Mahemoff, who is a self-professed podcast fan, told me via email that his biggest motivation was the high barrier of entry for prospective listeners. “Getting into podcasts has been too hard for too long,” he said. Player.fm has only been up for a few days, but early observations led him to believe that most people would rather have an option to play individual podcasts on demand than subscribe to them via iTunes or any other podcast software. That’s why Player.fm puts a big emphasis on cross-platform web playback. From the site’s FAQ:

Player FM runs nicely in most modern smartphone and tablet browsers, including iPhones, iPads, and many Android devices… In most cases, you can switch to another app and the track will keep playing. On iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touches, you can also control playback on the lock-screen, just like with iTunes.

Player FM currently allows users to browse a curated directory and listen as well as subscribe to various podcasts. Each user’s subscriptions are aggregated in one single, personal feed, which can easily be shared with others as well. Mahemoff told me that he wants to add additional social features as well as the ability to review and curate podcasts. “Knowing what to listen to has always been a barrier with podcasts and I hope Player FM can improve the situation,” he told me.

But making podcasts more accessible is only one side of the coin for Mahemoff. He also wants to to help enhance the podcast standards to add options for micropayments through services like Flattr. This would make it possible for listeners to tip a podcaster with the click of a button.

Speaking of revenue: Mahemoff is also evaluating options to bring advertising to Player FM, but he believes that ad formats haven’t adapted to the world of podcasting yet. “In podcasts, everyone hears the same ad, no matter who they are or where they’re listening, and publishers cannot track effectiveness,” he told me, adding: “There’s a real opportunity to make ads more useful to listeners and more efficient for publishers. And if it supports more spoken-word content, that’s good by me!”

Image courtesy of Flickr user  zigazou76.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• CES 2012: a recap and analysis
• Forecast: the future of the digital music industry
• Connected world: the consumer technology revolution

That all makes for great listening, but the real reason Maron’s podcast deserves a listen from digital media and technology execs is because it shows how someone like Maron, who was “in a compromised position and a little desperate” when his terrestrial radio show was canceled by Air America, has been able to resurrect and build a career through the power of Internet distribution and community, as with an increasing number of other artist-entrepreneurs.

I recently took some time to chat with Maron, which you can listen to by clicking below on the big orange “play” button from the embedded SoundCloud player. In our conversation we talk about some of the lessons he has learned since the launch of his podcast. He talks about his experiments with new methods to sell his content (including the launch of his own app), how he views podcasting and new media in the context of the larger new media landscape, and his thoughts on old friends like Louis C.K. as they find ways to disintermediate and disrupt the old guard, among other things.

Marc Maron – GigaOM Podcast by GigaOM

I suggest you give the whole podcast a listen, but below are a few takeaways from my podcast conversation with Maron.

Embracing new models isn’t optional but required

According to Maron, unless you are a megastar, you need to take control of your own career and embrace new distribution models,  because no one else is going to do it for you.

You think your local paper is going to take care of you? The comedy club’s website is going to draw people in? You really have no choice.

While Maron is specifically speaking of comedy, it is true for artists of all stripes. Taking control of your own distribution and monetization through new Internet models is something we are seeing musicians, authors and video artists at all levels do, since, increasingly, they can’t rely on corporate media to promote and monetize for them.

Experiment with monetization models until you get it right

Maron knew that once his library of podcasts grew to a certain size, he could monetize the back catalog. Once he reached 150 podcasts, he used an aggregator and attempted to charge for podcasts through iTunes. However, it proved difficult, so ultimately he shifted gears, embracing an app model with in-app payments for recurring subscriptions. He has found sponsorship revenue growing as he has become more popular, and he is also using a donation platform, which works well because of the intimate nature of the podcast medium.

With podcasting, you’re able to create a genuine, intimate relationship with people because it’s a solo listening experience, so they build a bond with you. It’s a deeper relationship.

New models accepted as part of “the media landscape”

Maron records his show in his garage, welcoming household names such as Conan O’Brien, Ben Stiller and Rainn Wilson into his garage, complete with cat hair from the many strays Maron welcomes into his home. I asked Maron about this, and he said it’s just the way business is done today.

 [In today's media landscape] it’s not unusual to go to someone’s house, sit in their living room, and do a thing.

On Louis C.K.

Maron counts Louis C.K. among his oldest friends in comedy, and when I asked him about what he thought of Louis C.K.’s self-distribution efforts, he had this to say:

It’s spectacular. Anytime someone makes a move in that direction it empowers the artist. . . . What Louis did was a milestone in creative marketing by the creator.

Go ahead and listen to the podcast, and let us know what you think about Maron’s observations as well as the podcast itself. We are looking into doing more podcasts and would love to hear thoughts from our community.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• Monetizing music in the post-scarcity age
• Connected Consumer Q2: Digital music meets the cloud; e-book growth explodes
• How to navigate the new world of digital advertising