Until about two years ago I did not know what “podcast” meant. Not surprisingly, because this word has not been around for more than six years or so. What is podcasting? Podcasting is a hybrid word that has part “iPod” and “broadcasting” as it’s roots. According to Wikipedia podcasting is “a series of digital media files (either audio or video) that are released episodically and downloaded through web syndication.” The important part law enforcement should take away from this is that the part about “audio files can be downloaded on the web.” This means mass communication to citizens on their terms. But, how has law enforcement communicated information to their customers in the past?
Traditionally, law enforcement communicated through written press releases to pre-determined media planned events. If there was an egregious crime law enforcement may reach out to television outlets to request help or to disseminate information about a crime, event, emergency management concern. Finally, radio was a less common form of communication that law enforcement used to disseminate information and it was usually came off as information from a news report. As you can see the old communication ways are highly inefficient and have the potential to be too closely controlled by limited outlets causing a larger potential for miscommunication.
Why then should law enforcement be concerned with podcasting? For starters the cost of podcasting is nominal and could in most cases cost nothing more than manpower time. Podcast’s can be created using a PC/Mac computer and for that matter an iPhone. There are inexpensive editing software programs that can caste a more professional persona on the podcast, which can then be uploaded to numerous websites for FREE, my favorite is iTunes. Here are some of the missions law enforcement can communicate to their consumers:
-Real time criminal activities that could endanger the public
-Emergency management scenarios
-Crime prevention messaging
-Event planning
-Police leadership messaging
-Community policing
Above is not an all inclusive list of the potential uses of podcasting that law enforcement could take advantage of. Paramount is the fact that podcasting is an inexpensive communication tool that has the ability to reach an ever growing culture where people are obtaining their news from the world wide web. If you want to hear more register to hear me expand on this topic at the Social Media In Law Enforcement (SMILE) conference in Washington, DC – April 7th, 8th & 9th, 2010.
Social media occurs through a number of communication platforms, one of my favorites is the podcast. I have been podcasting on CrazyMikesapps for about 7 months now. Podcasting is a very personal form of social media because the listener can hear a podcasters voice as well as pitch. The podcaster’s emotions can even be conveyed through a podcast and video podcast reveal so much more as would be expected, but what is a podcast?
Wikipedia defines podcasts as:A podcast is a series of digital media files, either audio or video, that is released episodically and downloaded through web syndication. The mode of delivery is what differentiates podcasts from other ways of accessing media files over the Internet, such as simple download or streamed webcasts: special client software applications known as podcatchers (like
iTunes, Zune, Juice or Winamp) are used to automatically identify and download new files in the series when they are released, by accessing a centrally-maintained web feed that lists all files currently associated with that particular series. New files can thus be downloaded automatically by the podcatcher and stored locally on the user’s computer or other device for offline use, making it simpler for a user to access episodic content.
A company that is in the podcasting forefront providing a very cool social media tool to emergency responders (to include fire and police officers) is the Dailysplice. The Dailysplice is a podcasting hosting company that takes all the guess work out of setting up your own podcast by setting your podcast up, hosting your podcast, and providing some very cool podcasting solutions to get your message out. The Dailysplice offices are in Victoria, British Columbia and it’s founders are Rian Bowden & Lewis Sobotkiewicz. A majority of the Dailysplices target market are fire departments and law enforcement agencies. One tech savvy solution the Dailysplice offers to it’s customers is the ability to record a podcast from your cell phone. Yes, that is right, from your cell phone. This is especially critical for emergency personnel on the scene of a natural disaster or similar incident where the speed of communication to mass audiences could save lives.
I am a huge fan of podcasting as I have already mentioned because of the intimacy this form of social media offers. Additionally, the portability of taking a digital message with you on your iPhone, smartphone, laptop, etc to listen to at your leisure while on the go is very handy. I am a big fan of the Dailysplice and how their podcasting solution is so beneficial to law enforcement, emergency responders, and national security. I look forward to the future of podcasting and how this communication tool will have an impact in this communication cultural revolution.
Mike is the SEO/SEM/Social Media Strategist for USIS an Altegrity company. During the day Mike manages social networking accounts, blogs, SEO/SEM efforts and much more as a corporate social media strategist. By night Mike runs two blogs Social Media Five-O and CrazyMikesapps.com an iPhone/iPad app review website. Mike loves to blog, work on SEO/SEM for websites, participate in social media networks and spend time with his family (not in that order :0 ).
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