In brief, a podcast is an audio or video files, such as radio programs or music videos, distributed over the internet for listening on mobile devices like iPods, cell phones or other mobile devices as well as personal computers. Basically, a podcast is a web feed of an audio or video file placed on the Internet and available for anyone to download or subscribe. There are alos a number of Podcasters who offer direct download of their files from their websites, but the subscription feed of automatically delivered new content is what distinguishes a podcast from a simple download or real-time streaming. Usually, the podcast features one type of show, performance or taped recording with new "episodes" available either sporadically or at planned intervals such as daily, weekly, or monthly. In addition, there are podcast networks that feature multiple shows on the same feed.

Podcasting's is about creating audio or video content for an audience of people that want to listen how they want, when they want and where they want. Podcasting is different than broadcasting and streaming because subscribing to podcasts allows a user to collect programs from a variety of sources for listening or viewing offline, whenever and wherever is convenient. The contrast is that traditional broadcasting provides only one source at a time, and the time is specified by the broadcaster. While podcasts are gaining ground on personal sites and blogs, they are not yet widespread on the Internet. That will change as podcasts become more and more popular. One easy way to find podcasts is to use the Podcast Directory in iTunes; these automatically-updated podcasts can then be synchronized to a portable multimedia device,such as an MP3 player, for listening offline.

Streaming audio or video files from the Internet can remove the specified-time restriction, but it still offers only one source at a time and the biggest difference is that it requires the user to be connected to the Internet in order to play the files. The ability to collect programs from multiple sources and then play them at your convenience is a major part of the attraction of listening to podcasts. Unlike podcasts, streaming also can be used to broadcast live events over the Internet at the moment it occurs.

Streamed programs, like broadcast radio signals, can be recorded or captured by the receiver. It is their freshness and ephemeral quality that seperates them from podcast episodes, which arrive already in archived form.