How widespread is podcasting? It’s still a fringe media activity, because companies are still givibg it the blog treatment –waiting to see if it will be a passing fad.

MediaPost, an advertising and media portal reported in its January 06 conference how Whirlpool found podcasting to be a valuable part of its marketing mix.  (Check the number of podcasts Whirlpool has available for download on its site.)

MediaPost puts things in perspective, noting that back in 2002, interactive and online advertising was not on the radar of most big name advertisers who "had to be coaxed, bribed, guaranteed, shamed, tricked and otherwise coerced into rediscovering the Internet."

Podcasting may prove itself faster, without the shaming and bribing.