Podcasts? Vlogs? Huh?

– Posted in: Miscellaneous, Recommended Links
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If you feel proud of yourself for learning to upload a photo or adding a few items to your sidebar, you might not be aware of what’s up-and-coming in the blogging world. Even if those two tricks have been in your repertoire for a long time, you may, like me, have been too busy to keep up on the latest trends. That’s why I asked M. Sinclair Stevens and Doug Welsh to help me–and you–get up to speed.

Is there a difference between an audio blog and a podcast?

[MSS:] “A podcast was originally an audio clip that uses syndication. Sites like iTunes then allow you to subscribe to the podcast. The word podcast is a morph of broadcast and only coincidentally related to iPod. However, if you use an iTunes/iPod setup, you can then download the podcast and listen to it on the go. Now that iTunes supports video, some people use the term podcast to refer to either a video or audio clip that is syndicated and can be downloaded.”

[DW:] “I consider what I do a “podcast”. Very generic. Podcast is more of a distribution method than any particular form of show. I throw in some video every now and then. ”

Is the term vlogging, or v-blogging, or is there not yet a consensus on what the term is? And is there a difference between a video blog and offering videos on your blog, like Doug does?

[MSS:] “On YouTube a vlog is a video blog. Typically it’s a video where a person talks to the camera about diary-type subjects and other people post text comments or video responses. YouTube has lots of other videos (humorous, instructional, ads) that aren’t vlogs. Mainstream media tends to use the term video blog. I’ve also seen videocasting as a morph from broadcasting and podcasting. The terminology is new but I think that the trend will be towards “vlog” and “vlogging”. Technorati has only 389 entries for vblog and 8221 for vlog.” (See the Wikipedia article for a more thorough definition.)

[DW:] “My videos are not typically presentational (i.e. me on the screen), so that is one big difference I see with the typical vlog.”

[MSS:] “The great thing about YouTube is that you can embed video in your blog with a simple link. You don’t have to host the video (great if you don’t have your own server) or worry about the drain on your bandwidth when people view it. You don’t have to worry about formats (Mac vs MS), either.

I predict the model that will win out with garden bloggers will be the embedded YouTube vlog. I use podcasts for practicing Japanese because I can put them on my iPod and listen to them while I’m watering or weeding. However, I tend to watch video while sitting at the computer and YouTube is the easiest format right now for uploading, downloading, and embedding video.”

Where can you find podcasts?
[DW:]In the iTunes music store, in the podcast area, you can do a keyword search. The search box is in the left hand column. This turned up a wide variety of podcasts with ‘garden’ in the title. You will need to do some basic checking to see which ones are appropriate, but there are quite a few.” [Note: you need to download the iTunes software to use the store, but even though it’s called a store, most podcasts are free.]

If someone wanted to get started doing this, are there any good places for information?

[DW:]

Examples

Podcasts that I (Kathy) know about:

M. Sinclair Stevens on videos and vlogs:

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So, that’s a brief overview of the audio and video aspects to communicating on the web. If you give it a try, please let me know about it. There are probably other experts reading this–please add your two cents in the comments.

About the Author

Kathy Purdy is a colchicum evangelist, converting unsuspecting gardeners into colchicophiles. She gardens in rural upstate NY, which used to be USDA Hardiness Zone 4 but is now Zone 5. Kathy’s been writing since 4th grade, gardening since high school, and blogging since 2002. Find her on Instagram as kopurdy.

In its own way, frost may be one of the most beautiful things to happen in your garden all year . . . Don’t miss it. Like all true beauty, it is fleeting. It will grace your garden for but a short while this morning. . . . For this moment, embrace frost as the beautiful gift that it is.

~Philip Harnden in A Gardener’s Guide to Frost: Outwit the Weather and Extend the Spring and Fall Seasons

Comments on this entry are closed.

Mary Ann September 5, 2006, 9:07 am

Kathy,

I really need some help uploading photos, changing my header, etc. I can’t find anyone here in Boise that knows this stuff. Can you recommend a site, a person? I know you are busy. I was hoping to see you at Garden WRiters…..missed you.

mss September 5, 2006, 7:29 am

I created my own short video to illustrate garden vlogging. I was even tempted to step in front of the camera a moment–fortunately good sense prevailed.