Here’s the big idea. Thanks topodcasting, show times don’t matter. When a new show is created, podcasting givesyou a way to capture it and take it with you to watch or listen to later,usually for free. It makes shows personal and available on demand. That’s whatmakes it different from broadcasting. It works by setting up a connectionbetween a website and a computer, so that new shows automatically show up whenavailable.

Here are three reasons why podcasting isbecoming so popular. 

The first is that anyone can do it. Nosatellites, radio towers or studios needed. Most people only need a microphoneor video camera, a computer and a connection to the web. With these things inplace, they can make their own show that is open to everyone. It also meansthat there is a wide variety of podcasts, whether it's investment advice fromWall Street, or your neighbor’s gardening show from down the street. There’slikely a podcast for you. 

The second is subscriptions. This meansthat if you visit a website that has a great podcast, you can click a buttonand subscribe to receive future shows automatically. All you need is a freetool called a pod-catcher, like iTunes that act as a way to capture the shows.The shows become yours to listen to or watch as much as you want, where youwant. 

The third reason is gadgetry. You can download a podcast onto a computer; you can alsodownload it to an MP3 player or other portable device and take it with you. Andremember, podcasts work on all sorts of devices, not just iPods.

So, let’s look at how Jason usespodcasts. He uses the web every day, rides the bus to work and loves Japaneseculture. Recently he found a podcast by a western couple living in Tokyo. Aftera quick listen, he subscribed to their podcast from their website. That night,as he slept, a new show downloaded onto his Mp3 player. The next morning he wason the bus, listening to his new friends in Tokyo, imaging what it would belike to eat the freshest sushi in the world. 

Podcasting made it happen. It made itpossible for the couple in Japan to create a show for only a few yen; it madeit possible for Jason to subscribe to their show and take it with him.Podcasting means we don’t have to depend on traditional media. Now everyone canhave a voice that shows their true colors.