ABSTRACT
In this chapter, I propose a way out of this debate, a third way which draws upon the cultural history of broadcasting, the political economy of communication, Social Construction of Technology studies (SCOT), Actor-Network Theory (ANT), and Cultural Studies to explore the very nature of podcasting as a medium. Comparing the early years of broadcasting with the early stage of podcasting, I will try to show that podcasting has re-mediated some aspects of radio, but it also represents something completely different.
I will account for this ‘hybrid’ nature of podcasting’s cultural form: podcasting should not be intended solely as a media object (the podcast episode) nor as a distribution technology (the .rss format, the podcast networks or the podcast streaming platforms), but as a new, hybrid, cultural form, that draws not only from radio, but also from theatre, performing arts, design, and internet culture.
