Downloading today’s available update to the Apple TV (aptly named “Take 2″), I can now experience within my living room, the promise that was buzzing about at last month’s MacWorld conference.  That is, the Apple TV may very well revolutionize the way we consume (and track!!) downloadable RSS media.

These are tall words.  You’ve probably heard this story before (the Roomba will revolutionize home cleaning? Pet owners might disagree);  but let me explain the two reasons why:

1. Watching and listening to podcasts is straightforward and simple.   Quick navigation leads to consumption without the prior subscription hassles.  Devices need not sync.  Desktop media management disappears, just sit back, and watch or listen.  The navigation of popular and featured content is a snap.  When (if?) Apple comes out with a qwerty entry device instead of the painful text entry process via the super-simple remote, we might soon easily explore the over 125,000 available subscription points within the podcast directory.

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I’ve been reading the intensive debate this last week in the Yahoo ADM group, and now it’s my turn to chime in.

Some 25 years ago, I was part of the birth of another new media industry — cable TV. I helped start two cable TV companies and then consulted to many of the giants here in Denver. I have applied alot of the lessons-learned to starting my own podcast business; it’s almost identical.

When cable started, consumers subscribed to cable not because of new
content but because of improved reception to local and network TV. Cable was the iPod of that generation — creating convenience for accessing their favorite progamming. The first cable-only networks to
launch were super-stations like WTBS and WGN and then later CNN and
ESPN that were “ad-supported.” To pay the freight of carriage, the
industry struggled to define standards so traditional TV advertisers
would be able to understand and buy niche cable channels more easily.
The NCTA and CTAM were born to help set technical (for insertions)
advertising standards and make it easier for agencies and marketers to
buy cable. Sound familiar?

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The ADM is busily preparing to present our 1.0 version of Advertising and Sponsorship Standards and Guidelines for Traffic Measurement to get 30-day public feedback from the ADM members and greater industry at our upcoming event, 9 am - 11:45 am PST in San Francisco at the ad:tech Expo.

ad:tech is the leading conference for digital marketers and agencies who focus on emerging media. They are hosting a morning of ADM programming. In three sessions, we will present the latest numbers in podcasting/vidcasting and downloadable media, case studies of successful programs, new ad units around which our industry can standardize and guidelines for audience traffic measurement.

We currently seek panelists for these sessions. If you are an extraordinary speaker who can talk about numbers, case studies, ad standards and audience measurement, please send an email to susan at personal life media.

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Today I heard one of the most engaging, lively, and poignant discussions on the state of the podcasting industry. I’m a regular listener of Adam Christianson’s The MacCast, where he dispenses a healthy dose of Mac news and tips twice weekly. However, a recent episode featured the audio from the Mac Podcaster Meet-up 2008 held at this year’s MacWorld Expo. The panel featured top tech podcasters such as Scott Bourne (Apple Phone Show), Leo Laporte (MacBreak Weekly), Dave Hamilton (Mac Geek Gab), Ken Ray (Mac OS Ken), Cali Lewis (Geek Brief TV), and Victor Cajiao (Typical Mac User).

The discussion touched upon the perceived leveling off of podcast growth (perhaps just in tech), growth areas for other podcast categories, and the need for an association like the ADM to bring some order to podcasting when it comes to metrics and reporting.

It’s a long episode but worth every minute, so I encourage you to take a listen. And kudos to Adam and Victor to bringing this to us. It’s important that we all take notice of the impending business need for podcasting to play in the sandbox with other media and not get sand kicked in our faces.

A new super-thin Apple notebook computer was not the only sexy thing to come out of MacWorld. ADM held its all-member committee working group, and what could be more attractive than progress towards infusing our industry with copious ad purchases?

Thanks to Kiptronic and Porter Novelli for hosting the meeting in San Francisco and New York City respectively, and for Blog Talk Radio to connecting the dots through conference and chat. The hour was packed with reports and ideas. There was a lot worth covering, but I want to lay out the two biggest initiatives on our near-term plate.

Ad Units - (part of the Ad Standards Committee)

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The recent announcement by a major cable Internet provider that they will be signing up new customers with bandwidth limits as a trial gave me a new perspective on how important broadband is to New Media.

High speed unlimited Internet bandwidth is vital to the success of Podcasting and New Media. Unlimited broadband is just as important as Dave Winer’s work with Really Simple Syndication (RSS) and compressed media formats such as mp3. Broadband is one of the key ingredients that makes this industry possible.

As a result, some United States broadband users may soon experience a “bandwidth crunch”. Although relatively new to the U.S. market, bandwidth crunches currently exist in many other countries including Canada. There is no direct evidence that bandwidth crunches deter Podcasting and New Media, but it is true that most New Media downloads come from the United States.

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Next week the ADM Measurement Committee will be meeting to discuss this year’s download measurement goals and objectives. There are many items we want to address during this first year. These objectives will help solidify the presence of podcasting and new media.

We are currently seeking an ADM member to help assist me with managing the second core goal listed below. If you are knowledgeable with the challenges of calculating download measurements and would like to help, please contact me at measurement (at) downloadablemedia (period) org.

Core goals and objectives: Read more »

On 15th January in London, UK, Radio Academy Director Trevor Dann hosted a seminal event about podcasting.

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.

ADM member 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.

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I would like to take the opportunity to thank all of the ADM members for electing me Chair of the Measurement Committee. I am ready to lead the charge to achieve the goals and objectives of the Measurement Committee.

I believe participation is key. I would like to take this opportunity to invite interested ADM members to participate in the Measurement Committee by sending me a note via my E-mail: measurement [at] downloadablemedia [.] org.

The Measurement Committee will require a lot of research, analytical analysis and technical knowledge regarding the challenges of measuring media downloads. Even though I am eager to get as many ADM members involved in the process as possible, it is key that appointed committee members have the necessary skills and knowledge to achieve the Committee’s objectives. Once I receive the Charge of the Committee, the number of members and necessary skills will help me determine which ADM members will best serve on the committee. Following the ADM’s kick-off meeting on Monday, I will start a dialog with those who wish to participate to determine which members to appoint. I was just notified there will be no limit to the number of members on a committee. To allow for maximum participation, any ADM member may join the Measurement Committee.

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The delivery of audio or video content via a Podcast or other channel of downloadable media, is one of the most intimate forms of communication possible, allowing you to make a unique and special connection with your audience.

This important, but largely overlooked, factor has a significant impact on how the potential value of using downloadable media (as a delivery mechanism for advertising) needs to be assessed.

As an example, let’s consider for a moment some of the special attributes inherent using the Podcast channel model:

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