Adam Curry, Ron Bloom, and money...

Ok, so I just finished posting a comment to Adam curry's blog about his opinion of podcasting and money... and I'm a little insencesed. See, I've got a big mouth, and have always been a decent speaker, so I want to podcast, but Money is making it hard to do.

After the bubble burst, I can't find a decent job, and since podcasting would be little more than a hobby right now, I neeeeed to find a way to make enough money to support any potential boom in listeners (yes, I honestly do think I'm good enough to get these things popular), but I'm always interested in making my voice heard.

Anyway, (and to let you know, I'm listening to podcasts now, so I'm probaly gonna wander around here) They seem to think that by opening another internet company, this time a "podcast portal" as it were, they will make things easier on people like me that want to put my 'cast on the wire... but no one has yet mentioned how this is going to work, and they constantly skate around the issue. They are going to make it easier... perhaps by selling space and pipe, perhaps by bringing in advertisers, perhaps just by hosting another "vote for me" site that is a little more open... what ever it is, it's isn't defined yet, but they are already talking about how this is going to put everyone on a level playing field.

Well guys, the only way I think that you can level the playing field is by making it equally easy to find and download my upcoming cast as it is dawn and drew, give me ample space, free... tools to put together my cast... free... and promotion on a equal footing. And, with the mention of you closing 6 contracts, I'm sure each of those wants money in their own way. This means that someone, probaly me again, will have to pony up yet another chunk of change. How does this level the playing field?

If Michael Goeheagen can afford to get the "gold" package, with bla bla space, and yadda yadda tools, but I can only afford the "brown" package, with limited space and availability, how does that level the field? Yes, I know that to play, you often have to pay, and for that, I'm kinda strapped as well... I have the family and home to support before I can indulge in my hobby, and since this isn't life altering yet, I can't justify any extra expenditure. But I still think my voice is just as valid as Dawn and Drew's, Tim Hensons, or anyone else's....

Ok, this is reallly rambling now, so I'll just summarize, and post a better explanation of what I mean in the near future...

1. Podcasting popularity will be determined by availability, content and production value
2. Money will be the only way to solve two, if not all three of these issues
3. not everyone can afford to play at the same cost
4. if they can't, the playing field isn't level
5. Money is killing the internet, and will kill podcasting given the proper chance
6. You are a leader Adam,
   
7. Give each troop the same weapon, and then they might have the same chance... first time someone does their show with more equiptment than someone else, you are no longer fairly able to judge that persons value as a caster.

Potential costs

1. Equiptment
2. Software
3. Bandwidth
4. Storage space
5. Broadcast license for music
6. Time

Until you can solve all those 6 items, there can be no level playing field, and to do that, you would have to be able to provide these items to ANY potential 'caster.

Sorry, but this is just how I feel....

Thanks for listening, I'll see you tomorrow....

Ta!