4 ms·

Yeah - and there's a bunch of great podcasts that I can't really see switching to their own apps exclusively (all of Radiotopia, of which my favorites are 99% I

by Arcsech 10y ago

Yeah - and there's a bunch of great podcasts that I can't really see switching to their own apps exclusively (all of Radiotopia, of which my favorites are 99% Invisible and Criminal, for example, and many independent podcasters), so any podcasts that want me to go through a custom app would have to be truly mindblowingly good.

davidsawyer 10y ago
I think you're right in that a lot of established and independent podcasts will tend to stick to the main channels of podcast distribution, but if it becomes too financially tempting to go through a custom app, they'd probably choose to do that. There definitely doesn't seem to be a ton of money in podcasting right now. Many of the heavy hitters in that world regularly ask for donations from listeners.
chipotle_coyote 10y ago
I wouldn't at all be surprised if PRX releases a Radiotopia app. (They already have one for the Apple TV, in fact.) Any podcast network that has more than, say, a dozen shows, and some data to support the notion they have listeners who subscribe to multiple shows on their network, might be very inclined to at least try an app. It doesn't have to be the only way to listen to their popular podcasts, but it might offer exclusive content. And maybe it'll be the only way to listen to older episodes, or to listen with fewer (or even no) ads. I don't think this is a good idea in the long run, but I could certainly see it happening in the not-too-distant future. I think we're already moving toward a future where we get the unbundled cable service we thought we wanted in the form of a dozen separate streaming video apps, and I don't doubt that streaming music services are going to push for ever-greater numbers of exclusive premieres, back catalogs and even original content. The question isn't whether producers will try this with podcasts, the question is how many producers will try it--and how successful it will be.

by Arcsech 10y ago

davidsawyer 10y ago

I think you're right in that a lot of established and independent podcasts will tend to stick to the main channels of podcast distribution, but if it becomes too financially tempting to go through a custom app, they'd probably choose to do that. There definitely doesn't seem to be a ton of money in podcasting right now. Many of the heavy hitters in that world regularly ask for donations from listeners.

chipotle_coyote 10y ago

I wouldn't at all be surprised if PRX releases a Radiotopia app. (They already have one for the Apple TV, in fact.) Any podcast network that has more than, say, a dozen shows, and some data to support the notion they have listeners who subscribe to multiple shows on their network, might be very inclined to at least try an app. It doesn't have to be the only way to listen to their popular podcasts, but it might offer exclusive content. And maybe it'll be the only way to listen to older episodes, or to listen with fewer (or even no) ads. I don't think this is a good idea in the long run, but I could certainly see it happening in the not-too-distant future. I think we're already moving toward a future where we get the unbundled cable service we thought we wanted in the form of a dozen separate streaming video apps, and I don't doubt that streaming music services are going to push for ever-greater numbers of exclusive premieres, back catalogs and even original content. The question isn't whether producers will try this with podcasts, the question is how many producers will try it--and how successful it will be.