What A Murky Landscape
I've been doing a lot with podcasting over the past year even though I've been generally quiet here. I keep my tongue because my association with RawVoice could lead people to accuse me of bias.
Well the fact is that I am biased. I got involved with Todd and Co. because I not only believed in what they were doing I liked how they were doing it. I still like the way they are doing it.
I get frustrated though. I get emails every week from some snake oil selling punk pitching us on the power of podcasting, telling us how its going to tip in 2007. This is inevitably followed by a request for a partnership or some other thing that involves me promoting what they are doing.
So I always do research and every time what I come up with is someone who has just entered the game looking to make a quick hit. I mean, I've been working at this for two and a half years as a content producer and advocate of the medium. How about spending half an hour to do a few Google searches to find out about who we are? It may be too much to ask.
So you've got a marketplace that is starting to include a decent number of multi-level marketing types who are selling good ole podcast secrets. And you've got old media types who think the secret involves higher production quality plus a babe or two. Look, if there was a time tested formula then everyone would do that. But there isn't a formula for creating successful shows, which is really what podcasts are. They are audio or video shows.
The thing that is scary to people with an old media attitude is the fact that a home produced show by a passionate amateur is just as likely to gain an audience as a slickly produced professional video. That's just the way it is.
The VC funded kids are doing okay I suppose. PodShow has been dead quiet, at least from my perspective, in recent months but I hear they are bringing in some steady revenue. PodTech has been drama central for weeks now with recent rumors circulating that the great Robert Scoble will be checking out soon. Not true though, but something hot is happening there. Maybe the brouhaha is player hating by their enemies. But one does have to ask how you could spend $500K on a video blog in a single year.
How is good ole Odeo doing? Who knows and really who cares. They got some buzz when acquired but the skill sets of the buyers along with the reputation of the buyers financiers doesn't breed confidence in their future as a player. You never know though.
Awhile back I dropped a line about Fruitcast dropping off the face and got a terse, "We're not done," comment from one of the founders. Its been quite a while and I've seen nothing but the same landing page for months. No blog, nothing. I guess you can never say never but this patient hasn't had a pulse for ten months now.
Those folks also created the PodBasket service which now is in the hands of an interesting looking outfit called Splashpress Media. I've gotten reports from PodBasket users recently that they have been having server problems related to the transfer of ownership so beware. There's no blog on the PodBasket service either. I think its a best practice for a web based service to have a blog as a method of providing information and updates on what is happening with the service. Is there anyone who thinks that's not a good idea?
In that same post back in 2006 I mentioned Castfire. They have come back strong and are creating some really nice tools being used by Ask A Ninja among others.
LibSyn buyers Wizzard have launched Wizzard Media and they are going to make a run at PodShow with exclusive ad contracts and the like. I've commented on this approach before. I don't know how viable it is since there is such a huge pool of content out there but PodShow seems to be doing okay so why not.
What do I see in a nutshell? A lot is happening. In fact a lot more is happening than I could summarize in this post. Some of what is happening is good for podcasting. Some is not so good. I think the best thing that could happen is for there to be a shakeout that reduces the numbers of players in the game. And when I say that I mean commercial service providers and top down funded networks. Those who are really dedicated and understand will be more likely to do the right thing. But not all players are necessarily dedicated (or even understand) what podcasting is all about. They just see dollar signs.
The content pool, on the other hand, is always going to grow and I believe that's a good thing. Interesting times we live in folks.
Well the fact is that I am biased. I got involved with Todd and Co. because I not only believed in what they were doing I liked how they were doing it. I still like the way they are doing it.
I get frustrated though. I get emails every week from some snake oil selling punk pitching us on the power of podcasting, telling us how its going to tip in 2007. This is inevitably followed by a request for a partnership or some other thing that involves me promoting what they are doing.
So I always do research and every time what I come up with is someone who has just entered the game looking to make a quick hit. I mean, I've been working at this for two and a half years as a content producer and advocate of the medium. How about spending half an hour to do a few Google searches to find out about who we are? It may be too much to ask.
So you've got a marketplace that is starting to include a decent number of multi-level marketing types who are selling good ole podcast secrets. And you've got old media types who think the secret involves higher production quality plus a babe or two. Look, if there was a time tested formula then everyone would do that. But there isn't a formula for creating successful shows, which is really what podcasts are. They are audio or video shows.
The thing that is scary to people with an old media attitude is the fact that a home produced show by a passionate amateur is just as likely to gain an audience as a slickly produced professional video. That's just the way it is.
The VC funded kids are doing okay I suppose. PodShow has been dead quiet, at least from my perspective, in recent months but I hear they are bringing in some steady revenue. PodTech has been drama central for weeks now with recent rumors circulating that the great Robert Scoble will be checking out soon. Not true though, but something hot is happening there. Maybe the brouhaha is player hating by their enemies. But one does have to ask how you could spend $500K on a video blog in a single year.
How is good ole Odeo doing? Who knows and really who cares. They got some buzz when acquired but the skill sets of the buyers along with the reputation of the buyers financiers doesn't breed confidence in their future as a player. You never know though.
Awhile back I dropped a line about Fruitcast dropping off the face and got a terse, "We're not done," comment from one of the founders. Its been quite a while and I've seen nothing but the same landing page for months. No blog, nothing. I guess you can never say never but this patient hasn't had a pulse for ten months now.
Those folks also created the PodBasket service which now is in the hands of an interesting looking outfit called Splashpress Media. I've gotten reports from PodBasket users recently that they have been having server problems related to the transfer of ownership so beware. There's no blog on the PodBasket service either. I think its a best practice for a web based service to have a blog as a method of providing information and updates on what is happening with the service. Is there anyone who thinks that's not a good idea?
In that same post back in 2006 I mentioned Castfire. They have come back strong and are creating some really nice tools being used by Ask A Ninja among others.
LibSyn buyers Wizzard have launched Wizzard Media and they are going to make a run at PodShow with exclusive ad contracts and the like. I've commented on this approach before. I don't know how viable it is since there is such a huge pool of content out there but PodShow seems to be doing okay so why not.
What do I see in a nutshell? A lot is happening. In fact a lot more is happening than I could summarize in this post. Some of what is happening is good for podcasting. Some is not so good. I think the best thing that could happen is for there to be a shakeout that reduces the numbers of players in the game. And when I say that I mean commercial service providers and top down funded networks. Those who are really dedicated and understand will be more likely to do the right thing. But not all players are necessarily dedicated (or even understand) what podcasting is all about. They just see dollar signs.
The content pool, on the other hand, is always going to grow and I believe that's a good thing. Interesting times we live in folks.
Recommend Podcast NYC To Your Friends
posted by PodcastNYC.net at 9:07 PM
2 Comments:
I just hope that Google will come with Mp3 hosting and Google Adsense for Audio and will resolve all these petty battles once and for all....
Regarding Podshow: it is not using its potential to the max and is squandering several opportunities... but due to its unique market position it has bright future for next 1-2 years still.
Thanks for your comments.
Google will be at the 2007 Podcast Expo with their Google Audio product that I believe is geared towards the radio market.
I've no idea what they're thinking but the FeedBurner acquisition puts another piece of the puzzle in place for them.
PodShow is too well funded not to be a big player. They have brought in new advertisers and that's good for everyone.
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