not content with altering the meaning of the word PODCAST by making it a verb for the listener, RTÉ Radio are now asking people to go on line to a web based radio player to get a podcast of previous shows.
“Podcast today’s show at the RTÉ Radio Player”
Why is this a problem? well, on top of shifting the meaning of the word over the years they are now shifting the meaning of the technology. RTÉ Radio player is a streaming play back service. This has one great advantage over podcasts, it means radio shows can be played in full including copyrighted materials such as songs. While for a limited set of shows it offers a download button it hasn’t yet worked for me.
But a stream back service where people are being directed to is NOT a podcast and frankly it never will be, so my gripe is that RTÉ are taking great licence with the meaning of a technology & the word that describes it. This may lead to the non provision of podcasts (podcast definition: A multimedia digital file made available on the Internet for downloading to a portable media player, computer, etc.) in the future, in favour of streaming which is a media shift that is not always in the best interests of the listeners who are seeking time shifted media.