It's the great radio equalizer

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- After getting a taste of the radio business in college, software designer Craig Patchett never lost his interest in broadcasting. But without a job in radio, it seemed likely to remain one of those unfulfilled passions -- until something called ''podcasting" came along.

Now, Patchett's creating shows and sending them out to the masses every day -- not over the airwaves to radios but over the Internet, from his personal computer in Carlsbad, Calif.

His listeners download his shows to their iPods and other digital music players.

Patchett, 43, is among a growing number of people getting into podcasting, which is quickly becoming another of the Internet's equalizing technologies.

Less than a year old, podcasting enables anyone with a PC to become a broadcaster. It has the potential to do to the radio business what Web logs have done to print journalism. By bringing the cost of broadcasting to nearly nothing, it's enabling more voices and messages to be heard than ever before.

''It was just one of those things where you read about a technology and it clicks in your head: This is perfect and something I want to get involved with," said Patchett, whose podcasts focus on Christian and family programming.

For listeners, podcasting offers a diverse menu of programs, which can be enjoyed anywhere, anytime. Unlike traditional radio, shows can be easily paused, rewound, or fast-forwarded. The listener doesn't need to be near a PC, unlike most forms of Internet radio.

The number of regular podcasts is well over 800 and growing daily. Many focus on gadgets, technology, and podcasting itself. Others highlight new bands and music or discuss the latest developments in politics, movies, and sports. There are podcasts for beer lovers and wine aficionados, even a few for astronomy buffs and for activities performed in the buff.

Productions range from stream-of-consciousness rants punctuated by ''uhs" to highly professional shows complete with sound effects and music. Unlike radio, there's no time limit, deadlines or government oversight of what's said.