A podcast is a digital audio program consisting of a series of audio episodes that can be downloaded or streamed from the internet. It is similar to a talk radio series, but with the key difference that listeners can access it anytime they want. Podcasts are typically focused on a theme or topic, and often the most successful ones are the ones that niche down and get in-depth into a specific subject. Podcasters record their episodes and store them in an audio file on their computer or on the cloud.

Podcasts can be created from a digital audio file, and they are distributed over the internet using a podcast hosting service. These services store all podcast episodes in one location and automate the generation of RSS feeds, which list all the podcasters episodes. Podcasts may be hosted on or embedded in websites that enable the podcast to be streamed or downloaded. Podcast directories are applications that listeners can use to search for, store, and listen to podcasts. When listeners subscribe to a podcast, their RSS feed automatically updates with new episodes.

Podcasts can be monetized through subscriptions, purchased ad time, or crowdsourcing platforms like Patreon. Podcasts have become an extremely popular form of audio entertainment, and there are about as many genres as you can think of, including news and education, health and fitness, comedy, and even fiction podcasts. Podcasts can be broken down into one of four formats: solo, co-hosted, interview, and panel.

In summary, a podcast is a digital audio program that can be downloaded or streamed from the internet, typically focused on a theme or topic, and distributed over the internet using a podcast hosting service. Listeners can subscribe to a podcast and listen to it anytime they want, and podcasters can monetize their podcasts through various means.