The PodFather: Part One

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Vox Vodka, one of the earliest companies to grasp podcasting's promotional value, recently launched a multimillion-dollar marketing campaign to reach trendsetting consumers. Vox-supported podcasts air on Infinity Broadcasting's KYOU Radio, the first all-podcasting station in San Francisco. Each week it features 25 regularly scheduled podcasts, some with commercial sponsors. Station manager Stephen Page has a "podbank" filled with more than 3,200 programs--all created by listeners, like Worldbeat Radio from Paris, a blues show from Iowa, and Guy Bauer, a 30-minute variety show. About 15 new podcasts arrive daily, he says. Launched in May, the new format has attracted 8,200 registered listeners. Radio isn't dying; it's just going digital: expect to see radio stations roll podcasting into their regular broadcast mix, including streaming audio (real time--not downloadable). Infinity Broadcasting considers KYOU Radio an experiment with on-demand and user-generated content. "Radio has a chance to stay ahead of the curve," Page says.

Meanwhile, Clear Channel, the nation's largest station owner, is amping its online presence. More than 600 stations have redesigned their websites, now reaching 10 million people a month, and 2.6 million podcasts (with ads) have been downloaded since June. In August, AOL Radio introduced podcasting to its 16 million monthly listeners. "We're very bullish on podcasting," says Isquith. "Millions of people are interested in the on-demand experience." As for now, AOL's podcasts are commercial free, but that may change. "In podcasting, there are no rules," Curry says. "You don't have to do it to make money. If you want to do a podcast for your friends and family, that's great." But if you can make money off it, even better