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If Advertisers adopt Podcasting, where does that leave Radio?

From Radio World:

Car companies are using podcasts as part of their advertising, reports BusinessWeek.

Volvo paid $60,000 for Weblogs to sponsor a blog and podcast for six months, the magazine reported. The audio program has been downloaded by users 20,000 times four months into the agreement.

Also, General Motors has begun "FastLane Radio," according to the report. The podcast features a PR person interviewing a GM executive about a new Pontiac.

Calling podcasting a threat to traditional media, Rishad Tobaccowala of Publicis Groupe Media said podcasting allows consumers to be their own programmers. "That will obsolete terrestrial radio for many advertisers," he told BusinessWeek.

Wrapped inside every threat is an opportunity.

The obvious question is this: Why can't Radio at the national level work with advertisers to create podcasts that can be distributed through radio station websites in conjunction with a buy which, of course, draws attention to those podcasts? The answer: We can! We should be encouraging this, not allowing it to be viewed as a threat.

Podcasting is to Radio spots as infomercials are to TV spots.

The purpose of Radio in this equation should be to promote the podcasts!

Hello, RAB, is anybody home?

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