Get a new iPod or iPhone for Christmas?

If so, you’ll want to start checking out the world of audio and video podcasts.

Podcasting offers you a range of audio and video shows that you can listen to online or download and listen to whenever you like on your iPod (or other portable media player). And, because producing and distributing podcasts is relatively inexpensive, you’ll find tens of thousands of podcasts on just about any subject. This includes mainstream podcast from broadcasters like NPR, CNN and ABC, and indie podcasts of all sorts.

Podcasts are free (with few exceptions), Podcasts are convenient and podcasts put you in control of what you hear.

Here’s how to get started with podcasts using iTunes 9:

First, click on the iTunes Store icon.

Next, select “Podcasts” with the top navigation:

Next, browse the podcasts available within iTunes to find podcasts you like.

Once you find one you like, click the Subscribe button, as shown above. When you subscribe to a podcast, it will automatically be downloaded and synced to your iPod or iPhone, so that you’ve always got the most recent episode of the podcast available.

In addition to the podcasts available in the iTunes Store, you may come across podcasts at the sites you visit. To add them to iTunes, look for the podcast link. Podcasters typically share their podcast links with logos like this:

If they provide an iTunes link, just click on it and the link should take you to a subscribe page in iTunes.

If they only provide an RSS Podcast Feed link, right-click the icon (or CTRL-click it) and copy the link.

Then switch to iTunes, click Advanced and select Subscribe to Podcast: