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Show HN: I built a podcast app that skips over the ads

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Re: Show HN: I built a podcast app that skips over the ads

#211

Post by adskipprod »

throwGuardian wrote: post #85

This is why we can't have nice things. Podcasts rely on advertising for revenue, and given the static nature of pre-recorded ads, they are the least intrusive in this era of AI driven hyper real-time ad-targeting. Reminiscent of print ads on newspapers. So respect the effort of the creator and stop automating ad skipping. Heck, I even implore you to listen to the ads that make your favorite shows available for free,…

Would you say the same thing to every other podcast app company (including Apple) and tell them to remove the 30 second forward button?

Re: Show HN: I built a podcast app that skips over the ads

#212

Post by adskipprod »

faissaloo wrote: post #194
throwGuardian wrote: post #85

This is why we can't have nice things. Podcasts rely on advertising for revenue, and given the static nature of pre-recorded ads, they are the least intrusive in this era of AI driven hyper real-time ad-targeting. Reminiscent of print ads on newspapers. So respect the effort of the creator and stop automating ad skipping. Heck, I even implore you to listen to the ads that make your favorite shows available for free,…

It's my device, what I do is none of their business. I do not want to be advertised to, period.

Thank you!

Re: Show HN: I built a podcast app that skips over the ads

#213

Post by ilikehurdles »

alehul wrote: post #95
pan69 wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is it ethical not to look at a billboard when you're walking down the street? Is it ethical to mute the TV when commercials come up? I think it's just your choice, right?

This wasn't meant to be a question of ethics, but one of incentives— let's view it from a standpoint of "will this ultimately be bad for society." > Is it ethical not to look at a billboard when you're walking down the street? This is fine, you're in a public space where somebody paid for an ad on nearby private property, and society wouldn't be worse off if everybody ignored billboards, advertisers were no longer wi…

> This is fine, you paid for the TV and you pay for cable, and there will be no consequences to many people muting the TV during commercials.

The nature of advertising has turned the entire TV device into an advertising machine that phones home whether I mute and look away or watch "ad-supported" content, or paid-for content, or my own content. I cannot buy a TV that does not funnel my private life into someone's advertising budget thanks to Smart TVs and the normalization of surveillance capitalism.

If a podcast can not survive off its syndication, its advertising, its royalties, nor off its direct subscriptions, then the market has clearly spoken: that podcast is not providing value to listeners, and if it weren't subsidized as a channel by which advertising campaigns reach a desired market segment, it wouldn't exist at all. Clearly if this scenario causes you to shed tears, perhaps consider donating or subscribing, otherwise that podcast isn't a valuable product, it was a line item on an advertising campaign meant to reach you.

Re: Show HN: I built a podcast app that skips over the ads

#214

Post by criddell »

slenk wrote: post #206
criddell wrote: post #190

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It isn't clear exactly what they are doing nor have they said what their plans are. I think NPR bought Pocket Casts and I doubt they spent all that money with no plans for a return on that investment.

I fear more and more podcasts are going to start locking you into a podcast app. It's turning into the video streaming scene

I think that's exactly what some of these companies think they are building - Netflix for podcasts. Unfortunately for them, there isn't a lot of value in podcasts for most people and I can't see that changing.

Re: Show HN: I built a podcast app that skips over the ads

#215

Post by shantly »

PascLeRasc wrote: post #209
shantly wrote: post #132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, one is much nicer, as I can achieve it with no ongoing effort without being so rich I can afford to pay someone else to do it for me. When tech lets me preserve my time and attention in exchange for little or no money, while doing the same without it would only be feasible for the very rich, is when it makes me the happiest.

Try sitting on your hand before seeking past podcast ads next time. It makes it feel like someone else is exploiting them instead of you.

Oh boy we’re exploiting people by not listening to parts of the mp3s they gave us now? This gets more exciting by the minute, do continue.

Re: Show HN: I built a podcast app that skips over the ads

#216

Post by mumblemumble »

criddell wrote: post #185
mumblemumble wrote: post #103

A good percentage of the ad-supported podcasts I listen to also have an ad-free feed for their Patreon subscribers. I'd say look there first if you're looking to spend money to avoid ads. We messed this up 20 years ago when online print media tried doing the same, and the result has been an endless and wasteful arms race. Let's not mess this up again.

The arms race is inevitable. Podcast companies haven't been receiving investments because of that sweet SquareSpace money. They want to track everything there is about how a podcast is listened to and by whom and then monetize that every way they can.

Right now, they're a long way from doing sophisiticated tracking. My podcast app just downloads an mp3 file from a feed; it's not executing any JavaScript, or otherwise doing anything they can use to do the kind of tracking that happens on the Web.

That regime has been stable for decades, and I can't imagine it will change unless something changes to make it stop working for podcasters. Because moving their distribution channel from RSS to some sort of closed app risks alienating their audience.

Re: Show HN: I built a podcast app that skips over the ads

#217

Post by cryptozeus »

0xffff2 wrote: post #111
cryptozeus wrote: post #60

So get the free content without giving the content provider money or any opportunity to monetize via ads ? And expect that they will give quality content forever ?

I would rather be able to get paid content without giving the content provider money or any opportunity to monetize via ads, but that doesn't seem to be an option.

I think this works in idea but not sustainable for provider. May be if there is a way to get both...choose free or pay for add free.

Some of the major podcasters tried going paid route and reversed back to ad based model. i.e. tim ferriss

Re: Show HN: I built a podcast app that skips over the ads

#218

Post by throwGuardian »

adskipprod wrote: post #211
throwGuardian wrote: post #85

This is why we can't have nice things. Podcasts rely on advertising for revenue, and given the static nature of pre-recorded ads, they are the least intrusive in this era of AI driven hyper real-time ad-targeting. Reminiscent of print ads on newspapers. So respect the effort of the creator and stop automating ad skipping. Heck, I even implore you to listen to the ads that make your favorite shows available for free,…

Would you say the same thing to every other podcast app company (including Apple) and tell them to remove the 30 second forward button?

A skip button requires user intent, your entire value-add is automating that out.

Frankly, I would say that you are a hypocrite.

1. You charge $1.99 for an app that strips revenue streams off content creators, while simultaneously expecting people to pay you for your work. The equivalent would be someone simply taking your impending Android apk, cleaning out the part where you get paid and putting it up for free download. a.k.a piracy

2. Your TOS [1] is a draconian piece of work, implying that the mere act of linking to your site requires your permission (which is obviously inaccurate). However, you have the gall to strip parts of someone else's content in an automated fashion? I'm certain you are violating ToS of podcast creators by doing what you do, and I hope they hold you accountable

Even the list of podcasts you currently support (like ones from NPR) are publicly funded, universally acclaimed and mostly ethical in their labeling of ads. You are not a net benefit to the ecosystem

[1]: https://adskippro.com/terms.html

Re: Show HN: I built a podcast app that skips over the ads

#220

Post by aloukissas »

adskipprod wrote: post #143
aloukissas wrote: post #76

Amazing! Was meaning to build something like this for a while, glad you beat me to it! Re: monetization/ethics/etc -- would 100% support podcasts that follow the Brave model with opt-in for ads or pay if you want ad-free experience.

I agree - thank you!

Just realized this is iOS-only. Any chance you've built this on react-native (which will make it trivial to port to Android)?
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