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Spotify is killing the open podcast ecosystem (2020)

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

#61

Post by rodiger »

tmh88j wrote: post #48
StavrosK wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I use Pocket Casts. I just like it a lot, and I don't want to switch because it does everything I need. Spotify seems like it wouldn't be as configurable, but I haven't even felt the need to check. Plus, I don't like a monoculture.

>I just like it a lot, and I don't want to switch because it does everything I need. Spotify seems like it wouldn't be as configurable Maybe I'm missing out on part of the experience. What else is there to do with a podcast other than download/stream and listen? - Thanks for all the tips. I don't listen to a ton of podcasts but I'll give it a shot.

Also configurable speed controls + skipping whitespace + easier to skip ads (Spotify podcasts break out the ads into their own streams so you can't skip them all in one go, though you can skip them individually).

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

#62

Post by dont__panic »

StavrosK wrote: post #45
ThisIsTheWay wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'll admit I'm a podcast novice, but what player are you using and what does it offer beyond Spotify? I find, download, and play podcasts through Spotify without issues, and the few features I need (speed adjustment, offline access, and show notes/links) are all available on Spotify. If there is a better way to listen, I'd love to hear about it.

I use Pocket Casts. I just like it a lot, and I don't want to switch because it does everything I need. Spotify seems like it wouldn't be as configurable, but I haven't even felt the need to check. Plus, I don't like a monoculture.

I would love to support Pocket Casts, but I don't want to pay another subscription (Pocket Casts plus appears to be $1/mo). Do you know if there's any way to just pay $12 for Plus forever or something like that? Or another podcast app that has that kind of one-time purchase?

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

#64

Post by StavrosK »

tapland wrote: post #58
tmh88j wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>I just like it a lot, and I don't want to switch because it does everything I need. Spotify seems like it wouldn't be as configurable Maybe I'm missing out on part of the experience. What else is there to do with a podcast other than download/stream and listen? - Thanks for all the tips. I don't listen to a ton of podcasts but I'll give it a shot.

Well, why are we not coding on laptops from 1994? The user interface can be wildly different. Pocket casts changed recently but oh how I lived the old ui. Spotify had nothing on it. Haven't had a reason to download Spotify since even though I haven't liked all the changes in the new pocket casts.

I believe (though I'm not sure) that AntennaPod is closer to the old Pocket Casts UI (but not as polished):

https://f-droid.org/en/packages/de.danoeh.antennapod/

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

#65

Post by qudat »

dna_polymerase wrote: post #12

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…

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

I'm not a spotify user and I will not move over to it for JRE.

I'm more of a youtube user who found JRE interesting when it was on that platform.

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

#66

Post by mouldysammich »

I sincerely hope they don't, but also i don't think they will. I've never come across music i cant get outside of spotify, i don't see why it would happen with podcasts.

I dont listen to a huge number but all the podcasts i listen to are available outside of it on one of the seemingly millions of podcast hosting services.

Patreon is really cool in this area as i can support podcasts i like and patreon provide a rss feed you can use which is quite delightful.

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

#67

Post by _23sd »

ThisIsTheWay wrote: post #42
klelatti wrote: post #33

Joe who? Seriously, I think that there are a number of reasons why this won't pan out as predicted: - There aren't really any tent-pole, must listen podcasts. They thought Joe Rogan was one but I'm hearing a lot of people have stopped listening to him on Spotify (I have). - Spotify (and others) don't have the money to buy out the whole podcast ecosystem and many podcast makers I think would resist going Spotify exclu…

I'll admit I'm a podcast novice, but what player are you using and what does it offer beyond Spotify? I find, download, and play podcasts through Spotify without issues, and the few features I need (speed adjustment, offline access, and show notes/links) are all available on Spotify. If there is a better way to listen, I'd love to hear about it.

Spotify still doesn't allow the user to add an RSS feed in the app, right? Until they support that it makes no sense to use as my main podcast app because the (admittedly few) podcasts I listen to are mostly either too behind the times to be on Spotify or I pay for their Patreon and need to be able to use the subscriber feed. I use AntennaPod on Android and the built-in Podcasts app on iOS.

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

#68

Post by nacho2sweet »

I loved spotify for music suggestions and playlists, but are finding it highly annoying lately for the podcasts it keeps trying to push at me taking up prime real-estate in the app. Like for example if I open it now the second row is a whole list of podcast about "Get Educated about Voter Suppression". All that stuff sucks for you guys but I am Canadian and don't want to listen to 5 podcasts about American voting.

I only listen to podcasts on my iphone and already have a nice feed in the podcast app, I am good. I haven't even listened to more then 3 hours of podcasts in the last year since I am not on transit every day with covid/work from home.

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

#69

Post by tmh88j »

tapland wrote: post #58
tmh88j wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>I just like it a lot, and I don't want to switch because it does everything I need. Spotify seems like it wouldn't be as configurable Maybe I'm missing out on part of the experience. What else is there to do with a podcast other than download/stream and listen? - Thanks for all the tips. I don't listen to a ton of podcasts but I'll give it a shot.

Well, why are we not coding on laptops from 1994? The user interface can be wildly different. Pocket casts changed recently but oh how I lived the old ui. Spotify had nothing on it. Haven't had a reason to download Spotify since even though I haven't liked all the changes in the new pocket casts.

Your snarky response isn't helpful. You've only said "it's different" and dismissed Spotify while also not giving any reasons why you dislike it.

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

#70

Post by dont__panic »

echelon wrote: post #44
apatters wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What Spotify is trying to do is called a roll-up. This is a well tread business tactic favored by aspiring monopolists and the strategy is simple: acquire most of the distribution in the space, then jack up the price. (In the podcast world, "distribution" equates to "listeners" and price equates to "Spotify's subscription and ad revenue.") The harm caused to both consumers and producers by a roll-up is well-documente…

So this is what Apple did with the app store. Applications used to be distributed everywhere, but Apple tightly controlled the platform and crippled the web browser. They even prevented Flash and other runtimes so they would be the only way to get native control on the device. They "rolled up" computing. What scummy behavior.

This is true, though I would argue that there is a difference between creating a new platform where you have full control and trying to hostile takeover an existing open platform. On one hand you can at least give Apple credit that they're trying to maintain some level of quality on the platform they created and expand their margins through software purchases (since the margins on hardware aren't that high or flexible), whereas Spotify isn't creating anything -- they're just trying to make a platform that already exists shittier.
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