Alan Levy's BlogTalkRadio lets bloggers and podcasters host their own talk shows online. Hosts can take calls from listeners, and listeners can call in -- live. It's a cool app, so we thought we'd ask Alan about it. Here's our interview:

Media Orchard: How did you create Blog Talk Radio?

Alan Levy: I started to learn about the blogosphere when dealing with a family illness this past winter. After spending lots of time reading and posting blogs, I realized that although effective means of communicating, blogs and podcasts are historical in nature. I wondered how cool it would be if bloggers could interact with their audience live.

MO: There are a million Web 2.0 "betas" out there. What makes your offering stand out?

Alan: We launched on August 1 and have been at it for two months. We merge old technologies (phone) with a Web 2.0 platform and there are a lot of moving parts. Presently there is no other platform like BTR, where the blogger or podcaster can engage their audience live by accepting calls, have unlimited streaming and can then have the recording archived with rss feeds.

MO: What's your forecast for the growth of podcasting generally; how do you see it evolving over the next two years?

Alan: I see problems ahead for the traditional podcasting industry if the word traditional could be used. Unlike blogs, podcasts are expensive to produce, complicated, not open to all ... Furthermore, other than Blogtalkradio, the broadcasts are not live. If the industry follows our lead and makes the platform easier, more flexible and cheaper, more people will create content and listen to content.

MO: What are your favorite podcasts?

Alan: Other than the Daily Show, I mostly listen to shows on Blogtalkradio. I listen to political shows like Atlas Shrugs and Say Anything and comedy shows like Mike Trainor and Adam Hiniker. I will be interviewing Arianna Huffington later this month and I am looking forward to that show.

MO: Don't most folks download podcasts and listen to them on their own schedules? Do people want to sit at their laptops and listen to talk radio?

Alan: Interestingly, 66% of podcasts are listened to on a computer and not an ipod. I was surprised when I heard this stat at the Ontario Podexpo. Some people enjoy listening to live talk radio and some like to listen on demand. We offer both. All of our shows are in fact podcasts and as a result are mobile; however, the shows are recorded live so in my view they are more engaging.

MO: Do you envision a melding a radio talk and blog talk in the future? How would that work?

Alan: In my view terrestial radio has been in decline and will continue to decline. Satellite radio is far too expensive and when Wimax becomes available, which will allow Internet in traveling cars, the satellite space will get hurt. How many Rush Limbaughs, Howard Sterns and Al Frankens are out there? I would bet that there are many, many individuals who have tremendous talent but need the platform. Blogtalkradio is such a platform.

MO: Anything else you'd like to add?

Alan: BTR is truly a global platform. We are in the process of making some changes to the dialing platform which will make it easy for international users. After the second day of launch we saw hosts sign up from more than 25 countries. BTR is an enabler and empowers people to reach out to their audience.
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You can follow Alan's adventures at the BTR blog here.