Audio Version:

Audio Version:
Many people have asked me, “What’s the difference between podcasting and Internet radio?” And, I’ll admit, they are an awful lot alike. But, they are also different and serve different needs in a few key ways. I’ll sum them up for you here:

The Lone Wolf vs. The Pack
Podcasting is a more lone wolf style of audio production than Internet radio. When you’re a podcaster, you are creating a show — or podcast — that is on its own. It is not part of a group of related podcasts.

Internet radio, on the other hand, is more like regular radio. Your show is part of a line up of shows that are available through that Internet radio channel. In this way, you can benefit from the marketing behind the online radio station. However, they also have the right to put limits on what you can do with and on your show.

Mom & Pop vs. the Smooth Operator
Podcasts are often much more home-grown than Internet radio shows. They are less likely to have audio effects and sometimes can seem very down to Earth. On the other hand, Internet radio almost always has all the bells and whistles of regular radio. Even with Blog Talk Radio, which is almost like subsidized podcasting, there is alway the fancy introduction with the British lady.

So which should you choose for your business?
It really depends on the purpose of your show, as well as the technology you have to support it. My best advice, just jump in and give the waters a test. As long as you don’t dump a huge financial investment in the project — and you really shouldn’t — there is no harm is canceling a show if it doesn’t work out for you.