Three easy format ideas for starting a podcast in your understaffed media organization.

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  Story behind the story

  Interview the author of a print story about what it took to get the scoop. It's worked successfully for both wide-circulation publications such as BusinessWeek and trade publications such as Advertising Age.

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  Roundtable of experts

  Set up a conference call with experts in your field to discuss the issues of the week. This is a great way to get story ideas. Try to get people who will argue with each other - ad hominem attacks preferable.

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  Repurpose content

  While the above ideas are simple and structured ways to jump into podcasting, they still take a lot of time. Free time is unfortunately a luxury few in the media business have today. By starting out repurposing existing content from speakers at the last conference your company sponsored, or the last broadcast segment you did, you can prove the viability of podcasting and build a following. It will be more rewarding to indulge in podcasting after you have started to build a following of listeners and inventory to start tempting advertisers with.

"What is the right CPM for podcasts?"

We can't tell you what the right CPM is because that depends on the content, length, audience, and perhaps the host's astrological sign. We can tell you which CPMs are wrong. Many people accustomed to buying online media start the price discussion from banner ad rates of under $5 CPMs. Banner ads have a much lower level of engagement and can easily be passed over by the user. Even broadcast radio, which is less targeted and has a lower level of engagement, easily charges $25 to $40 CPMs just to start. Podcasts are linear and audio ads are interwoven into the user experience. Don't fall into the banner ad trap.

Have a question?
Email mediamixer@radiotail.com

Podcasts that ought to be on your play list.

Humor podcasts are on the rise:

• Ricky Gervais, the creator of The Office, topped the charts with his new podcast that focuses on making fun of his producer Karl Pilkington.

• The Onion has launched a very serious podcast about absurd stories.

• Penn Jillette dishes the magic behind his shows on the magic behind the magic.

Where do you start negotiating a podcast advertising deal? Here are a few key terms to watch out for.

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  Placement

  Will your ad get stuck at the end of a podcast? An ad in the first two minutes of a podcast might be worth more to you than an ad at the end. Be sure to specify.

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  Length of run

  How long will your ad run for? If you sponsor a podcast for a month, then what happens if the podcaster doesn't produce a podcast one week because he gets sick? Try to buy on a CPM basis.

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  Length of ad spot

  Here's a term where your interests and the podcast producer's interests should be aligned. You both want the ad to stand out but not annoy the listener. Try to be as concise as possible and don't exceed 15 to 30 seconds.