Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Charging for a Podcast

Options
  • 08-01-2013 5:09pm
    #1
    wnolan1992
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 14,009 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    So some of the IGN team who previously did the Knockin' Boots podcasts have come out with their new show today.

    Super Knockin' Boots

    For those that don't know, Knockin' Boots was a dating advice show for IGN's audience (primarily gamers), which often descended into outright madness as the cast were usually drinking while recording. A great show.

    But for this new show, they have decided to charge €1.50 per episode.

    For me, it just seems a bit greedy to ask people to pay for a podcast like this, given that there are so many others out there that put in just as much, if not more, time for free (Rebel FM, Geekbox, The Comedy Button to name but a few).

    So what's your take on this? Would you ever pay for a podcast? Would you ever charge for a podcast you spend your free time producing?


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    megaten
    Registered Users Posts: 1,887 ✭✭✭megaten


    To be honest called it greedy is dumb and a terrible arguement. Why shouldn't people be compensated for their work? Just because someone does something for free doesn't mean you should. If people want it they'll pay for it. If less listen it no loss on them. I enjoyed the older episodes so if they put up a non itunes version I'll probably buy it.


  • Options
    #3
    wnolan1992
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 14,009 Mod ✭✭✭✭wnolan1992


    megaten wrote: »
    To be honest called it greedy is dumb and a terrible arguement. Why shouldn't people be compensated for their work? Just because someone does something for free doesn't mean you should. If people want it they'll pay for it. If less listen it no loss on them. I enjoyed the older episodes so if they put up a non itunes version I'll probably buy it.

    "Greedy" was perhaps too strong a word. Of course people are entitled to be compensated for their work, I'm just wondering is charging on a per episode basis the wisest move for a podcast.

    Instead of, for example, asking for donations (The Comedy Button raised $40,000 in a month) or selling advertising in the episodes.


  • Options
    #4
    steve_r
    Registered Users Posts: 1,993 ✭✭✭steve_r


    It depends really. Was Ricky Gervais the first to charge for podcasts?

    Can't remember the exact fact pattern of that but I remember the first season was free.

    I know Marc Maron offers extras for his premium listeners (access to archive etc). The shows themselves are free for a certain amount of time.

    Annother podcast I listen to WarRocketAjax was independent for a while. To raise funds, they looked for donations, and anyone who gave $100+ got brought on the show as a guest. Then they got taken on by a site, so its still free.

    It looks like these guys have gone the opposite direction. I think that they are entitled to look for payment. Whether I'd pay or not would depend on the quality, frequency etc of the shows.

    With so many quality free podcasts out there though, I think the listener has the power.


  • Options
    #5
    Penn
    Registered Users Posts: 33,357 ✭✭✭✭Penn


    I know Kevin Smith has SmodCost, where you can download higher quality versions of the free podcasts, and with no ads (where there can usually be about 6 minutes before some of his podcasts.

    I've paid for bonus pods of Tell 'em Steve-Dave before, but other than that, one of the main selling points of podcasts is how they're free. Fair enough, they can cost a bit of money to make and host, but look for sponsorship or something.


  • Options
    #6
    jaykhunter
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 12,013 Mod ✭✭✭✭jaykhunter


    Charging per episode is a bit stingy/constantly contentious, I'd be more into a once-off payment or periodic subscription for podcasts, like F4W/WON do. I don't begrudge anyone for charging for pods but to get my cash you'll have to justify the price tag esp. considering the quality of free pods out there.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    Syferus
    Registered Users Posts: 5,965 ✭✭✭Syferus


    I've listened to dozens of podcasts and I wouldn't ever consider paying per episode for a single one, even something as wonderful as This American Life. There are simply too many other fantastic free options for me to choose from and too many other more pertinent ways for me to spend my money.

    For all the excuses people can make up cost isn't an appropriate one when it comes to podcasts. Production for most involves a laptop and a few mics; most are mixed by one of the hosts or for free buy a friend if they're not produced by a professional company who have the cast on staff. The only major cost is hosting and honestly there's many ways to reduce that cost and most of the people attempting the freeium model won't admit it. They can put whatever premium they want to on their 'time' but the market dictates otherwise in terms of pricing and ways to fund podcasts.

    Ads, donations or merch are the only revenue avenues that are valid in my eyes and anything more than that comes across as greedy and abusive of the relationship the show has garnered with its audience.

    Somehow podcasters can lose track of themselves to such a degree that they start to relate their product more to a cable television show than the radio show it self-evidently is; with the former there is an implicate acceptance of cost, the later is assumed to be free.

    It's that assumption of being free that drove podcasts at a time when radio was slowly dying; anyone trying to alter that is going to meet with lukewarm success at best unless they happen to be a world-famous figure.


Advertisement