Go Deeper into the Pod

Learn more about podcasting and the future of public radio

They are all over town—those little white ear buds. What could all those people be listening to? Rock? Jazz? Classical? Maybe Hip-hop? How about this morning’s broadcast of On Point?

PODCASTING IS A NEW, revolutionary way to experience public radio. The technology lets you download audio programs from the internet and play them on your computer or portable audio player. It also allows you to set up a free subscription for your favorite programs, which will be automatically downloaded to your computer.

How does it work?

It’s a misnomer that podcasting requires purchasing an iPod or other portable music device. In fact, all you need is a computer, an internet connection, and software to listen at home or at work. There are even some sites that will let you stream their podcasts right over the Web—without requiring you to install software at all.

If you already have a computer and connection established, then you’ll be able to store, share and listen to content on your computer anytime. Of course, you will need a portable device if you’d like to take the content with you, but getting started at home is an important first step to getting connected to the world of podcasting.

How is Podcasting different?

Downloading your favorite programs is just the beginning. Even though podcasting is still in its infancy (the term “podcasting” was only coined in 2004), it is already a rapidly growing medium for the distribution of content.

Currently, WBUR listeners download more than 100,000 podcasts every month. That figure stands to increase substantially in the next year as more people discover the benefit of taking their favorite public radio programs wherever they go.

“Podcasting really changes your life—the way you consume programming,” says Robin Lubbock, Director of New Media at WBUR. “You can start and stop programs at your convenience and rewind if you’ve missed a question. If your listening time is interrupted, you can press pause and pick up the show later in the day. It’s a great technology and relatively easy to learn and operate.”

What’s available for download?

There are currently four WBUR programs that are available on wbur.org for podcasting. They include WBUR’s News Update, On Point, Here and Now, and Only A Game.

Although NPR does not provide full-length downloads of their programs, they do offer more than 50 exclusive podcasts, including regular essays from Ted Koppel, satire from Brian Unger, sports commentary from Frank Deford, live music performances, and hourly news summaries. “The beauty of it all is that you never have to miss a moment,” says Lubbock. “A one-click subscription is all you need to download and listen to your favorite programs.”

Is it easy to use?

Getting started with podcasting is simple. If you can surf the net and use an MP3 player, you can download and listen to your favorite programs in just four steps:

Step 1: Download Podcasting Software

First, you’ll need software that can download and play podcasts, as well as transfer those files to your personal mp3 player. You may already have the software installed in your computer, but if you don’t, there are many programs available. Some popular programs for Windows and/or Mac include Odeo, Apple iTunes, and PodNova. These are all reliable, easy to install, and best of all, free.

Step 2: Subscribe to WBUR Podcasts

Once you have your software installed, open up your Web browser and log on to wbur.org's podcast page. Here you’ll find all of the program feeds that are available for subscription.Click on one of the subscription options, making sure that the option you chose corresponds to the software you’ve installed. In other words, if you’ve installed Apple iTunes, you’d click “iTunes one-click subscription.”

Once you’ve clicked the link, your podcasting software will launch and ask if you would like to subscribe to the podcast. Click “subscribe” to begin.

After you’ve subscribed to a program feed, you can customize your software to automatically download the latest edition of the podcast. That way, you’ll never miss your favorite show and you’ll always have something new to listen to. However, this option is not included in all audio software so be sure to check the manual.

Step 3: Using your newly downloaded content

Once you have downloaded a program, click on the file and hit play. You can pause, fast forward or rewind the program using the controls on your software. If there are particular programs you would like to hear often, you can create a playlist and save your favorite programs for easy access.

Step 4: Take Your Podcast Anywhere

Once you have subscribed to a podcast, you will be able to transfer your podcast files (usually mp3s) to your iPod or other audio device. Now you’re ready to take them all over town.

Listening on the go

That’s it! Follow these steps and pretty soon you’ll be listening to public radio on your time.