Cherokee woman teaches this new high-tech
craze around the world
Wednesday, July 20, 2005 4:01 AM
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By Tara O'Shea
Cherokee Tribune Staff Writer
A new
wave of radio listening is hitting computers and iPods in Cherokee
County and across the country.
Penny Haynes of Woodstock has
been teaching podcasting since June 2004. She recently finished
teaching a class that will help others put their two cents in over
the airways.
Podcasting is a way to make your own audio show,
much like a radio broadcast. You can talk about whatever you feel
like, record it and broadcast it over the Internet. The files also
are stored online so they can be downloaded to iPod or mp3 player
digital music players.
"It is a 'grassroots'
movement, meaning anyone can record their thoughts or ideas, and
interviews," Mrs. Haynes, 41, said. "They can just ramble on if they
want, with no FCC regulations."
She said podcasters start
shows for many reasons.
"People can have their own radio show
they can download and express their talents with, but what I use it
for is to promote myself in my business," she said. "Some people use
it for entertainment, and share their expertise, and others are
doing it in the hopes of selling items, or products that they have.
Some casts are like infomercials."
Internet junkies aren't
the only ones getting involved with the new phenomenon.
"It's
bleeding edge," Mrs. Haynes said. "iTunes added podcasting this
month. In the first two days, they added 1 million subscribers. It's
growing rapidly. In April, there were supposedly 22 million iPod
owners, and 6 million downloading podcasts. People can take it with
them in their car and soon it will be deliverable to your cell
phone."
A reported 60 million people will have their own
podcasts by 2010 and Mrs. Haynes hopes to help as many as she
can.
"Most of my business is virtual, my clients are from all
over the world," she said. "I have taught people in Hawaii, New
Zealand and Marietta and Atlanta."
The technology is not
limited to audio, video and e-books, any attachment the user wants
can be added to the podcast. All of it is streaming live, and people
can download the shows that want to their iPods so they're always
connected.
Mrs. Haynes creates five regular podcasts
herself.
"They're not strictly audio. One has a comedy clip
of the week, videos, free e-book, a link to a movie, so sometimes I
put video and ebooks, but audio is the main attachment. I have one
that is business related called 'Brainstorm', and then I have one
that is faith-based, plus an inspirational section," she
said.
Mrs. Haynes keeps all of her podcasts
family-friendly.
"I started a podcasting directory, called
'familyfriendlypodcasts.com.' A lot of podcasts don't warn you that
there is explicit stuff on there. Mine is solely family-friendly,
with no positive drug promotion," she said.
Mrs. Haynes said
she has been successful in teaching podcasting, and hopes to expand
her business. Her podcasting course costs $249, which includes a
free mp3 player and more than eight hours of audio and video
lessons. Her business Web site is www.virtualbiz4u.com.
She
lives in Woodstock with her husband, Ronnie, and two children,
Shayna, 14, and Joshua, 16, who attend Woodstock High.
Laura
Gonzales of New Jersey, who works in virtual business solutions,
took the course and found it very helpful.
"This has given my
business an edge that maybe another business owner doesn't have.
It's the ability to leave the office and still be at work," said Ms.
Gonzales, a business advisor in software training.
"I make
quick books for software training; I have been involved with
podcasting since I finished taking the class about a month ago," she
said.
Paige Effinger of St. James, Mo., works at a locally
broadcasted radio show and took the class to offer the show via the
Internet.
"We sit there and listen for people to ask us
computer questions," she said of the show. "It's for people who are
new to computers and don't have anyone to go to."
Because of
podcasting, the show has expanded.
"So far, we occasionally
get to interview software and hardware manufactures and are able to
share interviews on the PC Primer blog. It has enhanced show," she
said. "We've done about four shows now with the podcasting, and our
audience is growing every week."
Although it may sound
complicated, Mrs. Effinger said podcasting isn't too hard to
grasp.
"The details of actually creating the podcast was
pretty easy, but the audio recording about killed me," she said.
"Penny provided an audio recording that was worth the entire cost of
the class."
toshea@cherokeetribune.com
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