His post reads as follows:

Podcasts, or more generically, downloaded media, run the gamut from network TV shows to grade school class projects. In most instances, no one knows for sure how many people listen to any particular podcast. There are also issues like royalties, advertising, ratings and professional conduct that are cropping up as the relatively new medium finds its legs. Now, to help chart the new territory, two associations of podcasters are forming. One, the Association of Downloadable Media requires individual dues of $150 and corporate dues of $1,000. It’s guided by people from Apple and National Public Radio, among others. Another group formed as an answer to ADM under the working name, the Association of Podcasters and Online Media Producers and hopes to charge no annual dues.

Scott Bourne, president of Podango Productions in California is on the steering committee to build the APOMP according to members’ ideas. Organizers plan to conduct an online survey to gauge members’ interests and priorities.

Now I’m sorry. Did I catch that right? Apple and National Public Radio teaming up to protect the interest of podcasters? Some pretty big guns from this listener’s point of view. Will be interesting to see how the APOMP folks stand up against the ADM group.

One: Podcasting stands today as one of the last bastions of audio broadcasting delivered to mass audiences via free or nearly free channels. How will podcasters who hold true to this ideal react to these two groups and their calls for representation?

Two: Assume for an instant that one, if not both of these organizations attracts podcasters to represent. I would have to assume that from a basic monetary basis, some folks are going to side with the Apple/NPR group (ADM) and others with the APOMP folks. Will money be the only deciding factor in their selection? What other issues may come into play?

Three: To those of you who function primarily as ‘educational podcasters’ – that is, the majority if not all of your podcasts deal with topics in education: Would you consider collecting advertising dollars and royalties for your podcasts, or do you consider them to be more valuable as freely accessed educational tools? Is there a fine line one might walk between these two camps?

I have yet to record a podcast, so I cannot speak to these issues from experience. If you are an active podcaster, please consider responding to these issues. Your input would be greatly appreciated.

Technorati Tags: podcast, NPR, Apple, representation

One more reason to branch out and limit one’s reliance on textbooks:

Um…Cost! It’s not like we’re growing money trees in our school courtyards. If you are, please notify me so I can get you my school mailing address! Our FFA instructor will be most pleased. Seriously, money for books is perhaps one of the biggest obstacles facing schools today. The beauty of Creative Commons licensing is that teachers and students can open up their creative work for use by others using limited copyright restraints. We all learned how to share as kids, right? Good. Allowing academic research to be shared openly using the Open Educational Resources (OER) concept means that once created, work can be modified, built upon, remixed, and easily disseminated via the web. Need ideas or content related to biotechnology but don’t have the money for new books or courseware on the subject? Work published via the OER standard can help…with no additional dollars required! This will make your Principal very happy! Check out the ccLearn project to see how Creative Commons is trying to facilitate the OER standardization process.

I personally came across the ccLearn project by way of David Warlick’s 2 Cents Worth blog. The image he uses in his article discussing the project’s ramifications in regards to textbook publishers is just awesome! I’ve included a copy of it here for you to see.

Is this great or what? As an adjunct professor of Humanities at a local community college, as well as a former college student/current lifelong learner – I can really relate to the rising costs of textbooks for personal use.

I mean, you get your class list, head to the campus bookstore, and check the shelf for your required text(s). Then the wallet shock sets in. Ouch! All the used copies are gone, and you’re left with a “new edition” that has an extra page or two of updated information in it if you’re lucky. And the let down you feel when you’re handed the $8.75 should choose to sell the book back at the end of the term…can you even buy a pizza for that these days?

Not only can ccLearn’s efforts with OER help keep some extra cash in your pocket, it can also provide a constant stream of current information that textbook publishers are at present unable to match. And publishers should be ware, as the days of holding teachers and students hostage with static groupings of information are numbered. Warlick’s statement below really sums up this point:

“if the Textbook industry does not work really fast to reinvent itself in the image of a more participatory, reader directed, and people connecting information environment, then it’s going to happen without them.”

Technorati Tags: ccLearn creative_commons textbooks copyright education