Podcasting is a term that has become well absorbed into the common vernacular in recent years and is taken to mean ‘the free downloading of audio segments onto Apple iPods’. This has now been expanded to include video as well - what will the new name be? Vidpodding? iVids? The new iPods will bring with them a tremendous amount of traffic and more than a few headaches for the Big-Boys in Hollywood in much the same way they annoyed Big Music in their audio incarnation. TV shows, private videos and such are likely to compete with the current radio broadcasts as the new video-enabled Pods hit the stores.


The main area of contention and conequently the hole into which a good deal of speculative cash has been poured lies in conjecture over which kinds of video will become the trend-setters. It’s fair to suggest that the current most popular audio podcasts will maintain a large following, so expect a good deal of religious broadcasts, Country & Western, etc. Although one major area that stands to show tremendous growth, if on the quiet, will almost certainly be pornography. Although the initial quality that the new iPods can display is still under consideration, pornography is certain to be a big Podcasting favorite when the new iPods become available.


So what does this mean for the future? It’s hard to tell, but its certainly interesting and there will be a lot of money in it for the people who can pick up the scent the quickest. The new technologies and the inevitable new markets that they will promote may well have a dramatic effect on our perception of visual media as a whole and may become another nail in the coffin of the terrestrial networks at the very least.


Whatever the outcome, you can rest assured that the Video iPods will do no damage to Apple and will help keep CEO, Steve Jobs, liquid for some years to come