Yahoo closed its half built, never promoted (well almost never), podcast directory. The world scrambled to their blogs to say "See I told you podcasting is dead!" Meanwhile at the New Media Expo I was learning how USA Today will be linking to podcasts on their website, and mentioning them more in print.
If Yahoo's fumble on podcasting is a sign that "Podcasting is Dead" than I I guess musicians should pack it up and go home as well as a recent blog Post on Yahoo's Site mentions how they are SCALING BACK some of their music activity as well. The post states "we’re freeing up resources to feed new areas of focus." In other words, they changed their minds.
To this people say, "Well if Yahoo is passing on podcasting, then it should mean something." To this I also point out that every major label passed on the Beatles. Meanwhile Microsoft is inching closer and closer to podcasting, USA Today is looking into embracing the "New Media" (apparently strong believers in "if you can't beat them…").
Why Yahoo never moved the podcast directory to the front page is beyond me. Lets create something and make it hard to get to, and then pull it when it doesn't deliver big results. Yahoo stuck their toe in the water. Apple jumped in the pool. The water is fine, and Yahoo will never know. Some day when everbody is swimming in Podcasts, Yahoo will be the company standing around going "I didn't bring a swim suit."
Podcasting is not dead. It is alive and well, and growing. Yahoo changed their minds – not the world.
