The Bay Area Interactive Group (BIG) announced the launch of BIG Sessions podcasts which feature interviews and discussions with interactive marketing professionals.

The free BIG Sessions podcasts are hosted by Jon Raj, BIG board member and VP of advertising and emerging media platforms, VISA. BIG plans to update the series weekly; the podcasts are approximately 10 minutes in length.

The series launches this week and features interviews with Mark Stewart, managing director, OMD and PJ Pereira, executive creative director, AKQA. Pereira discusses his role as a judge in the Cannes Cyberlion awards while Stewart explains that "TV advertising is not dead, but the shackles of the 30-second time limit have certainly been broken. As new media emerges, old media rises to the challenge."

"Our goal with the BIG Sessions is to provide cutting-edge commentary and trends relevant to the interactive industry," says Tonie Hansen, director of communications for BIG and director, marketing, Maven Networks, Inc.

According to research group PEW Internet & American Life Project, more than 22 million American adults own iPods or MP3 players and 29 percent of them have downloaded podcasts from the web.

"When you listen to an interview, it's more informal. Listeners can form their own viewpoint on the discussion. BIG's mission is to keep the industry in touch with trends and new media so using podcasting technology makes for a great fit," adds Hansen.

BIG Session requires that users register and have podcasting software.