In our media filled world today, almost everyone has a podcast.

But why? What is a podcast? How do you podcast? Well if you are asking yourself some of these questions you came to the right place. A podcast is a digital audio file made available on the Internet for downloading to a computer or mobile device, typically available as a series, new installments of which can be received by subscribers automatically.

Now with the growing rate of Celebrities having their own podcast- or being featured on someone else’s, you should keep in mind that podcasts and the art of “podcasting,” have been around since 2004. Before there was podcasting it was called, “audioblogging.”

Audioblogging started way back in the 1980’s. You could listen to these audio-blogs on the radio, but aside from that you really were stuck with very few options as a consumer. Now with the advent of broadband Internet access and portable digital audio playback devices such as the iPod, and various other apple/android devices, Podcasts have started to become the next big thing.

Podcasts now can be compared to what YouTube was back in 2013. With many artists like Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, and Adele posting things like new songs, and music videos. Each one trying to find more ways to produce content to their fans or even just the average viewer.

But in 2019 why wait to try to find a new song, or listen to a song play on the radio that you don’t even like? Podcasts narrow down what the consumer wants. From ex-NBA Superstar Shaquille O’Neal’s “The Big Podcast,” where he has guests on such as Kobe Bryant, Justin Bieber, Kim Kardashian to talk about what it’s like living their famous lives. To American Journalist and TV personality Anderson Cooper’s “Anderson Cooper 360,” where he allows listeners to hear highlights from his nightly news programs. The point is, if you have some sort of following in the media industry and want to make more money- get a podcast.

Now, if you’re not lucky enough to have over ten thousand followers on social media before making a podcast, don’t worry. Companies such as Barstool Sports have turned random people into podcast celebrities. For example, the “Call Her Daddy” podcast.

The first episode of the Call Her Daddy podcast begins with the hosts Sofia Franklyn, and Alexandra Cooper talking about how they wanted to “make some money by sharing their stories.”Well in about five shows later, they did just that. As they were picked up by Barstool Sports and given the opportunity to widen their audience. Since then they have 65 episodes. With their one year anniversary coming up on December 15th, 2019. They currently have 1.1 Million followers on Instagram alone.

If you just want to be a consumer of all this media, sit back-relax, and just listen to the podcasts, you can do that too! The best part about it? They’re free! If you have Spotify, Apple devices, or google podcasts you can listen to them anywhere, anytime.

Although these are all good things about the new ways you can listen to your favorite artists, or influencers, I’m afraid that with the resurgence of podcasts means the fall of radio, and even live television. With the amount of new technology being put in cars, phones, houshold TVs, the consumer is going to have little- to no need- to do some “channel surfing” to find their favorite content. With a push of a button people will now be able to use various streaming services to get what they want, when and where they want it.

The question you should be asking yourself now is what can I do to make the next big thing such as YouTube, and Podcasts. But odds are if you haven’t done it already… you’re too late.