The Problem with Podcasts

I’ve talked about this before, but I want to say it again.

The problem with podcasts is you can’t link to a specific part of the podcast.  You can link to the entire MP3, but if there is a funny joke or a great song, you can’t highlight that and take me right to  it.

Last week I was walking to work and listening to the one of the earlier Smoke and Mirrors podcasts which is no longer available online (another problem – need permalinks).

Jackson played a great tune that was apparently lifted from the Expensive Wino sessions at Keith Richards’ home in Connecticut and then treated to a superdub. I instantly wanted to blog it, but could not.  Jackson sent me the MP3 and here it is in case there are any Keith Richards/Stones fans out there who want to sample it.

We need the ability to link into a specific point in the podcast and we need good inexpensive hosting services so people can keep their podcasts up forever the way we keep our blog posts up forever.  What’s a permalink worth if its not permanent?

I am a fan of podcasting and have even called myself a podhead in a prior post.  I listen to at least five and sometimes as many as ten podcasts a week.  Yet we have not made any of the podcast related investments that have been out there to make.  I guess that even with all my enthusiam for podcasting as a creator of them, a listener of them, and an advocate of them, I still find myself in the camp of David, Jeff, and Russell for now.