The smaller audiences for podcasting aren’t really a problem. Rather than think of podcasting as an alternative to Mass Market news/media programs, it’s more like an alternative to AM radio shows that cover specific subject areas.
Yes, each podcast reaches a smaller audience, but they serve that audience well. Big media is serving a larger, less involved audience poorly.
It stinks that that pays much better, but selling corn syrup pays better than cane sugar, selling crap, autotuned, pretty teen pop songs pays better than good music, making crappy remakes and sequels of crappy movies pays better than truly good filmmaking.
