MultiVu Begins Podcasting

On August 29, MultiVu announced that journalists, bloggers and news consumers can now access audio news releases as podcasts and download them to their desktop, iPod or other personal communications device through PR Newswire's public and media-only Web sites.

In addition, MultiVu is also podcasting PR Newswire's Broadcast Minute report, an audio summary of the day's top news releases. Launched as a text service for radio journalists and producers, the Broadcast Minute report is now available to download in MP3 audio format via PR Newswire's media-only website, PR Newswire for Journalists, PR Newswire's public Web site, http://www.prnewswire.com and Apple's iTunes Database.

By 'podcasting' this content, MultiVu is embracing this rapidly growing form of internet-based distribution to make its customers' news available to key audiences, allowing them to retrieve and listen at their convenience.

Located under 'Radio' on PR Newswire for Journalists, producers and reporters can click on individual story podcasts to download for airing on their broadcasts throughout the day. Consumers, bloggers and other interested parties can download the same podcasts through PR Newswire's public Web site under the RSS tab, http://www.prnewswire.com/rss, and through Apple's iTunes database.

Podcasting is a method of content distribution that relies upon RSS, Really Simple Syndication, an XML-based format, to deliver MP3 audio files. Although named after Apple Computer's iPod player, it does not require an iPod to listen. In fact, podcasts can be listened to via a computer or most other .mp3 players with Internet connectivity. (For a broader definition, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podcasting).

Apple's recent support of podcasts in the latest version of the their popular iTunes software removes the need for podcast management applications, thus enabling podcasting to become a more mainstream technology. The original intention for podcasting was a way for amateurs to create and distribute their own radio shows, but today there are many different ways in which podcasting is being used. Virtually anything that is digitally recorded can be made into a podcast and many industries are taking advantage of this new medium including education (audio homework), syndicated radio (downloadable episodes) and news programs (up to the minute updates).