Yahoo Podcasts is out! Yahoo too has joined the frey by launching its own podcasting directory and search engine.

The Yahoo Podcasts clearinghouse integrates good search, the use of tags and an integrated player to stream any audio selected audio show in a matter of seconds.

Podcasters can submit their own feeds to the Yahoo Podcast directory by simply copying and pasting their RSS audio feed here: http://podcasts.yahoo.com/publish

Also quite interesting is the parallel release of the new Yahoo Music Engine. This is what looks like the Yahoo version of iTunes. YME integrates podcasts, radio, music library and all of the basic, popular functionalities have made iTunes popular. YME, though, it only works on Windows PCs.

Highly recommended if you are yet unfamiliar with podcasting and what it all means, is the illustrated step-by-step guide that Yahoo has made available. This Podcasting Publishing 101 Guide gives all of the basic information you need to know to understand what a podcast is and to also set up one that can be listened to by others.

The Yahoo Podcasts Publishing guide provides a clear and well structured guide for the novice podcaster to learn and understand all that is involved in riding the new grassroots-driven broadcasting revolution. From the gear needed, to suggesting other podcast directories where your audio show can be submitted for promotion, this publishing guide is a little jewel of useful information in and by itself.

In my view, Yahoo seems to understand more and more the importance of leveraging user-driven content, while increasingly distancing itself from its previous more corporate, buttoned-up institutional image. Though many assets still do not reflect what I would like to see from this company, its multiple initiatives (Flickr, Yahoo 360°, MyWeb, MyYahoo, RSS search feeds from Yahoo News, Publisher's Guide to RSS, etc.)reflecting a new way at looking at its customers and at the Web, make Yahoo a gradually more and more interesting resource to look at.

Get ready for a public Yahoo RSS search engine and directory soon.