So what exactly is this new fangled phenomenon called podcasting? Here’s the skinny.

The technical definition of podcasting (according to wikipedia) is: “a digital media file, or a series of such files, that is distributed over the Internet using syndication feeds, for playback on portable media players and personal computers.”

The key components of podcasting are digital media files, syndication and the Internet. The idea of syndication is that the content is sent out like a magazine subscription instead of the recipient going to get the content, such as walking to a news stand to buy the magazine. The technology behind the scenes is similar to that which drives blogging on the Internet and the analogy holds true: a blog is to the newspaper as podcasting is to radio and television.

The history of podcasting is not that different from that of the traditional media formats of radio and broadcast television. It began as audio and was a means for anyone to create a radio-style show and distribute it to iPods, the transistor radios of the 21st century.

That was almost 3 years ago. Now, the technique and mechanisms of podcasting are being used not only by thousands of individuals around the world to deliver audio and video, but by almost every major media outlet as well. In-home devices, such as AppleTV and Tivo, can playback video from podcasts as seamlessly and easily as stored broadcast television programs. Mobile devices like Nokia phones have built-in podcast clients. It’s one of the fastest growing and widest distribution mechanisms in the history of media.

So now that you know a little bit more about podcasting, why not jump in head first? We’ve selected a few podcasts that are sure to grab your attention. Visit wizzard.tv/starterpack to get started.