September 30th is International Podcast Day! A day dedicated to celebrating the rich history of podcasts and the technological innovations that made them possible.
Originally called audioblogs, the term "Podcasting" wasn't used until Ben Hammersley first coined it in 2004 while he was working for The Guardian. Later the term was used to describe audio content that could be automatically downloaded and synchronized, by Dannie Gregoire. However, the modern definition wasn't created until 2004 when Dave Slusher described it as such in The Evil Genius Chronicles. The Oxford Dictionary defines it as "an audio recording, typically featuring speech, that may be downloaded or streamed on a computer or mobile device, generally available as a series to which people can subscribe."
Rudimentary technology that would later become what we use for podcasting was developed in the 1980s and used for Russian radio broadcasting. What made a podcast though was the creation and use of Really Simple Syndication or RSS technology. When audio files converted from MP3 to an RSS format is when the podcasting era started.
The "Daily Source Code" created by Adam Curry is considered the first true and the oldest podcast in existence. It was the first to combine RSS technology and scripting. Though more rudimentary shows such as the show "Patriots Unfiltered," formerly known as "PFW in Progress" which was created in the year 2000, laid some of the groundwork for what would later become a true podcast. Another notable first podcast was the conversion of Doug Kaye's "interviews at IT Conventions" from a strictly MP3 to RSS format.
Since their foundation in the early 2000s, podcasts have been an ongoing source of creativity, communication, and collaboration across all points of view, interests, and genres of content. We are proud to continue this method of creation and look forward to many many many years of participating in and celebrating making podcasts!
"Live your life with passion- and, as long as it lasts, enjoy your freedom." - Adam Curry, Daily Source Code
Sources:
"podcast, n. : Oxford English Dictionary". www.oed.com. Archived from the original on April 11, 2021.
"Why online radio is booming". The Guardian. Archived from the original on January 23, 2023.
Gregoire, Dannie J. 2004. "How to handle getting past episodes? Archived April 13, 2013, at the Wayback Machine" In the ipodder-dev mailing list, Thu, September 16, 2004.
Dave, Slusher (September 18, 2004). "Audioblog for Sept 18, 2004". Archived from the original on November 6, 2022.
Pot, Justin, August 23, 2013 The Evolution Of The Podcast — How A Medium Was Born Archived December 6, 2020, at the Wayback Machine
"Podcasting History: The Numbers Don't Lie". Podcast.co. Archived from the original on September 24, 2021.
PFW in Progress 6/26: Offseason Topics and Intellectual Property Debate. (2025). Patriots.com. https://www.patriots.com/audio/pfw-in-progress-6-26-offseason-topics-and-intellectual-property-debate
Kaye, Doug, September 24, 2003 Blogarithms Archived August 30, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
