By Martin Stabe
Northcliffe is joining traditionally-print news organizations’ rush to podcasting by making recordings of three columnists available across its network of 30 regional newspaper websites.
The initiative is being led by Paul Linford, whose political column for the Derby Evening Telegraph and the Lincolnshire Echo is one of the podcasts available on any of “this is” websites run by Northcliffe Electronic Publishing
“We are hoping to give readers more reason to visit the sites and complement what the newspapers are doing,” said Linford, who is also NEP’s web development manager.
Erik Petersen and Jeremy Lewis of the Nottingham Evening Post are also recording their columns for the service. Journalists at the Aberdeen Evening Express and the Stoke Sentinel are expected to join the service soon.
NEP is planning to offer a podcast of film and DVD reviews, according to Linford. A post-match panel discussion of Derby County football matches is also in the works.
National print publications have been rushing to adopt podcasting. The Ricky Gervais programme produced by the Guardian currently tops the download charts on Apple Computer’s iTunes service, and podcasts produced by the Sun, Daily Telegraph and New Scientist also figure in the top 100.
The Archant-owned Eastern Daily Press has been a pioneer among regional newspapers, offering a video podcast on its EDP24 web site.
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