In this installment, Allen and Mike discuss commerce and community, two essential forces driving the evolution of podcasting. 

We address these issues through the lens of Podshow, the well-funded venture headed by Adam Curry and Ron Bloom. 

Mike is somewhat circumspect during this discussion as some parts of the Podshow story are still under wraps. 

A year ago, I started the project that has manifested itself in this Website, an odd assortment of media thoughts, rich media content (Podcasts and Videoblogs) and a bunch of other notions. This site has allowed me to grow in my knowledge of how things work and how they can be applied to new opportunities.

The next step in my growth has two components: 1) We (Mike McGuire and I) have to make our MADCasts sound better. I’ll match our content against any other technology Podcast on the Web, but the sound quality…well…is less than desirable (I am being polite). If we are able to up our production game, I think we could have more widespread recognition. 2) I want to create a few five-to-seven “TV programs.” Along those lines, we are fairly far along in turning our garage into a TV studio (it’s a little chilly out there, though) and I have my next video camera lined up. I have two workable ideas for programs and am close to “storyboarding” them. The year of shooting videoblog segments along with some previous experience in producing and hosting a cable TV program called “On Video” (circa 1987-1988) allows me the visualize my new “programs.”

I think the five-to-seven minute format will be the next great thing. It allows for two or three commercials (one pre roll, one at the end and maybe one on the middle) and tells a good story. It’s the right length to be viewed in real time, downloaded and enjoyed on an iPod or viewed in the workplace for someone wanting a quick break or diversion. As much I don’t believe in the mobile phone as a viewing medium, this length will also work in that venue.

I have no time frame for my first segment of my first program. I hope to have at least one done by the end of January. Stay tuned.

Being an early adopter sort, I felt compelled to try CNN Pipeline this morning. CNN Pipeline is CNN’s new pay news service delivered via the Web. Being a thrifty sort, I am on the 99 cent “for the day” trial.

Some early thoughts:

1. If you want the desktop player, it’s a funky download requiring some sort of Microsoft runtime to be installed. I am not a big fan of such things, but I figured the collateral damage would be slight.
2. The picture is the size of an index card which is pretty decent. I don’t see a full screen mode anywhere.
3. There are many viewing options including a mini mode that is relatively unobtrusive. I cannot figure how to get the player to persistently stay on the screen no matter what else I am doing (checking email, using Word,, etc..)
4. There is a cool feedback feature that populates an email to allow you to share your thoughts. Gotta figure there will be an AIM client soon (AOL and CNN are both in the TWX family)
5. There are four pipes (channels) running at the same time on varying themes. Right now, there is an international story, something on the White House, weather forecasts and a general news feed. The anchor appears to be dedicated to the Pipeline as opposed to a rebroadcast of an existing feed.
6. There are no commercials
7. There are lots of on-demand feeds and segments on such topics as sports, entertainment, business, etc..

On a 0-10, it gets a solid 7.5 so far. There’s nothing better than watching a live feed of  heavy snow falling in Virginia when it’s sunny and 65 at your home.

As Mike and I mentioned on our most recent MADCast, we are crazy about Yahoo!’s new RSS feed reader which is baked into the Beta client of the new Yahoo! Mail (hopefully coming soon to a PC near you).

Today, if you go to Inform, you can create your own customized RSS feeds (and, of course loading them into your Yahoo! mail client). You need to do a search at which point you can follow a few steps and generate an RSS feed. You cut and paste the feed script into your reader of choice, and away you go. It’s especially useful for topics that don’t have a natural RSS feed. Worth a try.

Maybe I am prejudiced as a former newspaper reporter, columnist and digital media exec, but I say you can never count the print guys out. Yeah, yeah.. I know I am cheerleading, but take a look at the new TV-video effort from The Virginian-Pilot (a Landmark Communications company). It’s cool and light years ahead of others in their sector. Keep in mind, though, Landmark was way ahead of the pack back in the early ‘90s in the world of newspaper voice and then Internet services. From an innovation standpoint, this effort then is no big surprise.