Rocketboom has sold advertising rights on its 3 minute podcast/vLog for 40,000 US Dollars for one week. The winner, TRM Corporation, was the largest seller of ATM machines in the world. Rocketboom also sold a second week to Earthlink, a leading American ISP. (started by Skye Dalton, now the guy behind Boingo) At 1 million views a week, this rates the monetizetation of this podcast at 4 cents per download, stream, or whatever.

In essence, this establishes the benchmark for everyone in podcasting, as well as validates the rates The Podcast Network is obtaining for their sponsorship arrangement.

Rocketboom is quirky and fun. They monetized through eBay. They linked to Tivo to deliver to TV screen. (where I watch)  Recently, Amanda appeared on CSI. They have moved from outsiders with nothing but an idea a year ago, to at least 80 grand of ads; which annualized is 2 mill bucks (if sustained); a claimed 1 mill and rising fast downloads a week; the ability to pinpoint their viewership exactly, and major first mover advantage.(ie they can lose attention but its more likely they gain because they have resources to improve and market.And everyone's talking about them)

Other podcasts may command more per download. That will be based around the audience size and value(say for education or highly motivated high end users, like old Jag enthusiasts) But most will not. Hence, for any stand alone podcast under 25,000 downloads a week, (a thousand dollars) the podcaster is a hobbyist. 99% of podcasters are hobbyists.

The podcasting business model is that increasingly, aggregators like Adam Curry, are running a menu of podcasts and sharing revenue. They will make money.  Most current podcasters will not.

That will be OK too. What will be fascinating is to see how the podcasting business grows and then shakes out as we get beyond the "look I can do it stage"  Rocketboom's ads start the maturing process.