Event organizers and attendees alike are making final preparationsfor the third annual Portable Media Expo, now with the updated name Podcast and New Media Expo.

We caught up with event organizer Tim Bourquin earlier today to ask about his expectations for the Expo:

Elisabeth McLaury Lewin: How will the event be different this year from previous years?

Tim Bourquin: This year everyone has heard the term podcasting – now it’s all about how to use audio and video in creative ways because there is so much available. People are very interested in learning how to get traction for their shows and make it stand out from the rest because the audience has a lot of choices now.

For the newcomers who’ve not attended before, what can they expect to see and do?

Newcomers can still expect beginner sessions on how to get started — but they can also attend the more advanced sessions, of course. The exhibit hall will be a great place to check out the tools and services to produce the best content they can on whatever budget they have.

For seasoned veterans of the PME, what new features are worth noting?

For veterans who have been there each year, we’ve got a lot more after-hours events planned like the Culture Catch party and the 1st Annual Expo concert.* We’re also doing the keynotes differently this year – as an interview format. We’ve got more advanced sessions this year as well to keep up with the experience the attendees have after years of creating their shows.

I know you can’t play favorites, but what are a few of the things you are most looking forward to?

I’m personally looking forward to interviewing the keynotes (free to attend for everyone, by the way). But I’m also looking forward to hearing from some of the speakers who have been doing this since the beginning and have learned what’s working in terms of promotion and growing their audience.

What do you see as the current state of podcasting — for hobbyists and for the corporate podcaster?

Independent content is still growing incredibly fast. Now it’s just a matter of setting yourself apart from the crowded field. Also, content creators need to consider how they can get the largest audience for their show – which means using old-fashioned PR work to get noticed in “old school” media. Several speakers will be covering this at the conference.

PodcastingNews will be reporting from the Expo, taking place this Friday – Sunday, September 28 – 30, in Ontario, California.

(*PodcastingNews saw Expo Concert performer, Jimmy Golding, in concert earlier this year at the Corporate Podcasting Summit in London, and he was fantastic. We are really looking forward to hearing him play live again.)