Monday, July 18, 2005
Apple iTunes Podcast Directory Draws Criticisms In Early Going
The July release of an Apple’s iTunes software upgrade that included a podcast directory has produced a new groundswell of interest in the phenomenon, as amateur broadcasters pile on to the bandwagon and established (and startup) media companies wrestle with models for monetizing the nascent medium.
The traffic surge fit well into the capabilities of many established media outfits, like Los Angeles-area NPR station KCRW, which had to ramp up server capacity in the days following the iTunes release, but managed the upgrade smoothly, offset by a well-timed podcast sponsorship deal with Lexus dealers in the station’s broadcast area. The deal, reportedly in the six-figure range, is something of a holy grail scenario for most podcasters, particularly those in iTunes’ directory who are on bargain shared-hosting plans.