The Research About Podcasting's Media Ecology

Podcasting appeared in 2004 on the Internet. Although it is a new tool, its rapid development and advantages of multimedia integration have made it a new form of online media. However, the rapid development of the podcasting have made a series of problems, such as sources of content, moral and legal issue. These problems have triggered a wide-scale controversy. Moreover, the problems may impede podcasting's development. This paper will analyze podcasting in media ecological environment. And it is expected to enable us understand the ecological environment of podcasting clearly, thus predict the strategy in the further development of podcasting.In order to considerate podcasting entirely, this paper combines qualitative research and quantitative research methods together. On the basis of empirical research paradigms, the examples method and Writing and Literature Review are used From the beginning of media ecology theory. In this paper, the ecological environment, policy and institutional environment, audience environment and media environment, advertising environment of podcasting are analysed. The interaction between the various elements of whole media ecology is studied as well. On the basis of these analysis and the clear idea about the promotion and inhibition relationship of elements, we can figure out the podcasting media website ecological environment in China's current development strategy, such as in the proper podcasting "Media Niche" circumstances, developing new profit models with the assistance of new technologies development; with the state policy or regulation and other media cooperation, solveing the program sources and copyright problems; being a good "gatekeeper" , controling the tendency of vulgarization and forming its own characteristics and qualities to avoid serious phenomenon homogenization and repetition.