DIY radio
The majority of podcasts created for Internet distribution are by individuals working in the privacy of their own homes. While this can be "DIY" (do-it-yourself) at its worst, some of these programs actually approach broadcast quality. Adam Curry's "Daily Source Code" betrays his professional background as a radio personality and MTV-VJ. "Coverville" is a half-hour program hosted by software programmer Brian Ibbott devoted exclusively to cover versions of songs, both famous and obscure. Although Ibbott occasionally does some radio no-nos (coughing into the mic, family members walking into the room), his delivery is inviting, and his choice of material makes this a favorite podcast for thousands.

Like many other podcasts, you can subscribe to Coverville either through a directory link, or directly from its website.

All kinds of music can be found in podcasts, although there are some licensing issues with ASCAP and BMI that currently curtail this somewhat. Some fledgling artists and labels are using podcasts to break new music that is not represented by these performance rights organizations. An entire subgenre of "podsafe" music sites (music not represented by the Recording Industry Association of America) have sprung into existence, allowing subscribers to download and share new music without fear of legal action. As a result, podcasting is rapidly becoming an important source for breaking new music.

The bulk of podcasts currently remain talk shows. These kinds of podcasts are the easiest to produce, and in some cases represent the evolution of a blog from the written word to an audio feed. All kinds of review programs are available, from movie reviews, to sports, to investment advice. A number of churches regularly post sermons and inspirational programming, and other religions and philosophies are represented as well. There are several tech and computer-oriented programs, and, of course, some programs that can only be described as rants.

As of this writing, the hottest talk show is "The Dawn and Drew Show" podcast. The program is just banter between a youngish ex-punk married couple from the comfort of their Wisconsin farmhouse — it's programming that wouldn't last a minute on commercial radio. And yet, their wit, their chemistry and above all, their indie hipness have made Dawn Miceli and Drew Domkus the stars of podcasting, with an international subscriber base of over 11,000 listeners.

Podcasting doesn't fall under the jurisdiction of the FCC, so like satellite radio, anything goes. Dawn and Drew occasionally venture into material that would mean big fines for Howard Stern. While some podcasts remain "clean," others revel in the freedom to talk explicitly about adult-oriented topics. Not having to worry about censorship, though, has given many podcasts an almost stream-of-consciousness feel that has, if not technical polish, an attraction all its own.

Community radio podcasting
Several non-NPR public stations have also jumped into the field, making their unique programming available to the world. Radio stations have had mixed success streaming their signals over the Internet. The biggest problem is bandwidth — even with expensive T1 cables, the number of listeners who can tune in simultaneously is usually measured in the hundreds. Podcast downloads, which are quick connections (usually the time between sign-on and sign-off is a few seconds), don't strain servers the way streaming can. This allows these community stations to offer their wonderfully eclectic programming to listeners worldwide— in some cases, the number of podcast subscribers can approach the size of the program's broadcast audience.

Two of the many examples of programming available as podcasts include "Thomas Edison's Attic," and "The Folk Show." WFMU in the New York City area broadcasts "Thomas Edison's Attic," a bi-weekly program of recordings made between 1895-1925. "The Folk Show" is a regular feature on WNUR in Chicago — folk musicians visit the studio to chat and share music with knowledgeable hosts. While these programs are far too specialized for national radio distribution, they're perfectly suited to the niche audiences of podcasting.