Between September 2004 and January 2007 almost 500 unique podcasts were produced in Canada.
But that number is misleading.
Podcasting, by definition, suggests that podcasters will produce a series of audio programs on a regular basis.
The RSS feed makes sure that every time a new episode is posted, it will immediately be delivered to subscribed listeners.
But what happens when a podcaster stops podcasting?
Podcasting takes time and effort. Most podcast producers are hobbyists, recording their podcast in their spare time for pleasure. After a while, the novelty wears off, and with no incentive apart from a few flattering comments from far-flung listeners, the impetus to keep podcasting often fades.
More than half of the podcasts that appeared between 2004 and 2007 are no longer being produced. Many early podcasters were tech savvy people who just wanted to try the new technology out. Like any hobby or food, you’ve got to give it a try before you can decide it’s not for you.
Even Canada’s first podcasters are no longer podcasting.
According to WIRED Magazine, podcaster Scott Fletcher coined the term “podfading” when he ended two of his own podcasts in February 2005.
Some of Canada’s most successful podcasts, like In Over Your Head podcast, Matt and Andy Skinn’s The Skinny on Sports podcast and Ross and Karen’s Zee and Zed podcast, have faded.
★ Julien Smith talks about the end of In Over Your Head:
★ Matt Skinn talks about the end of The Skinny on Sports:
★ Ross talks about the end of Zee and Zed:
★ On the Canadian Podcast Buffet: Episode 147, Bob Goyetche interviews Andrea Ross about her hiatus from the Just One More Book podcast (starts at ~18:00mins):
At the 2009 Podcasters Across Borders conference, Bob Goyetche delivered a presentation entitled, “What have we lost?” Bob talked about the vast number of podasts that have come and gone in Canada and raised questions about archiving, nostalgia and the historical record of podcasts.
★ Listen to Bob’s presentation on The Canadian Podcast Buffet
Podcasting will persist. Podfading will persist.
