Forum:Moving Podcasts and Podcasters to Radio

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Would it be appropriate to place Category:Podcasts and Category:Podcasters under Category:Radio? Would doing this obviate the need to include such articles in the Radio category? -- Siege(talk) 22:39, 14 May 2008 (UTC)

This question was posed in #wikifur chat, resulting in the following discussion:


 * GreenReaper: I don't think so, because podcasting isn't radio.
 * GreenReaper: Radio is a specific form of transmission of voice.
 * GreenReaper: Well, of any signal.
 * GreenReaper: "Radio is the transmission of signals, by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light."
 * SiegeV: I include streaming audio over IP as "internet radio".
 * SiegeV: Frankly, I think that the Radio category is ill-defined, which leaves it terribly broad and prone to acquiring things which aren't quite radio.
 * GreenReaper: I would call that a form of webcasting - hence podcasting. It is broadcasting over the internet, rather than through the medium of low-frequency electromagnetic waves.
 * SiegeV: Podcasting as I understand it occurrs specifically through use of syndication feeds to allow for automated downloading.
 * GreenReaper: Yeah, I was reading over Wikipedia discussion and it does tend to focus more on podcasting being about downloading and playing, and (internet) radio being a streaming medium.
 * GreenReaper: Of course, the lines are very blurred. Is it streaming if the file is still a file, but played while it is downloaded?
 * JSharp: well, yes, that's the definition of streaming isn't it? 
 * SiegeV: For me, the syndicating feed is the defining characteristic of a podcast. That keeps things sufficiently narrow, yet allows for anything with a feed to be included, even non audiovisual content.
 * ***JSharp nods
 * GreenReaper: JSharp: Streaming may not involve files, but continuous . . . streams.
 * GreenReaper: or at least, not streams with a define start and end, as with a file.
 * SiegeV: There are actually a number of streaming protocols, intended to deal with time-sensitive delivery of a/v content.
 * JSharp: it's all just data
 * ***SiegeV wonders what sort of category should apply to media indices which offer neither streaming nor feeds, like DMFA Radio Project or Furpile Radio

-- Siege(talk) 23:32, 14 May 2008 (UTC)

Focusing the Radio category
I feel that the current definition of radio or radio broadcasting is being interpreted too broadly. Just calling one's work "radio" seems to be enough to have it added to Category:Radio, even if the work is not broadcast (by radio signal or internet streaming).

I understand that some creators call their productions Radio to recall the days of audio plays which were actually broadcast over the radio spectrum; while others call their programs Radio to suggest the ambience of a modern broadcast show, especially talk shows. However, if it's not broadcast, I would suggest that it's not actually radio.

Also, I define podcasting by the feed. If there is no feed, then it's not a podcast, because downloading cannot then be automated without a "screen-scraper" specialised for the particular website hosting the files. This means that there are directories or indices of audio and/or video files which are neither Radio (not being broadcast) nor Podcast (having no feed). Into what category do we place these sites? Should we use a third category, perhaps audio productions?

If we create a new category with that name, then Category:Radio (being a strictly audio medium) would belong under it, while podcasts cavil about giving it funny looks (since one can podcast both audio and video, as well as other enclosure types). Perhaps we can create yet another category, video productions, and add Category:Podcasts to both.

Arguments for? Against? Want to discuss my terminology? -- Siege(talk) 14:46, 16 May 2008 (UTC)