Apple Support feedback on Missing Image - might be helpful for others

Question

Hi Roger
Here is my last correspondence with you yesterday:
Me:
Hi Roger can you check my feed for error also.
I submitted my podcast (Off The Post Podcast) 6 weeks ago. I've been pretty patient but still no artwork in the store.
RSS FEED:
http://toepoke.hipcast.com/rss/offthe_postpodcast.xml
Hipcast is my host.
You:
you have the image correctly referenced in your feeds, so there isn't really anything more you can do. A number of people have complained recently that their images are not appearing. It always takes some days for it to appear, but things do seem worse at the moment.
I'm afraid all you can do is wait unless you would like to try contacting iTune Support (though I have to say I don't expect you will get much help: go to http://www.apple.com/support/itunes/ - click on 'Other iTunes Store Features' in the list and then on 'Podcasts'. You will see a link to 'Express Lane', which will guide you eventually to some contact options.
Heres the feedback I managed to squeeze out of Apple. Can you corroborate it and if so - in laymans terms - how can I fix it? How do I get access to the massive list of my feed details. At the moment - i can only find my Rss.
Apple:
Although this is not included under the iTunes Store billing title, this is one of my personal interests so I have researched your RSS feed in depth for you. I was unable to locate the following tag:
<itunes:image href="___" />
And while looking into your feed, it doesn't look like our example feed, which may be a result of your podcast host (hipcast.com), if they produce the feed for you. You may need to contact them regarding this as well.
Many thanks for the speedy responses on this frustrating issue for many, all appreciated here
Ben

Answer 1

Firstly, there are two separate issues here, so let's not get them confused. The missing image is a problem at the itunes Store end: the feed is present and correct in your tag. You're not the only person with this problem - it seems pretty widespread. I'm sorry I can't offer any further advice, but there isn't anything you can do, and I'm sorry that iTunes Support is not being helpful.
If you want to move your feed to Feedburner, that's fine - Feedburner provides statistics, which iTunes doesn't - but it won't make any difference to the image problem: indeed it will make matters worse since if there is a backlog queue you will go to the back of it.
If you want to move the feed to Feedburner you need to follow the procedure detailed here:
http://www.apple.com/itunes/podcasts/specs.html#changing
(If you can't easily do the 301 redirect bit, don't worry about it, it's really only for programs other than iTunes - just add the 'itunes:new-feed-url' tag as described). You will not lose subscribers by doing this: make sure to leave the old feed up for at least two weeks - the Store will update quite quickly but this is for the benefit of subscribers. And double-check you have typed the new URL correctly in the tag - if you make a typo you won't be able to retrieve the situation.
Don't remove and resubmit. You will lose your subscribers, and you will make a lot of problems for yourself. Don't do it.