In my past musings about "podcasting" I commented on the potentially high distribution and production costs being a possible barrier. In reading Dave Winer's discussions of podcasting -- and his trip to an apparent Podcasting Summit I couldn't help but think: Is it possible that the best delivery vehicle for "podcasting" is not really the web but satellite radio? Satellite radio seems to be offer the elements required:
- FCC free zone
- a potential thirst for specialty programming
- distribution to individuals on the move
What it doesn't offer is the free wheeling, anybody can do it atmosphere of the web but my personal feeling is the the skill and cost involved in creating and producing quality audio programming will mean that only a limited group(maybe not miniscule though) will be capable of sustained program creation anyway.
Perhaps both distribution methods can easily co-exist.