BEIJING, Sept. 7 -- Avant-garde artist and fashion guru Andy Warhol once said that in life, everyone gets to be famous for 15 minutes.

    For the thousands of would-be singers, DJs, and talk show hosts who can't wait for their time in the spotlight, a computer and microphone, some state-of-the-art software that's freely available on the Internet, and a little guile, is all they need to become part of the newest trend hitting the Internet.

    And that trend is podcasting. First coined by former MTV veejay Adam Curry who, along with software developer Dick Winer, created key software that enabled podcasts to be made. Podcasting is the creation of audio files (podcasts) that can be saved to a website and downloaded by anyone with a computer or portable MP3 player and listened to.

    The term podcast, a portmanteau of two words, broadcasting and iPod, Apple Computer's now ubiquitous music player is something of a misnomer, since such files do not need either an iPod or a portable MP3 player to be played only a computer with a media player capable of handling the MP3 format.

    What is clear, however, is that podcasts are allowing ordinary Joes everywhere the chance to become media personalities by hosting and starring in their own radio programmes.

    And in today's highly individualized world where a sophisticated and discerning public is becoming more and more fragmented in terms of taste and lifestyle, this kind of content is finding favour with listeners who are looking for something that speaks directly to them.

    Podcasting, like web logging or blogging (personal diaries posted on the Internet), creates online communities, where people can share their views, experiences and interests, said David James, founder of Blogmatrix Sparks!, developer of a new piece of software that allows users to create and capture podcasts more easily than ever before.

    And in terms of reach, podcasts are drawing audiences because they are easy to find and, being pre-recorded and archived, can be played at the listener's convenience. Like video-on-demand, the use of content is "time-shifted," in that it can be accessed any time and anywhere, to suit the listener's own schedule.

    Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, the medium is gaining in popularity as a means of self-expression. Through podcasting, people are finding a certain sense of fulfilment presenting their unique selves to the world, or in many cases, to their own fan base of friends and family, even if this means only a handful of people.

    Local podcaster

    For devoted podcasters, this is enough, says Brainman, the creative mind at Hiradio.com. Brainman, who prefers to go by his online moniker, is founder, tech wizard and driving force behind the online portal that offers professionally produced real-time radio besides hosting a multitude of podcast channels, with content all locally created.

    "We do many different shows including local indie bands and interviews, live singing performances, discussions on art and culture, love and relationships, food, social issues and even politics," he says.

    And in keeping with the spirit of this new age of egalitarian media, "we don't have any special rules about the content we create. We just do what we want to do and are happy if we can find an audience that likes what we are doing. We are the first site offering Cantonese language podcasts in Hong Kong, and most of our podcasters are first timers."

    The website only began offering podcasts in April this year, just over a year after the concept first took hold in the United States, at the beginning of 2004. But in a testament to its popularity and the potential audiences it can reach, the site already boasts over 3,000 hits daily.

    "Our listeners come from all age groups and comprise about 40 per cent of local listeners and 60 per cent of overseas audiences," he says. "People find links to our site using search words like 'indie bands' or 'indie dramas' as well as 'Cantonese podcast'."

    While the website boss himself has scaled back on creating content to concentrate on managing the burgeoning site the site's runaway success has left him "too busy" he was one of Hiradio's original podcasters, he says.

    "The programmes I did before were about world music and stage performances. Not popular subjects, but ones that I was interested in. I actually found that there were a lot of small groups of people out there that also had an interest in these topics and suddenly my audience grew."

    And while much of the content being created by other undiscovered media stars is unmistakably amateurish poor sound quality and even poorer presentation Brainman is diligent about his work.

    "When I did my shows, I did a lot of research," the podcast pioneer said. "I spent a lot of time thinking about the topics I wanted to present and that interested me, and I collected everything I could about them. You never know what can be useful."

    While Hiradio's team of DJs delivers a diverse mix of content, the common factor is that "all of our podcasters love what they do. They love being hosts and have a strong desire to express themselves and their feelings and talk about things that are meaningful to them."

    There is in no doubt in Brainman's mind that the growth of this new media will continue. "The number of visitors to the site has increased dramatically since we started to include podcasts into the site. Our hit rate has jumped."

    Meanwhile, "many of my friends are starting to show interest. They know what podcasting is, but are taking a wait and see approach."

¡¡¡¡Asian pop

    While Hiradio's new breed of DJs are happy to cater to a select group of fans, elsewhere in the city, another podcaster has grander plans in mind.

    "Podcasting is a bit like working in a chocolate shop, but one that targets a particular chocolate lover," said Tony Reno, founder and presenter of his own podcast site Dragon Radio. The amateur DJ and talk show host presents his own brand of music on the site, in a weekly show that broadcast online every Saturday.

    "Every shop can sell similar products, but in your shop, you are offering a specialty something people cannot get anywhere else. The way I present my programme and the music is the same. I provide a range of Asian pop music for English-speaking listeners that is unique and appeals to people outside of Asia. My aim is to expose the Western world to the delights of Asian music. I am the host, I choose all of the music, and hope that this reflects on my good taste."

    And in keeping with the all-Asia theme, Reno only plays music from the region where "at least" half of the lyrics are non-English, he says.

    Like many podcasts, Dragon Radio, which was only set up in February, is a one-man operation, supported by friends and fellow music lovers.

    "Podcasting is not that well known yet in Hong Kong and I do not have many friends doing this. I have an ex-colleague in Thailand that helps with interviews and provides music. But I do it all myself. I spend about four hours a week putting together my show and every second I can spare searching for new music."

    "What I do have, however, is people around Asia co-hosting shows with me, and these (shows) are the best. We speak in English and I think it is a great opportunity for my listeners to hear and get to know people in Asia and understand where they are coming from."

    For the potential media star, going it alone is a minor inconvenience when compared to satisfying his passion for Asian music and bringing it to a new audience. "I am always looking to new music, it pops up in my daily life. And I get to make new friends at the same time."

    (Source: China Daily)