Spotify is killing the open podcast ecosystem (2020) • Hacker News Board

Re: Spotify is killing the open podcast ecosystem (2020)

#11

Post by raiyu » Tue, Apr 20, 2021, 3:37 PM UTC

post_break wrote: post #8

Meanwhile I guess apple stopped accepting new podcasts into their database and people are spreading rumors of a new paid podcasts+ subscription model launching today. Which I hope falls flat. Podcasts should be free and accessible to anyone.

Perhaps, but on the other hand, if someone like Joe Rogan had a paid for subscription plan where you were paying him directly, instead of being forced into a membership with Spotify, would that in a sense be more open, in that you are able to vote directly with your cash who you are listening to?

Of course, if its an apple product, in a sense you are tied in to their system, but if it's successful, other paid for podcast variants could appear and then Joe Rogan can syndicate it to numerous vendors which have a pay-wall.

Re: Spotify is killing the open podcast ecosystem (2020)

#12

Post by dna_polymerase » Tue, Apr 20, 2021, 3:38 PM UTC

I guess I don't know the right podcasts, but in my opinion, most of them are lazy marketing efforts by large corporations. I don't want to listen to native ads. And this is basically everything Spotify seems to suggest to me in the podcast section.

I fled Soundcloud because they couldn't get their shit together, it seems Spotify won't be competing forever as well. Their app has random stutters on modern hardware, and is cluttered with podcast stuff. All I want is music.

I liked JRE, but even as a Spotify user, I don't listen to him anymore.

Re: Spotify is killing the open podcast ecosystem (2020)

#13

Post by the_snooze » Tue, Apr 20, 2021, 3:45 PM UTC

intpx wrote: post #4

This post is essentially a funding pitch for Spotify. I talks a lot about they are going to try and kill the open podcast ecosystem but no evidence that they are making any progress. The podcast ecosystem is very different from other media markets-- it started open, it grew up open, and people are actually willing to directly pay content producers either for bonus content, to avoid ad reads, or just to keep the train…

>to avoid ad reads

Even without paying for podcasts, ad reads in podcasts are pretty much the most consumer-friendly form of advertising on the internet. There's no privacy invasion. The ads are pretty well targeted because podcast producers generally know and try to respect their audiences. And they can even be pretty funny and entertaining when hosts can stray a bit off-script.

Re: Spotify is killing the open podcast ecosystem (2020)

#14

Post by jollybean » Tue, Apr 20, 2021, 3:46 PM UTC

Some very good insights that do not support the headline statement of 'how Spotify kills the system'.

Music distribution can be complex, with multiple parties, it's not easy to even get listed on Apple etc., so that's a situation where verticalisation is power.

But Podcasting is very much open season, anyone can do it and there are multiple 'open' channels.

I don't think anyone has any qualms about jumping away from Spotify to follow their favorite podcaster.

Of all the shenanigans going on with exclusivity, monopoly, privacy, this is not on the big list of worries.

Re: Spotify is killing the open podcast ecosystem (2020)

#15

Post by xnyan » Tue, Apr 20, 2021, 3:47 PM UTC

1cvmask wrote: post #2

Wonder how the removal and censorship of podcasts will affect content makers: https://www.businessinsider.com/joe-rogan-experience-podcast...

I think calling this censorship is like saying Applebee's censors beer because they stock Bud Lite over Old Rasputin.

Spotify is the owner of the content and pulled those episodes for the same reason all mass marketed content gravitates to the bland and benign - bland and benign is easier to sell to a large mass of people.

Joe Rogan was free (not just free, well compensated) as an indy and could have kept his lucrative gig, but spotify dumped a truck load of money in his lawn and he decided he'd rather have that. They even told him up front they were going to remove episodes, and the contract made it clear they could keep going. It's not really censorship when the creator decided to pull episodes to make their content more appealing to a mass audience of people in order to make more money.

Re: Spotify is killing the open podcast ecosystem (2020)

#16

Post by throwaway3699 » Tue, Apr 20, 2021, 3:50 PM UTC

xnyan wrote: post #15

1cvmask wrote: post #2

Wonder how the removal and censorship of podcasts will affect content makers: https://www.businessinsider.com/joe-rogan-experience-podcast...

I think calling this censorship is like saying Applebee's censors beer because they stock Bud Lite over Old Rasputin. Spotify is the owner of the content and pulled those episodes for the same reason all mass marketed content gravitates to the bland and benign - bland and benign is easier to sell to a large mass of people. Joe Rogan was free (not just free, well compensated) as an indy and could have kept his lucrati…

The real issue is the audience care about those historical conversations. The Alex Jones podcast was probably the most hilarious JRE episode full stop. I'm not going to get outraged but I don't care to watch as many episodes as I did.

Re: Spotify is killing the open podcast ecosystem (2020)

#17

Post by vlunkr » Tue, Apr 20, 2021, 3:51 PM UTC

the_snooze wrote: post #13

intpx wrote: post #4

This post is essentially a funding pitch for Spotify. I talks a lot about they are going to try and kill the open podcast ecosystem but no evidence that they are making any progress. The podcast ecosystem is very different from other media markets-- it started open, it grew up open, and people are actually willing to directly pay content producers either for bonus content, to avoid ad reads, or just to keep the train…

>to avoid ad reads Even without paying for podcasts, ad reads in podcasts are pretty much the most consumer-friendly form of advertising on the internet. There's no privacy invasion. The ads are pretty well targeted because podcast producers generally know and try to respect their audiences. And they can even be pretty funny and entertaining when hosts can stray a bit off-script.

Plus you can always skip them with a couple of button presses.

Re: Spotify is killing the open podcast ecosystem (2020)

#18

Post by post_break » Tue, Apr 20, 2021, 3:53 PM UTC

raiyu wrote: post #11

post_break wrote: post #8

Meanwhile I guess apple stopped accepting new podcasts into their database and people are spreading rumors of a new paid podcasts+ subscription model launching today. Which I hope falls flat. Podcasts should be free and accessible to anyone.

Perhaps, but on the other hand, if someone like Joe Rogan had a paid for subscription plan where you were paying him directly, instead of being forced into a membership with Spotify, would that in a sense be more open, in that you are able to vote directly with your cash who you are listening to? Of course, if its an apple product, in a sense you are tied in to their system, but if it's successful, other paid for pod…

I believe paying someone directly for an exclusive podcast makes more sense than paying to be on a platform. The whole idea of a podcast is for it to be accessible on any device using any player of their choice, and spotify does not fit that idea. I'm not saying my mindset is the "correct" one but how I feel.

I listen to a lot of podcasts, and there are some premium ones where you pay to get access, but once you pay, the way you access them is basically the same as all other podcasts. Hiding the actual podcast behind a certain protocol is what I raise an eyebrow to.

Also, this is my opinion only, spotify is terrible at podcasts from a usability standpoint.

Re: Spotify is killing the open podcast ecosystem (2020)

#19

Post by mertd » Tue, Apr 20, 2021, 3:56 PM UTC

vlunkr wrote: post #17

the_snooze wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>to avoid ad reads Even without paying for podcasts, ad reads in podcasts are pretty much the most consumer-friendly form of advertising on the internet. There's no privacy invasion. The ads are pretty well targeted because podcast producers generally know and try to respect their audiences. And they can even be pretty funny and entertaining when hosts can stray a bit off-script.

Plus you can always skip them with a couple of button presses.

I can see a future where podcasts move to a walled garden (Spotify) and the fast forward button gets disabled during ads.

Re: Spotify is killing the open podcast ecosystem (2020)

#20

Post by [deleted] » Tue, Apr 20, 2021, 3:58 PM UTC

jollybean wrote: post #14

Some very good insights that do not support the headline statement of 'how Spotify kills the system'. Music distribution can be complex, with multiple parties, it's not easy to even get listed on Apple etc., so that's a situation where verticalisation is power. But Podcasting is very much open season, anyone can do it and there are multiple 'open' channels. I don't think anyone has any qualms about jumping away from…

[deleted]