Al Gibes' "The Online Guy" column

They're podcasters hear 'em roar, their messages are making local lore

March 7, 2006

Podcasting can turn anyone into an overnight star -- including preachers, newcomers, scientists and journalists. All it takes is a microphone, a digital recorder, editing software and something to share with the rest of the world.

"Godcasting" is what Bill Hoshauer, associate pastor of The Crossing calls the weekly audio and video podcasts of church services. He got the idea to share sermons and church services after years of taping the messages and burning them to compact discs.

He heard from a church member stationed in Kuwait, where the CDs were used in informal religious services. That evolved into video podcasts of entire Sunday services.

Las Vegas newcomers Scott and Melissa Whitney share their "first-person look at living in Sin City" at Living in Las Vegas. The couple's weekly show has a folksy, yet technically polished feel, as they share experiences ranging from real estate and home construction adventures to exploring downtown's First Friday celebration to a tour of Mesquite.

They rate their finds either "hot or horrible," in hopes of helping other newcomers as they settle into the city. Photos accompanying each podcast are posted on their Web site.

The Yucca Mountain Project has joined the podcast revolution, said Erik Muller, public information officer for Clark County's Comprehensive Planning Nuclear Waste Division. The podcast is part of the division's Web site.

One goal of the podcast is to reach specific populations. A recent edition of the Yucca Mountain podcast addressed the Chinese population in Las Vegas.

"We have received magnificent results from the podcast and have been able to reach younger publics," Muller said. "We just finished a podcast with the Chinese Community and are getting ready to produce a podcast in Spanish."

Podcasting the NevadaNewsmakers television program has boosted Web traffic more than 20 percent, producer and host Sam Shad said.

Freelance journalists Steve Friess and Miles Smith recently broke the news of the closing of "Avenue Q" at Wynn Las Vegas, information they obtained during an interview with Steve Wynn and distributed through their podcast -- "The Strip."

"For the first time that I know of, the major mainstream media was forced to report on a story broken via a podcast interview from our show," Friess said. "It is a significant, maturing moment of the young podcast medium, moving from entertainment to a mode of creating and disseminating journalism."

For more on podcasting visit Podcast411.

Share your Internet story with me at agibes@reviewjournal.com.