Thirteen of the 100 most linked-to podcasts fall into Apple’s “explicit” category, making erotica the most popular form of podcasting, and giving rise to a subcategory called porncasting.
According to business and technology consultant Alex Nesbitt of Bella Ventures, “the supply [of risqué shows] is not yet meeting market demands,” a fact that has created a significant market opportunity for content such as adult industry-focused talk shows reviews of adult websites.
A smattering of industry professionals already are taking advantage of the new medium, including SuicideGirls and Violet Blue.
But Nesbitt said the majority of porncasts currently available are fairly low-quality and amateurish. In most cases, they are put together by inexperienced enthusiasts using cheap equipment. And yet, they still draw listeners, which hints that savvy producers could reap the rewards of offering more polished products.
Poscasts are free to listeners and can be played on Apple’s iPod as well as any other portable music player or even a computer.
Although podcasting is uncharted territory for advertising, some producers are experimenting with advertiser-sponsored shows to generate revenue. While there’s no way of predicting whether such a business model will work, the risk to producers is minimal.
Producers submit their shows at no charge to Apple through iTunes. Despite a recent statement from Apple CEO Steve Jobs that the company is not accepting pornography, the company does allow adult material; it simply asks producers to label such shows “explicit.”
Because podcasts are sent out over the Internet, they are not subject to Federal Communication Commission regulations. In other words, anything goes, making shows such as “Fetish Flame” and “Open Source Sex” popular fare.
“I don’t have to censor my language or anyone else’s language,” Violet Blue recently told the Wall Street Journal of her podcast. “It’s like the dog is off the leash.”
