Reacting to the news that Viacom's Infinity Broadcasting unit is experimenting with a podcast-only radio station in San Francisco, Frank Barnako of MarketWatch.com says that the podcasting phenomenon could tip either way:

For now, "the pod-o-sphere is excited about Viacom's decision to add podcasts to the failed programming of a one-lung San Francisco AM radio station." Some pundits are even hailing the move as a tipping point and a signal that podcasting could go mainstream.

However, as Barnako points out, "It could also go the other way. Like down the well. And that can happen if greed bears its fangs..." After working through a worst-case scenario of how podcasting is subverted by The Powers That Be, he concludes that "it is unreasonable to believe that innocence can survive in the Garden of Podcasting. We've got about 5,000 now. We may someday see the bloom of a million.

But this is America, and what's good for America is good for business. If the village begins to measure its success by MSM acceptance and support, popularity will kill the Podcast star."