Today was the first official edition of Christopher Lydon’s new PRI radio program. As Doc, one of today’s guests, suggests:

Then take it the next step, and tell your local public radio station you’d like them to pick up the show.

But therein lies the problem. I don’t care whether my local public-radio station (KQED-FM) carries the show or not. I wouldn’t be likely to listen to it unless I just happened to be in my car at the right time of day. I want the time-shiftable podcast edition. I’ll get it from the ‘Net thank you. In fact, even if I’m in my car when the live show is on, I’m more likely to be listening to an earlier edition through my iPod.

This is exacly why radio — even good radio — is threatened by podcasting.