Jeremy Cherfas

Identifying strongly at the same time as feeling even more isolated.

People sometimes forget that podcasting, like blogging, started out as an egalitarian medium infused with the anti-hierarchical values of the open-source movement in software. If it is to retain a little of that democratic character in the face of rampant corporatization and Hollywoodization, it needs a flourishing middle class of independent makers who have the freedom to focus on their audio work, follow their creative instincts, and choose honesty over fake neutrality. 

I'm not sure I actually read about any biggest mistake, apart from maybe not being united, in the immensely parochial piece. But I can't disagree with this:

Podcasting didn’t start in control of the monied few and gradually become democratized. Podcasting started as a democracy, and now faces the incursion of the monied few.

And while I don't mind about the monied few taking over (well, not too much) I do mind that they are even called podcasts. They really are radio on demand, and we storied few shouldn't be judged by the same standards.

All interesting, useful and considerate. I expect nothing less. I suppose the only fly in the ointment is this gem:

Podcasting has thrived, grown, and made tons of money for tons of people

I'm not really seeing that.

The principle puzzle of podcasting lies in the fact that because it has an extremely low barrier to entry, it has an extremely high barrier to scale.