Mix and Match Podcasts on NPR

National Public Radio is offering their audience an extra level of functionality by providing a tool that allows user to create personalized podcast feeds that can be uploaded to any mobile device.  This new feature enables listeners to enter their various interests, ranging from general topics like music and politics to more specific subjects like The Beatles and Barack Obama, into search fields that then find and aggregate the clips in one location.  Although relatively easy to use, those seeking the most tailored content will have to spend a little time experimenting with the technology to discover the best mix.

Besides being just a cool way for us to personalize one segment of our news, this idea might highlight an emerging trend in the ways we consume all our news and entertainment in the future.  From Hulu to Netflix, many providers already make their media available on demand and increasingly in formats that are portable across many devices.  Though we can’t expect that we’ll be able to cull information from competing outlets – think CNN, FOX, NPR, MSNBC, etc. – into one stream anytime soon, perhaps a Pandora-type service for our news, in all of its spinworthy splendor, isn’t as far off as we may think. 

[via NY Times]