4 ms·

A good requirement to what’s considered a podcast would be that it’s published as an RSS feed. Shows that are exclusive to an app aren’t really podcasts and the

A good requirement to what’s considered a podcast would be that it’s published as an RSS feed. Shows that are exclusive to an app aren’t really podcasts and the apps that don’t let you add a podcast’s feed aren’t podcast players.

tantalor 6y ago
Podcast apps don't need to let you add a feed because users expect podcast apps to have a comprehensive built-in index of podcasts. If you open the app and nothing is there, you install a better app. That index could come from search/crawl or publishers. The big apps require publishers to manually register their podcast: Apple: https://podcastsconnect.apple.com/my-podcasts/new-feed https://podcastsconnect.apple.com/my-podcasts/new-feed Google: https://play.google.com/music/podcasts/portal https://play.google.com/music/podcasts/portal Sticher: https://partners.stitcher.com/join#signup https://partners.stitcher.com/join#signup Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/submit https://podcasters.spotify.com/submit I think the main reason for this requirement is licensing. By default apps cannot safely redistribute copyrighted podcast content. You have to specifically approve Stitcher etc. to handle your material. https://www.lifewire.com/legal-side-of-rss-feeds-3469296 https://www.lifewire.com/legal-side-of-rss-feeds-3469296
- jtbayly 6y ago
  Google Podcast does not require you to register your podcast. They are not distributing anything copyrighted. They find an RSS feed for a podcast on the web, and they make it available for you to find via search. Also, private podcasts exist, where you need to put in an RSS feed that isn't in any public listing. If you didn't read the article, you really should, along with this one[0]. Spotify and Stitcher really are special (bad) cases. [0]: https://stratechery.com/2019/shopify-and-the-power-of-platforms/ https://stratechery.com/2019/shopify-and-the-power-of-platfo...
- cxr 6y ago
  This comment has the kind of authoritative posturing that we should really have an intolerance for in conversation. It's certainly not informed. In addition to jtbayly's comment about Google not hosting anything, there's the small point of iTunes not distributing podcasts, either. It's a glorified index of RSS feeds, described in detail here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16724635 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16724635 Apple, Google, and other traditional aggregators no more need permission to operate their services than TV Guide needed permission to list broadcast schedules. (Or to run a search engine, for that matter...) On the topic of URLs, see this discussion from several months ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22038065 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22038065

tantalor 6y ago

Podcast apps don't need to let you add a feed because users expect podcast apps to have a comprehensive built-in index of podcasts. If you open the app and nothing is there, you install a better app. That index could come from search/crawl or publishers. The big apps require publishers to manually register their podcast: Apple: https://podcastsconnect.apple.com/my-podcasts/new-feed https://podcastsconnect.apple.com/my-podcasts/new-feed Google: https://play.google.com/music/podcasts/portal https://play.google.com/music/podcasts/portal Sticher: https://partners.stitcher.com/join#signup https://partners.stitcher.com/join#signup Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/submit https://podcasters.spotify.com/submit I think the main reason for this requirement is licensing. By default apps cannot safely redistribute copyrighted podcast content. You have to specifically approve Stitcher etc. to handle your material. https://www.lifewire.com/legal-side-of-rss-feeds-3469296 https://www.lifewire.com/legal-side-of-rss-feeds-3469296

jtbayly 6y ago
Google Podcast does not require you to register your podcast. They are not distributing anything copyrighted. They find an RSS feed for a podcast on the web, and they make it available for you to find via search. Also, private podcasts exist, where you need to put in an RSS feed that isn't in any public listing. If you didn't read the article, you really should, along with this one[0]. Spotify and Stitcher really are special (bad) cases. [0]: https://stratechery.com/2019/shopify-and-the-power-of-platforms/ https://stratechery.com/2019/shopify-and-the-power-of-platfo...
cxr 6y ago
This comment has the kind of authoritative posturing that we should really have an intolerance for in conversation. It's certainly not informed. In addition to jtbayly's comment about Google not hosting anything, there's the small point of iTunes not distributing podcasts, either. It's a glorified index of RSS feeds, described in detail here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16724635 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16724635 Apple, Google, and other traditional aggregators no more need permission to operate their services than TV Guide needed permission to list broadcast schedules. (Or to run a search engine, for that matter...) On the topic of URLs, see this discussion from several months ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22038065 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22038065