Podcasting growth fueled by radio stations, Apple's iTunes

RADIO AND APPLE TO DRIVE PODCASTING

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- A broadcasting-ratings service believes the
radio industry is poised to embrace, and perhaps even ingest,
podcasting.

Bridge Ratings released a survey of listeners in 10 major markets,
concluding that almost 5 million people downloaded a podcast this year.
In just five years, Bridge projected, 20% of radio listeners, or 18
million people a week, will be receiving podcasts.

"Growth will accelerate quickly due to the rapid acceptance of the
technology by the radio-broadcast industry in 2005 and Apple Computer
Inc.'s (AAPL) iTunes distribution," said Bridge's Dave Van Dyke, during
a presentation at last weekend's Portable Media Expo and Podcasting
Conference in Ontario, Calif.

The study showed 20% of users who have ever downloaded or listened to a
podcast do so weekly, and they download an average of six programs a
week. More interestingly, Van Dyke said, less than 20% listen to their
podcast downloads on an MP3 player or other digital device.

The Bridge Ratings report can be found at www.bridgeratings.com .