Podcast Fresh

After some record companies dipped their toes into the world of podcasting, now, it is the major broadcasters who are making their turns to penetrate the market of podcasting and internet broadcasting as NBC, Fox and ABC announced their plans to make their traditional TV programming be available for free to the general public through the internet.

The upcoming move of these TV networking giants may not be very similar on the usual podcasts that can be subscribed and downloaded anytime and anywhere because these networks will try to deliver their free content with strict observance to protect their traditional model. This means that some of them will be using a proprietary podcast platform which implements certain limitations when audiences download their contents.

For example, NBC though their NBC Direct will allow audiences to download and view their ad-supported primetime programs for up to seven days only after those shows are aired. ABC on the other hand announced that their primetime shows will become available through AOL Video a day after these shows are broadcasted.

On the other side, Fox will be using iTunes to distribute some of their programs’ season premiere episodes for free while the succeeding episodes will be already offered for a fee. Hmm, business is really business for these huge broadcasting networks. They just saw an opportunity in the podcasting industry where they can reinvent ways to target those people who are shifting their means in accessing entertainment contents.

Let’s just see how the general World Wide Web population will respond to these strategies but I think, with the presence of these major players, it will not be surprising anymore if podcasts that are initially known as free will soon be equaled with paid podcasts.