahoo working on audio search and speech-related technologies, it’s possible advertisers could someday have the option to purchase contextual advertising within podcasts. The search engines would index audio content and plug in ads based on what they determine to be relevant to the podcast.
David Utter is a staff writer for Murdok covering technology and business. Email him here.
