What is it about podcasting that will make it the big online story of 2005? It’s easy to argue that the time-shifting capability is the big deal. Podcasting is radio’s answer to TiVo, allowing you to listen when you’re ready, not when the show is broadcast. Then there’s the “power-to-the-people” aspect, allowing anybody to produce a radio show. (Neville Hobson and I are working through the technical aspects of producing a PR-focused podcast to start in January.)

In listening to the podcasts of some sessions from BloggerCon, I heard a lot of comments about the informal, personal nature of podcasts. Some critics have claimed this is a characteristic of the early entries, that podcasting will get more professional as it’s embraced by business and traditional media. But Amy Gahran, author of the Contentious blog, begs to differ. “Until I started listening to podcasts, I didn?t realize how desperately I?ve been missing the sound of the human voice in my media landscape.”

Gahran notes that most of the podcasters just talk about whatever topics drive them. “I find myself drawn in and intrigued by topics which normally would not interest me, simply because some people I don?t know are taking the time to talk to me about their experiences, ideas, and views.”

The best part of Gahran’s post explores why sounding human matters. She also offers up her favorite podcasts.