Curry Starting Podcast Ad Network

Targeted podcasts that focus on specific niche audiences appeal to advertisers, and the Podfather himself will launch an ad network to bring marketers together with podcasters. His concept drew nearly $10 million from the two biggest names in Silicon Valley venture capitalism: Sequoia Capital and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. The development of podcast advertising could be worth as much as $2 billion in three to five years, the report said. Podcasting has grown from grass roots toddler to mainstream adolescent, and now appears ready to put on a suit, step into the corner office, and light up a victory cigar. Business Week noted Danny Sullivan's Daily SearchCast at Search Engine Watch and SEO Rockstars as a couple of podcasts dedicated to the search engine audience. Some advertisers have even begun to podcast themselves. In another Pet food maker Purina, publisher Simon & Schuster, and Virgin Airlines have joined the podcasting realm. In Purina's case, it switched from running a call-in radio show featuring veterinarians to a podcast. "Issue-oriented marketing will have a lot more success," respected analyst Charlene Li of Forrester Research said in the story. "I don't know if I want to listen on a regular basis to what a company has to say about its products." David Utter is a staff writer for Murdok covering technology and business. Email him