Podcasting Talk by Carlos Briceno at Rome Conference

In late April, Carlos Briceno, co-founder of Disciples with Microphones (www.discipleswithmicrophones.org) will be giving a talk about Podcasting at a Catholic communications conference in Rome. Here's what Carlos shares about his upcoming talk:

PODCASTING: A NEW MEDIUM FOR THE NEW EVANGELIZATION

A new medium, called podcasting, has emerged at the beginning of the 21st Century that allows the Gospel message to be proclaimed from the rooftops, just as Christ commanded in the Gospel of Matthew: “What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.” I will address why Church communicators need to utilize this medium as part of the New Evangelization. Here are several points that I will raise:
* Podcasts – which are MP3 files that can be downloaded via the internet or onto portable devices, such as iPods – are inexpensive to produce and free to listen to.
* They have the potential to reach a wide audience, including anyone from across the world and especially young people, many of whom who get their information from new technologies.
* They allow listeners to listen to any show at their leisure: for instance, at their desk or while walking the dog.
* They allow for places that do not have Catholic radio stations to broadcast audio anyway.
* And they can turn any communication director, print journalist, lay person or priest into an instant broadcaster, including those who do not have a radio background. No elaborate studio is necessary, just a recorder, a microphone and a computer.

In my presentation, I will explain how simple it is to record and edit sound files, and I will show some equipment needed for podcasting. I will also play several audio files to illustrate the ways the Church can use compelling podcasts to evangelize, catechize, and inspire others about the Good News. From priests’ homilies to parish mission talks, from a bishop making a stewardship appeal to brief conversion stories, podcasts provide dioceses and parishes a creative and imaginative communications tool. Podcasts also humanize the Church; for instance, some shows may contain the voices of people you sit next to in the pews, whom you do not know, but whose stories of faith and encounters with Christ need to be proclaimed to encourage others on their paths to holiness.

In conclusion, I will show how podcasting the week-to-week stories and events of the Church will transform a parish or diocesan web site from being just a bulletin board of information to becoming a lively audio destination for those hungering for the Truth.

The conference, "Strategic Management of Church Communications: New Challenges, New Directions," will be held April 27-29, 2006.