Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Apple Plans to Bankroll Original Podcasts to Fend Off Rivals

bloomberg.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

151–160 of 176 posts

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

#151

Post by Mindwipe »

reaperducer wrote: post #89
marmada wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

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

Where the heck did you get this idea from?

This isn't true at all. The vast majority of TV Networks shows are made by the studio that owns the network, because there's a huge financial incentive to do so. Heck, the reality is that half the shows you probably like remain on air despite weak ratings because they are made by the studio that owns the network and so they are taking into account the profits from international sales.

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

#152

Post by Slartie »

xvector wrote: post #81
beisner wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

They are already doing that. Amazon Prime Video annoys the shit out of me with those stupid ads for other shows shown before a series episode actually starts.

It is just a small step from this kind of self-promotion to showing ads for stuff on Amazon. After all, they have my purchasing and article browsing profile and could easily try to find articles that I might be inclined to buy. I would put some bucks on the line betting that we will see something like that in the next 5 years.

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

#153

Post by lordfoom »

PascLeRasc wrote: post #135
xamuel wrote: post #121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Instead of spending 30 hours reading a book, you can just listen to conversion among smart people in 30 minutes in podcasts I don't understand this. Why can't that 30 minute conversation be transcribed into a script which you can read in 5 minutes? Either way, you're missing practically everything in the book.

Why listen to music when you can read the lyrics? The written word was created out of a need to disseminate information to the masses more efficiently than the author speaking to everyone individually, but that's now a mostly solved problem with podcast distribution. Spoken word allows for certain nuances that are hard or impossible to convey over text. Also, it's just fun to listen to a few good hosts go back and fo…

>Why listen to music when you can read the lyrics?

I feel that is a false equivalence as information transfer is not typically part of music.

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

#154

Post by izacus »

icebraining wrote: post #148
freedomben wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I promise I'm not trying to troll-bait you into saying something that will get you downvoted into oblivion. I'm really curious (please people don't downvote the response, assuming one comes). Why do you say: > and will hopefully keep Spotify from taking over the market. Why would that be such a bad thing in your opinion? Spotify seems like a clear underdog with a ton more vulnerability here. If anything I worry about…

I read it as meaning gen3 doesn't want any monopolists, rather than wanting Apple to take over instead of Spotify.

How does that work in a world where you need to buy a 1000$+ device just to access a piece of content?

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

#156

Post by michaelt »

filmgirlcw wrote: post #98
bscphil wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree - actually I've gotten into the habit of trying to track down the original RSS feed for each podcast I listen to. Often the link shared by the podcaster will be to rehosters like Google Play or iTunes, or lesser-known services, that have tracking and probably the ability to insert custom ads. The worst is when they make the elitist move of only linking iTunes, making their podcast unlistenable (on mobile at l…

There’s not a universal solution, in part because many times the dynamic ad-insertion is something the podcasters themselves want (or it’s one of the terms of using a certain podcast host). I have a podcast with a podcasting network that sells our ads for us. To my knowledge, they don’t do any dynamic ad insertions for older episodes (though if they did, I wouldn’t necessarily be upset, provided they were inserted th…

  dynamic ad-insertion is
  something the podcasters
  themselves want
Is DAI really more profitable than the host doing the plug?

I always assumed the sponsor plugs some youtubers put into their videos [1] would be much higher impact than dynamic pre-roll ads, and would therefore command a much higher price.

[1] e.g. https://youtu.be/R2-UmtZY9Qk?t=869

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

#157

Post by tallanvor »

neves wrote: post #73
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’.

I see a lot of good podcast apps for Apple but I couldn't find a nice one for Android. I would like to pay for one, but I can't a reasonable one that allows me to make my playlists and speed listen without drowning me in ads. Sure I can spend hours trying each one of the dozens, but would my fellow HN have any suggestion?

I've been using DoggCatcher for years. Searching for podcasts to subscribe to could use some work, but I don't do that very often anyway. They don't show any ads either.

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

#158

Post by sjwright »

zaksoup wrote: post #145
sjwright wrote: post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What, like exclusive news articles that are only available from that news outlet? Sure, it would be great if content siloing wasn't ever a thing—but it's been a thing since forever. Hating on Apple for doing what the bulk of the commercial content industry seems misplaced. Next I suppose you'll be complaining because Apple chooses to be part of the capitalist economy and expects to be paid money for their goods. That…

Oh please. Is "embrace, extend, extinguish" bad because it is slowly closing off the open web, or is it fine that Apple, Spotify, etc are buying podcast producers and moving away from RSS for their own proprietary delivery methods. And I'm not hating on Apple for doing what the bulk of the commercial content industry is doing. I listen to The Daily via their public RSS feeds, and I'm also an NYT subscriber. A signifi…

> Is "embrace, extend, extinguish" bad

Only if there is an extinguish.

Even then I'd say no, because if you don't like what happened, build your own damn thing. Channel your inner RMS, please. If something isn't free to begin with, having it taken away from you isn't a loss—it's a reminder that it was never free to begin with.

> A significant majority of

Thanks for agreeing with my point without realising it. Some podcasts aren't available for free and/or via RSS. As it happens I pay $5/month to access my favourite podcast, which is available via a private RSS feed. And my second-favourite "podcast" is free but not available with an RSS feed.

But no, zaksoup hates a diversity of business models.

> decisions they make that affect the foundational principles of the web as we know it

Like companies putting journalism behind a paywall? Screw those arseholes! Who are they to charge me for goods and services?

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

#159

Post by lordgrenville »

dageshi wrote: post #79
neves wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I see a lot of good podcast apps for Apple but I couldn't find a nice one for Android. I would like to pay for one, but I can't a reasonable one that allows me to make my playlists and speed listen without drowning me in ads. Sure I can spend hours trying each one of the dozens, but would my fellow HN have any suggestion?

I've used Podcast Addict for years, I don't use playlists or change the playback speed but after just checking it looks like you can do both.

+1 for Podcast Addict. Terrific free app. I've used it for several years and it keeps getting better.

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

#160

Post by neves »

nyc640 wrote: post #77
neves wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I see a lot of good podcast apps for Apple but I couldn't find a nice one for Android. I would like to pay for one, but I can't a reasonable one that allows me to make my playlists and speed listen without drowning me in ads. Sure I can spend hours trying each one of the dozens, but would my fellow HN have any suggestion?

Have you tried Pocket Casts? Any reason it doesn’t work for you?

Never tried because it is paid. I didn't know if it was good.
Post reply on HN