Apple Plans to Bankroll Original Podcasts to Fend Off Rivals • Hacker News Board

Re: Apple Plans to Bankroll Original Podcasts to Fend Off Rivals

#81

Post by xvector » Tue, Jul 16, 2019, 9:53 PM UTC

beisner wrote: post #66

Reedx wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Still a lot better than cable since you can watch what you want in real time and no commercials. Also you really don't need to subscribe to all of them. Who needs that much content? I can't even keep up with my Netflix or YouTube queue, let alone the others. I have Amazon Prime, but never use it. HBO for a couple shows, but could subscribe only during their seasons.

When cable was first introduced there were no commercials...

Exactly. As soon as these streaming services become ubiquitous and irreplaceable, they will go the route of cable and start trying to milk the cow for all it's worth.

Re: Apple Plans to Bankroll Original Podcasts to Fend Off Rivals

#82

Post by sudosushi » Tue, Jul 16, 2019, 9:57 PM UTC

black6 wrote: post #35

javagram wrote: post #5

Next up, exclusive websites that only work in safari? Podcasts should just be an RSS feed that anyone can consume, but I think exclusivity will be important going forward, along with locking people into apps so they can be tracked and monetized.

> Podcasts should just be an RSS feed that anyone can consume Just the way the Podfather, Adam Curry, intended.

He continues to podcast that way, in the morning. I wouldn't call a pay-to-play audio file, a podcast. A value for value donation structure seems the only way to sustain podcasts.

Re: Apple Plans to Bankroll Original Podcasts to Fend Off Rivals

#83

Post by jakebasile » Tue, Jul 16, 2019, 10:01 PM UTC

MBCook wrote: post #51

jakebasile wrote: post #38

I really wish they'd compete by just making the Podcasts app not a pile of shit. It routinely doesn't sync where I am between devices and never works correctly on my HomePod. Adding old episodes on one device won't add it anywhere else. The Apple TV version simply doesn't have the ability to add episodes to your library. The less said about iTunes' podcast functionality the better. I know they're porting the iOS Podc…

Those problems STILL exist? That’s what drove me to Overcast many years ago.

I should probably just use Overcast, too. It's insane to me how awful the Podcasts app is.

Re: Apple Plans to Bankroll Original Podcasts to Fend Off Rivals

#84

Post by bmurphy1976 » Tue, Jul 16, 2019, 10:01 PM UTC

Here comes the overcommoditized corporate schlock. I hope it doesn't take the air out of the room for the independents. The best thing about podcasting is it's not completely overrun with corporate censors. That's going to be a change for the worse I suspect. We'll get a couple game of thrones caliber podcasts, but in return most are going to be housewives of whatever quality.

Re: Apple Plans to Bankroll Original Podcasts to Fend Off Rivals

#85

Post by ohnope » Tue, Jul 16, 2019, 10:06 PM UTC

lxe wrote: post #54

I don't like where media streaming is headed. This is what everyone is doing: 1. Create a distribution platform. Users pay $14 a month to stream all content. Everyone is happy. 2. Once successful, start creating exclusive content. 3. Content creators on your platform start their own platforms and take content off of yours. 4. Now users are paying $14 for 6 different distribution/content platforms. Might as well just…

5. Users eventually figure out they are paying way too much for random platforms they watch once or twice a month with the exception of a yearly season binge for that 1 show they continue to subscribe for.

6. Users begin to drop from platforms.

7. Platforms realize the masses are fatigued from dealing with 5-10 different apps, multiple monthly payments, queues, sifting through tons of mediocre exclusive content, etc. They decide to create a God Platform that manages multiple "channels" through a single subscription.

8. Users love it, flocking to the new God Platform.

9. ?

Re: Apple Plans to Bankroll Original Podcasts to Fend Off Rivals

#86

Post by 52-6F-62 » Tue, Jul 16, 2019, 10:08 PM UTC

snailmailman wrote: post #65

Swenrekcah wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Completely agree that if it’s not accessible on any app then it’s not a podcast. I also would pay for a podcast app that could guarantee that the audio file was the same for all listeners.

I wish the later could be possible. I have no idea how podcast-ads work but lately i noticed some podcasts giving me seemingly location-dependent ads. (about something in a nearby major city) either everyone is getting advertisements for a very dallas targeted ad, or are the podcast companies making several versions of the podcast and serving different ones to different people? sounds like a lot of extra work to me,…

It’s called dynamic ad insertion. Online radio stations use it all the time for localized ads based on IP address. Did some work for a set of radio stations in the way of building a diagnostic web player for the metadata in HLS streams debugging their new ad system. (Using HLS.js which I have to say I’m grateful for as it’s a brilliant library)

So they don’t have to stitch together one new audio file per local but place metadata markers in the audio file metadata that prompts ad insertion. These usually have a marker for length and the systems handle number of plays and placement spots. Don’t know as much about that end. HLS being a chunked format would allow the files to be stitched back together on the client end as well with ads in place.

Wouldn’t be surprised if they’re doing this. Also wouldn’t be surprised if many Podcasts are broadcast via HLS as it’s native in Apple software and Apple devices. Someone else with more knowledge would have to confirm or deny that, though.

Re: Apple Plans to Bankroll Original Podcasts to Fend Off Rivals

#87

Post by holy_city » Tue, Jul 16, 2019, 10:10 PM UTC

gringoDan wrote: post #71

It's interesting to see this evolution of media over time. It used to be that it didn't matter who you were - the distribution channel was all that mattered. For example, MTV could make you famous in an instant, but the second the channel let you go and replaced you with the next flavor of the week, you were out of luck. More recently, we've moved to a model where the platform and medium are less important than the p…

I kind of disagree with your take here. This is just the segmentation of the market into aggregators and channels, just like what happened with cable and like is happening with OTT services today. Netflix/Hulu are good examples of aggregators condensing into channels.

The one thing I think that makes this different is that podcasts are stupid cheap to produce and distribute. You could put together a podcast network in a weekend. Getting sponsors is probably harder than getting listeners.

I honestly don't see the value-add of Apple throwing their weight into this market, unless they're planning on monopolizing audio content distribution on iPhones, or paying a lot more than the podcast's sponsor spots are worth. I'd be wary of being tied to a single platform for distribution, because that's played hell with creators on YouTube.

Re: Apple Plans to Bankroll Original Podcasts to Fend Off Rivals

#88

Post by walshemj » Tue, Jul 16, 2019, 10:11 PM UTC

MBCook wrote: post #2

This is very unfortunate. Apple being totally hands off, other than running the iTunes podcast directory, is one of the best things that’s ever happened for podcasts. I like my 3rd party app (Overcast). I don’t want to have to use 3 podcast apps to listen to all my podcasts. I think I agree with some of the podcast app developers: if it’s not available in any app it shouldn’t be called a ‘podcast’.

If your doing it professionally or even as a serious amateur its a "show"

Re: Apple Plans to Bankroll Original Podcasts to Fend Off Rivals

#89

Post by reaperducer » Tue, Jul 16, 2019, 10:14 PM UTC

marmada wrote: post #25

reaperducer wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Form what I read in the article it doesn't sound all that terrible. If Apple were to remove all non-Apple podcasts from its platform, that would be bad. This is just Apple supplementing what's already available. It's very much like Apple rolling out original television shows on the AppleTV. It's not like HBO is getting kicked out. It makes sense to me that Apple would do this. Since it's making podcasts a separate pr…

What is the difference between exclusive podcasts and making a website that only runs on Safari? In both scenarios it is a company giving their product an artificial advantage. There's no technical reason that a website should only run on one browser, it kind of feels the same way with podcasts. Then again Netflix makes Netflix originals, which are only available on Netflix, and I don't mind that, so I guess my viewp…

What is the difference between exclusive podcasts and making a website that only runs on Safari?

Ask Google, which is actively encouraging people to write web sites that only work on Chrome.

Sometimes it's OK, sometimes it's not.

Netflix and Hulu and other streamers are allowed to make and distribute original content.

Since 1987 in the United States, aside from news, TV networks aren't allowed to make and distribute their own content.

Apple was allowed to have exclusive albums on iTunes ("iTunes Originals").

Large movie producers aren't allowed to make and show their own content in their own theaters.

Maybe someday the regulations that apply to other media will catch up to internet streamers. But that's not where we are today.

Re: Apple Plans to Bankroll Original Podcasts to Fend Off Rivals

#90

Post by chrisrhoden » Tue, Jul 16, 2019, 10:16 PM UTC

52-6F-62 wrote: post #86

snailmailman wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wish the later could be possible. I have no idea how podcast-ads work but lately i noticed some podcasts giving me seemingly location-dependent ads. (about something in a nearby major city) either everyone is getting advertisements for a very dallas targeted ad, or are the podcast companies making several versions of the podcast and serving different ones to different people? sounds like a lot of extra work to me,…

It’s called dynamic ad insertion. Online radio stations use it all the time for localized ads based on IP address. Did some work for a set of radio stations in the way of building a diagnostic web player for the metadata in HLS streams debugging their new ad system. (Using HLS.js which I have to say I’m grateful for as it’s a brilliant library) So they don’t have to stitch together one new audio file per local but pl…

No HLS in podcasting because of its legacy but just-in-time building of audio files with some caching is plenty fast. Some folks who do this use old internet radio streaming technology with the max buffer size set to infinity, but most of the time it's operating with plain old mp3s.