08.07.06 - Final Paper Abstract

Structuring New Media with Ancient Tools:

Podcasting and the Rhetorical Canon of Delivery

Podcasting is an example of new media that has gained immense popularity and exposure over the last four years. One of the largest reasons for its success is the fact that virtually anyone with a computer and an Internet connection can create and publish a podcast. However, this situation can produce some rather low quality podcasts unless the author follows some type of guidelines in the development of the product. The five canons of rhetoric - invention, arrangement, style, memory, and delivery - provide a way for rhetors to effectively build, structure, and present their arguments. While originating in ancient Greek rhetoric, the canons have many applications in contemporary culture, for example in new media forms, such as podcasting. This article presents a close, in-depth study of the fifth canon - delivery - through a discourse on delivery’s importance, establishing ethos in the delivery of a podcast, factors that influence delivery, and how to apply it to the effective podcast presentation.