Podcast Nation : Add a Podcast

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What is this RSS?

RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication and it's the mechanism that allows frequently updated digital content such as blogs, news 'feeds, and podcasts to be published to the internet.

Your interaction with RSS will usually be via a feed. Traditionally a feed is indicated by this icon;

The RSS feed, in it's raw format, is a series of instructions. These instructions are read by a piece of software called an RSS reader which then presents you with the contents of the blog, news feed or podcast that has created the RSS feed.

It's really simple. For example, imagine you want to keep up with the latest golf news from the BBC sport website. The BBC provides an RSS feed for golf news. Point your RSS reader to that feed and rather than having to keep going back to the BBC website to check for updated news items, your RSS reader will do it for you by checking the instructions within the RSS feed!

But what about podcasts and RSS?

Each podcast has it's own RSS feed. When you hear a podcaster talking about their 'feed' you'd be excused for thinking they were talking about what they're going to have for lunch. In actuality they mean their RSS feed. This RSS feed will contain information about their latest podcast episode, i.e. where the mp3 file is and any notes and links they may have included that are pertinent to that episode. Rather than you having to go to their website and manually download each episode, their RSS feed will deliver it to you. Automatically.

You need a piece of software to read their RSS feed and download each episode, and for the most part the software is free. A few examples are;

iTunes and Juice are available for Macintosh and Windows, with Juice also having a Linux compatible version. Winpodder is Windows-only. Collectively we'll call these pieces of software 'podcast client's.

How do you use them?

Let's start with iTunes , principally because iTunes has a dedicated podcast section. When you've downloaded and installed iTunes you'll see on the left hand panel a link to the iTunes Store. Click it and on the next page click the link to podcasts. Now you can go wild sampling and subscribing to all the podcasts that your little heart desires. But here's a word of advice. That list on the right hand side of the podcast page that lists the 'top podcasts' doesn't always display the best podcasts, so dig around - you'll find some gems.

You'll see a 'subscribe' button on each podcast page, but don't panic, subscription to podcasts is free, apart from a very few examples. So, subscribe subscribe subscribe, iTunes will soon be downloading lots of free podcasts, creating a link on the left hand side of the iTunes window called, bizarelly enough, podcasts. Click it and it will reveal all the podcasts you're subscribed to. Now, by default iTunes usually only downloads the latest podcast episode. But there may be dozens of other earlier episodes available too. What if you want to have them? Look for the 'Get' button. Click it. They'll start downloading.

Take some time to look through the Podcast Nation directory. Each podcast has a 'subscribe' button which links to that podcast's feed. Find a podcast you're interested in, then click the 'subscribe' button. Some link directly to the podcast's iTunes page and upon clicking the button you'll be prompted to allow Podcast Nation access to iTunes where it will automatically subscribe you to that podcast. If the link doesn't go to iTunes it will instead go to the podcast's RSS feed. Note that the address bar of your web browser will now display the address of the RSS feed. Copy that address and open up iTunes. Look for the 'Advanced' tab, it's up on the top of the window. Then click 'Subscribe to podcast' and paste the RSS feed address. You're now subscribed to the podcast. Really simple syndication.

On your web surfing travels you may stumble across a podcast's website. If they've got an iTunes subscribe button on the page, click it, and like with Podcast Nation, you'll be prompted by your web browser to allow it to open up iTunes . Click 'Ok' and you'll now be subscribed to the podcast's RSS feed. iTunes will automatically start downloading the latest episode and you can choose, as above, to get any earlier episodes.

Juice works a little differently. When installed, click on the fruity little lemon icon. The interface is very clean and simple and you can access a podcast directory where you can browse through podcasts by double-clicking the folders. For example, double-click the Podcast Alley Top 50 folder. It will then list the top 50 podcasts according to Podcast Alley. Double-click one of the podcasts in the list. A new Juice window pops up entitled 'Add a Feed'. This window is your friend. You can give a name to the podcast you're about to subscribe to if you wish, but either way click 'Save'. Now in the main Juice window you'll see the latest episode downloading. The lower half of the window displays the downloaded episodes. Put a tick next to the other episodes you wish to download, then, in the upper half of the window, click the green button. These episodes will now start downloading.

Remember the process we went through with iTunes using the RSS feed to subscribe to a podcast? Let's replicate that, but this time we'll use Juice. So, find a podcast in Podcast Nation, copy the RSS feed address, as described above. Now in Juice click the 'Subscriptions' tab. Click the green plus (+) button and paste the address in the URL box, then click Save. This podcast will now be listed in the top half of the Subscription window.

As stated previously, Juice can be downloaded for Mac, Windows and Linux.

Winpodder is a Windows-only podcast client. Podcast User Magazine rated it 10 out of 10 in a recent review. Here's how to use it. Upon opening up Winpodder you'll in the top part of the window that you have a sampling of podcasts to listen to. Clicking one of the icons give you the option to start downloading the latest episode, the lower part of the window revealing earlier episodes. But what if you want to add more podcasts than those there by default? It's incredibly simple. Again, we're back on the podcast's web site, and we're looking for the RSS logo. This time clicking brings up a Windows notification box telling you that you're now subscribed to that podcast. Back to the Winpodder window, and there you have it, the podcast is now displayed in the top part of the window. Really simple.

Listener - FAQs

Where do I find podcasts?
Podcast directories, like Podcast Nation, list hundreds, often thousands of podcasts covering many different topics. They're a great place to start. iTunes has a podcast page with a simple interface for previewing and subscribing to podcasts.

Subscribing? That sounds like I need to pay.
Very few podcasts charge you to listen. The word subscribe is here used to describe the process of telling your podcast client to collect each episode of the podcast automatically.

How do I move the podcasts onto my portable player?
If you have an iPod then the software that came with it, iTunes, will take care of that for you automatically. When your iPod is docked, click the preferences and look for the podcast tab. There you'll find all the settings for synchronising your podcasts onto your iPod.
If you're using another mp3 player it is usually a case of dragging and dropping the podcast files from your computer onto your mp3 player. For example, iTunes stores the downloaded podcasts in your Music folder on your PC or Mac. Juice can be configured to store the downloaded podcasts in a folder of your choosing. When Juice is open click Preferences, then the General tab. Look for the 'Download podcasts into this folder' option.
Instructions for moving mp3 files onto your portable media player are usually found in the player's instruction manual.

How do I download the podcast episodes?
Detailed instructions for receiving podcasts automatically can be found on Podcast Nation. But in simple terms look for the RSS logo, iTunes subscribe button or a simple 'subscribe' link on the podcast's homepage or in podcast directories such as Podcast Nation.

Podcasters - getting your podcast into Podcast Nation

Listing your podcast on a site such as Podcast Nation is an essential way to gain new listeners. To add your podcast click the 'Add a Podcast' button on the front page.

You should take a few moments to read understand our site policies before you begin so that your site will be included

1. Step One

Determine whether a site is appropriate for submission.
* Do not submit mirror sites. Mirror sites are sites that contain identical content, but have altogether different URLs.
* Do not submit URLs that contain only the same or similar content as other sites you may have listed in the directory. Sites with overlapping and repetitive content are not helpful to users of the directory. Multiple submissions of the same or related sites may result in the exclusion and/or deletion of those and all affiliated sites.
* We have a policy against the inclusion of sites with illegal content.
* Do not submit sites "under construction." Wait until a site is complete before submitting it.

2. Step Two

Do a quick search in the directory to be sure your site isn't already listed.

3. Step Three

Identify the best category for your site and submit a site to the most relevant category - this will speed up the process of Inclusion. Sites submitted to inappropriate or unrelated categories may be rejected or removed.

4. Step Four

Once you've selected the best category for your site, go directly to that category and then click the "Add a Podcast" button again on the grey menu header. Follow the instructions on the submission form carefully. Descriptions of sites should describe the content of the site concisely and accurately.

Podcast Nation may reject, delete, or edit submissions that violate these policies or that we otherwise believe, in our sole discretion, should not be included in the directory. We may also reject, delete, or block other sites that we believe to be associated with a user who has violated these policies.

Once your podcast has been listed, get it rated. Add one of the pre-configured buttons on your website where your listeners can click through to Podcast Nation and rate your podcast.

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