iTunes podcast subscriptions surpass 1bn

Apple said the billion subscriptions encompass over 250,000 unique podcasts in more than 8 million episodes, in more than 100 languages.

The California-based company noted in a statement within the Podcast section of its site that podcasting has transformed the global media landscape.

"Podcasts on iTunes launched in the summer of 2005 and since then, we’ve seen countless episodes downloaded and streamed. But the heart of podcasting is finding your favorite voices in this exciting field and subscribing to the best ones. To celebrate reaching 1 billion podcast subscriptions, we’re highlighting some of the most popular podcasts of all time, as well as a collection of captivating new shows."

TEDTalks and This American Life are among the featured shows.

Though Apple did not invest the podcast, the short broadcast takes its name from the company's iPod, and has become associated with brief informative bulletins covering a variety of topics and genres.

The top downloaded podcast in the UK is currently Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4 in a list dominated by BBC offerings.

Comedian Ricky Gervais used the medium to propel his career to new heights during 2005 with the launch of his podcast The Ricky Gervais Show. Throughout January and February 2006 it ranked as the number one ranked podcast in the world, and by March 2011 it had been downloaded over 300 million times.