Category: Podcast

From Podcast to Publish

If you’re in the Twin Cities, head on down to your favorite coffee shop and grab the Sept. issue of the Rake. Then turn to page 18, second column. Yep, that’s an article by yours truly.

Sure, you could stay indoors and click this Prairie Home Companion Production Assistant link, but it’s a beautiful late summer evening.

Neither the Rake article or the original podcast would be possible without Jon Steinhorst – cause it’s his story. Thanks again Jon.

And thanks to the Rake’s editor, Hans Eisenbeis, for suggesting the text version of the story.

Call for Testers: WP-iPodCatter 0.9a

Hey all, I could use some help testing the new version of WP-iPodCatter

Changes in 0.9a:

  • All variables from the replacement wp-rss2.php file moved into the WP-iPodCatter section in WordPress admin Options tab.
  • Updated wp-rss2.php file
  • Support for itunes:block at an individual post level
  • Support for itunes subcategories
  • Support for itunes:explicit at overall podcast level and individual post level
  • Enter itunes:keywords manually or use wordpress categories
  • Preview cover images within WordPress admin area.
  • Turn your comments feed into a podcast using the replacement wp-commentsrss2.php file

I’ve got it running on my dev box and will be migrating it to First Crack podcast in the next day or so.

This link now directs to WP-iPodCatter v1.0
If you’re interested, download the zip file at: http://garrickvanbure.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/wp-ipodcatter.zip

Leave all bugs and oddities in the comments.

Introducing the WP-iPodCatter Plugin

The WP-iPodCatter plugin help podcasters running WordPress create a valid feed for iTunes’ podcast directory. WP-iPodCatter adds 2 iTunes specific fields to WordPress’s post page; one for itunes:category, and one for itunes:explicit.

The zip file also contains a replacement wp-rss2.php file with all the iTunes specific tags in it.

Download WP-iPodCatter v0.5

For suggestions, comments, and all other ongoing concerns with this plugin, head over to the WP-iPodCatter dedicated page

Validating Replacement WordPress RSS 2.0 File for iTunes 4.9

This file has been rolled into the full WP-iPodcatter plugin for easier maintenance and more flexiblity.

Apple’s iTunes 4.9 looks for special tags in podcast feeds [pdf] to populate their directory and categorize the podcast.

Despite my mixed feelings on them adding new tags that seem to duplicate old tags, they’ve done it. Edd Dumbill has a great review of Apple’s RSS extensions. No need for me to repeat it here.

That being said, WordPress is my podcasting system of choice. With that in mind, Kevin Devin put together a replacement wp-rss2.php file for WordPress including the iTunes tags (this is the file that creates the RSS 2.0 feed). I wasn’t able to get his version to validate so I tweaked it and offer it to you.

Download the WordPress replacement wp-rss2.php file
This file has been integrated into the WP-iPodCatter plugin, download it here

If you’ve understood what I’ve said thus far, this file shouldn’t give you any trouble.

Update 30 June 2005: This replacement file now supports the “itunes:keywords” tag.

Update 4 July 2005: This replacement file now validates at the Nobody Likes Onions iTunes FeedCheck. Updates include better images handling, subtitles, and more standard RSS 2.0 tags.