The stars of the often-raunchy Dawn and Drew Show podcast are in final negotiations to become paid podcasting employees of The Podshow Network, according to AdAge (via MediaBuyerPlanner). The network, which just received $8.85 million in venture capital, plans to offer advertising choices to marketers as well as free hosting to podcasters who will accept ads. Although there are no reliable estimates of the advertising potential of podcasting, AdAge writes, there are (according to Pew Internet and American Life) 22 million iPod owners - and 29 percent of them have downloaded podcasts. That number, however, was calculated before Apple added thousands of podcasts to its iTunes directory.

Dawn and Drew, whose show from Wayne, Wisconsin, reaches well over 100,000 listeners, believe that as the medium reaches its potential it will change the media landscape, but most advertisers don't yet get it. "Advertising companies don't realize if they offered $1,000 or so for like 25 shows, people would say 'sold,'" said Dawn.

The couple was paid by SSL International in March to talk about the company's condoms during 10 shows. Dawn and Drew experimented with condom flavors on the show and page views for SSL tripled.