As a follow-up to yesterday's blurb about VCs investing in media (in which I quoted from a note written by Om Malik, where he used a couple of recent examples in Odeo and Podshow), I went around looking for some insights into what the winning business model would be for podcasts.  Along the way, I found the same skepticism as Om (for instance, Dragos from @rgumente).  But then, I found some interesting insights from down under in Australia.  It turns Cameron Reilly also had a previous entry in his blog, where he referenced another insight from Doc Searls.

Fair enough, advertising is the usual modus operandi, but I echo Dragos' sentiment of how hard it is to accurately determine the return of an ad in an audio file.  Just because the file was downloaded, it does not mean it has been heard (I confess that I have a few podcasts that I downloaded that I have yet to listen to - and plan to do so on my next trip).

So here's an idea: what about combining two current disruptive technologies - syndication and podcasting and coming up with "syndicated podcasts"?  While this might seem funny, I am thinking a bit bigger than simply RSS here.  The key advantage of a podcast is the low production costs associated with it.  Why wouldn't it make sense for a progressive radio station to devote a certain percentage of time of its programming to a regular podcast show (that it can pick from a select list of recordings).  If the radioheads believe the podcast producer is good and has some potential, they can carry the program on the air!  It's simple, easy and a quick way to cut costs for those late night programs.  And it might give some podcast enthusiasts a shot at making it to the airwaves.

The model would work more or less like this: the radio station compensates a certain percentage of the commercial proceeds to the podcasters (the producers and the folks enabling the production, doing the hosting, etc. would have to work out their take, but an agreement that is amenable to all parties can be reached).  This could be made interesting: for instance, a program possibility could be the closest thing to reality TV in a radio station, or a sports satire, etc.  If the podcast achieves a certain audience, it can then be turned into a "syndicated" radio program;-)  The initial "syndication" is straightforward - just putting the MP3 file out there for anybody to listen.  This can also be a great way for a radio station to add a bit of foreign content really cheaply.  I would appreciate hearing some feedback on further refinements to this idea or other podcast models. 

The recent run-up in oil prices is definitely increasing the interest in fuel efficiency and environment-friendly solutions.  One model discussed in this AP article is the Toyota Prius hybrid, which with some tinkering can achieve up to 250 miles per gallon.  The idea is to leverage small amounts of electricity generated during braking and coasting - and store that in 18 brick-sized batteries.  This boosts the car mileage with an extra electrical charge so that it could burn even less fuel. Even when it switches to the standard hybrid mode, this souped-up model can get the standard Prius mileage of roughly 45 mpg. 

So why weren't too many of those models sold in Canada?  According to this article, the first generation Prius (priced just at $30k) was a little larger than the Corolla, but cost nearly twice as much as a base Corolla model, so it didn't make too much sense for the average consumer.  The 2004 edition, however, is much bigger than the original one ans still costs the same ($29,990).  Throwing in the $1,000 cheque that the Ontario and BC provincial governments are offering, and the recent hike in gas prices, all of a sudden, this starts making a lot of sense. 

Note: I saw that the US is also offering an added incentive for environmentally friendly car buyers (via a tax break), and don't know how that compares with the $1,000 Canadian offer.