Across the country, thousands of Internet ‘broadcasts’ capture
millions of listeners
By Tony Burchyns Staff Writer
Morgan Hill – Until a couple of years ago, anyone who dreamed of having their own radio show or having their music heard by the masses would have needed friends in high places.
Now, thanks to the Internet, it’s possible for ordinary folks such as Morgan Hill resident Tony Butterworth, 39, to reach any number of listeners on his computer using an emergent technology known as podcasting.
Butterworth, a project manager at Agilent Technologies, is one of a few podcasters looking to democratize the once-corporate-run world of audio media with a microphone and a Web site.
By logging onto his site, homemadehitshow.com, surfers can hear Butterworth’s slightly kitchy, music variety show, spotlighting home-recorded songs from musicians all over the world who all want the same thing – a chance to be heard.
“There’s a guy in Lithuania who knows who I am. There’s a guy in Sweden who knows who I am,” said Butterworth, who records portions of his show during spare moments in his car.
Butterworth is a self-taught musician, with more tech savvy than musical talent.
“I’m barely adequate as a musician,” he laughs. “But I can make songs people like listening to.”
Podcasting combines the freedom of blogging with the technology of MP3 to create almost endless amounts of content. Anyone with a computer and Internet access can create something like their own radio show, consisting of a series of pre-recorded episodes that others can listen to however they want.
When Butterworth records each 30- to 40-minute episode of his “Homemade Hit Show,” he posts it online where it is sent automatically to his subscribers. Others can hear it at the click of a mouse by visiting his Web site.
Each show plays six songs, inviting featured musicians to talk for about 30 seconds on what their song is about, how they recorded it and what software they used. Butterworth, a native of England who moved to the United States after his college years, adds colorful commentary on a variety of topics in his crisp British accent. He sounds like a natural deejay.
Oddly enough, Butterworth records his verbal comments in his car because it is more efficient than working at home. Plus, he doesn’t have to worry about his wife and two children wondering what he’s jabbering on about in the next room.
“I actually used to record my songs in the car, too,” he said. “I was too embarrassed to sing my songs (at home), so I would drive down a country lane.”
