A podcast is the publication of audio or video media using the Internet. The publication can be through syndication, subscription, download or Web feeds. The files can also be downloaded to media players and computers. Like a broadcast, a podcast can refer to the content or the delivery method which is commonly called podcasting. The producer of a podcast is commonly called a podcaster.
The term ‘podcast’ originally came from ‘iPod’ and ‘broadcast’ because the Apple iPod was the first media player that made podcasts available. As other devices became available, podcast became the acronym for ‘Personal On Demand broadCast’ though podcasts are not typically available on demand – they are available by subscription, download or streaming media.
Podcasting’s first use was to allow individuals to distribute their own radio-style shows, but they quickly evolved to first include the re-broadcast of radio and TV programming, the distribution of educational material, audio tours of museums, conference meeting materials, and even by police departments to distribute public safety messages.
Podcasts now also include a variety of multimedia formats like PowerPoint type presentations in addition to audio and video.
