Note: In this article, “podcasting” refers exclusively to audio podcasts.

Recently, we launched our own audio podcast here at Tippingpoint Labs. A colleague of mine questioned the value of this, pointing to our Life Cycle Analysis of sites like Ustream, Qik, and Vimeo as indicators that podcasting will soon fade away in favor of video broadcasts.

Just like video killed the radio star?

Podcasting in consolidation phase

I think perhaps the rumors of podcasting’s death have been greatly exaggerated. Or, in other words, it has entered the Consolidation phase of its New Media Life Cycle. This phase is characterized by the decline of most monetization models, successful or otherwise. Those who’ve created the best content with the platform continue to experiment and find new audiences.

Survival through technology (and lack thereof)

It’s easy to say that adding video to audio automatically creates a richer medium for communication. And given the right content, sure, it does. But with their portability, podcasts can currently trump video. While mobile data transmission is still catching up with demand (thanks iPhone!), podcasts are very quickly downloaded and enjoyed at the PC or — I’m guessing — more often downloaded to portable music players or mobile phones. It’s here that video can’t beat podcasting.

After a modest download time, the audio exists on a device and can be played in the car or anywhere else without the wi-fi needed for streaming or the waiting and waiting and waiting needed for a video download. The radio vs. TV model applies here. As society becomes more portable and less wired, podcasts are a great way to get your content into locations where reading or watching is impossible or impractical. People who succeed the most with the podcasting platform are the ones with killer content who are employing it within a highly diversified content portfolio.

Who’s doing podcasting right?

The Tippingpoint Labs podcast follows very closely the format and style of Ira Glass’s brilliant radio program (and podcast) This American Life. (Some call ours a ripoff but we prefer the term homage.) Ira’s show is produced for National Public Radio. A recent article from Mashable goes so far as to say “…NPR is the future of Mainstream Media.” It might just be true.

NPR's Mix Your Own Podcast tool

NPR’s listenership is way up because they realized they have a great product and they saw the benefit of getting it into people’s hands (or ears, which is kind of an odd image) wherever possible. In addition, they have a comprehensive social media strategy, which includes a wildly popular Twitter account (>780,000 followers) and Facebook pages (>400,000).

More importantly, as the article points out, NPR enables its user base to extend the value and context of the content by incorporating user response in their broadcasts. As for podcasting, NPR has more than 650 feeds and allows users to edit their own NPR channels with the mix your own podcast tool.

Podcasting is also being used very effectively as a supplemental or alternative delivery for content produced in other media. ESPN is doing a good job of using podcasts to extend the reach of some of their most popular TV shows and writers.

I can’t always make it home by 5:30 to catch Pardon the Interruption, much to my annoyance. No matter though. If it’s a late night at the office, I can download the daily podcast version of the show on iTunes and listen on the way home. Boston Sports Guy Bill Simmons proved to be such a popular columnist on ESPN.com’s Page 2 that he eventually got his own podcast, The B.S. Report.

The takeaway

I believe that podcasting is not dead, not even dying. Far from it. As mobile devices converge, this kind of portable media can only grow in value — provided that the content is engaging.

The more unwired we become, the more we will expect on-demand information, wherever we are. And the more we become accustomed to time-shifting our media consumption, the more our demand for content on-demand will grow. Podcasts can be an invaluable part of a content distribution strategy.

My question to you

Do you currently subscribe to any podcasts? What are they? What kinds of content keep you tuning in?