Agreed - media organisations, with top-down attitudes and old-media thinking continue to invest in podcasting as part of their new media landgrab, without adopting new models for monetization, and without investing time and energy into the relationships that will make podcasting work outside its place as an adjunct to their existing broadcast or publishing output.

Meanwhile, many small to medium-sized businesses and institutions, unhampered by large overheads and “old media” attitudes, continue to find enterprising ways to employ podcasting and to generate revenue from podcasting, using both B2B and B2C models, dosed liberally with the old fashioned “let’s try things out and see what works” methodology.

“According to the survey, 6 million people in the UK have now downloaded a podcast - up from 4.3 million in November 2007. And 3.7 million now say they listen to a podcast each week, up from 1.87 million in last year’s survey.

The average podcast user subscribes to 3.6 podcasts and spends just over an hour a week listening to them. Comedy and music continue to be the two favourite genres.

iTunes remains the preferred software for almost three-quarters of users who subscribe to podcasts, while a fifth simply download directly from the website via their browser.

According to the survey, 79% of people listen to podcasts on their home computer and 66% listen via a portable audio/mp3 player.

Podcasting appears to also have a marginally positive effect on live radio listening. Almost 15% said they listened to more live radio since they began downloading podcasts.

While 10% stated they listened to less live radio after starting to download podcasts, 39% said they were now listening to radio programmes they did not listen to previously.” (Guardian)

Download the research PDF here.

Brian Greene and Sinéad Murnane from doop in Dublin, have been making a great success of Talking Voices Ireland. Both join the board of Directors.

Michael Franklin, formerly of TalkSPORT and The Wireless Group joins the board as Financial Director and corporate strategist.

One of the best-known podcasters in the world, Ewan Spence, the man behind the BAFTA-nominated Edinburgh Fringe podcast, presenter of TPN Rock podcast and radio station Leith FM joins Talking Voices. Ewan gives us a UK focus on conference coverage, a sector which has been thriving for us in Ireland.

Janet Parkinson who did so much hard work in establishing Talking Voices has stepped down as Managing Director but remains a stakeholder in the business.

Senior Producer Mark Hunter earlier this year was made an offer he could not refuse - running a Scotland-based company, Podcast Matters, where he takes on the role of MD, and we wish him good luck in his new venture.

And finally, we’re pleased to announce that the company is now operating from fully specified studio premises in Denmark Street, London.

The studio runs a Myriad radio playout system, and has ISDN, internet streaming, audio and video post-production, and very nice views of London’s West End.

The panel included Nathalie Schwarz from Channel 4, Matt Wells, Head of Audio from Guardian Unlimited, Sarah Prag from the BBC, and noted independent radio / podcast producers Hermeet Chadha and Karen Pearson. The session covered many issues around podcasting, including definition, production values, regulation, culture, expectations of both listeners and viewers, metrics, and the commercial realities of making podcasting pay.Dean Whitbread from Talking Voices and the UK Podcasters Association takes part in the question and answer session in part two, talking about video and the Association for Downloadable Media initiative.

This podcast is in two parts, encoded at 96kbps, and currently not delivered via RSS, so we thought we’d oblige.

Rob’s twice-monthly, 30 minute podcast is described as ‘an insight into the eclectic world of Rob da Bank, the Radio 1 DJ and Sunday Best supremo’. Catch up on the Bestival with live tracks from XX Teens, Candie Payne and the beatboxing guru Beardyman, enter the quest to find the secrets of the Women’s Institutes Victoria sponge or simply relax to the latest ‘Post-Bestival Chill’ podcast.

Talking Voices has been working with Rob da Bank and his Sunday Best Podcast since April 2007.

GCap Media, the name behind Capital Radio, Classic FM, and the XFM Networks, has become the first ‘traditional’ UK broadcaster to join the UK Podcasters Association (UKPA). Started in April 2006, the UKPA is a non-profit organisation set up to protect both members’ rights and promote podcasting.

UKPA Chairman Dean Whitbread pointed out that “this is a major endorsement of the UKPA’s work and status as the leading body to establish podcasters’ rights.”

Given that GCap media “produce more podcasts than any other media company in the UK” this is a huge step in podcasting, moving it away from the geeks in the bedroom image it had when it first appeared on the scene towards becoming an established and trusted medium for content, news and entertainment. GCap is one of the big names in UK radio and their support of podcasting, and the UKPA in particular, shows the respect that is building around the internet driven form of content.

“We create podcasts for our radio brands, our commercial clients and other third party customers, such as The Sun,” comments John Hirst, head of GCap’s podcasting arm, Creation. “It’s now part of our core business and content offering to consumers and commercial customers alike. We are delighted to join the UKPA as it’s a neutral body set-up to support all podcasters.”

The courting of a large media group such as GCap wil have taken many months, so congratulations to everyone involved for this hugely positive step. Now let’s see who follows them. - Ewan Spence, Blog Nation

GCap joins UK Podcasters

You may or may not know that GCap produces more podcasts than any other radio or media company in the UK, so it makes sense to add weight to the industry by joining the UK Podcasters’ Association. GCap is the first media company to join the 17-month old trade body, which represents about one third of UK podcasters. GCap podcasts its own shows from Xfm, Capital and Classic FM, but also produces podcasts for The Sun and other third-parties. (UKPA) - Jemima Kiss, Guardian

GCap Joins UK Podcasters Association Umbrella Body

GCap (LON:GCAP) has become a member of the UK Podcasters Association, an umbrella body advocating podcasters’ rights, in a sign Britain’s largest commercial radio operator is getting more serious about the downloadable audio medium (announcement). GCap stations already offer segments of shows for direct download, web-based catch-up or download as a podcast (like these at flagship station Capital). But the group also boasts an in-house podcast production and consulting team that caters for commercial clients like Woolworth, political parties and The Sun newspaper. GCap made its first podcasts for a Home Office internet safety campaign, promoted through the Hit40uk chart show, back in February 2006. This is interesting for GCap, which is setting aside an additional £2.1 million to upgrade its aging station websites with on-demand radio this year but which in June debuted the feature on Xfm.co.uk without having been licensed to offer full songs by musicians’ PPL royalties collection society. In joining the UKPA, it is allying itself with those who are already working on the same questions - the small association was founded last year to help amateur and semi-pro podcasters secure licenses to include commercial music in their productions. - Robert Andrews, Paid Content.

“…the small association was founded last year to help amateur and semi-pro podcasters secure licenses to include commercial music in their productions.”

This is not entirely correct. UKPA has a membership which is composed of a relatively high proportion of professionals. Only 15% of the independent podcasters in the UK are commercial, whereas over 35% of our members are professional. We perhaps more closely resemble the Musicians Union in make-up and in essence. Playing in local pubs or clubs doesn’t make you an amateur - and playing Wembley doesn’t mean you’re any more professional. - DW.

Download / subscribe to the podcast here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/podcasts/pods/

Talking Voices’ Dean Whitbread, BBC’s Nick Reynolds and Wiggly Wigglers’ Heather Gorringe [left to right] at the Cambridge Radio Festival earlier today, where Dean, Heather and Jemima Kiss from The Guardian newspaper, took part in a session on podcasting, hosted by Rory Cellan-Jones. Picture is by Rory and appears in his Facebook series from the festival.