Documentation:Podcasting Basics/What Is A Podcast

Podcasts are audio or video files that anybody can listen to online or download onto their portable media player. They are mostly associated with episodic content of a regularly programmed series, such as a radio show. With the decreasing cost of recording devices and release of easy to use media editing tools, producing podcasts is easier than ever!

A podcast can cover a variety of topics, from the archives of a weekly radio program to foreign language guides. Many universities create podcasts of prominent guest speakers, while a class here at UBC uses them as assignments to hone students' storytelling skills. UBC students also create podcasts and audio files to share student opinion and experience via interview.

Podcasts can be an effective storytelling tool. The four tools of a podcast are voice, sounds, music and silence, and it’s astonishing how far these can go to captivate listeners. Without visual distractions, podcasts are able to hone in on specific content and intimately engage the listener.