ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Send James and Sam a message or voicemail
James and Sam look into this week's podcasting news, including the show pulled by YouTube.
• YouTube removing a top podcast with no warning, then reinstating it
• The risk of building a show on third-party platforms and automated enforcement
• Why we think a podcast needs an RSS feed to be a podcast
• YouTube reportedly paying creators to avoid Netflix and the coercion angle
• Newsletters as the best real estate in podcasting and why platforms are piling in
• Acast partnering with Kit versus all-in-one creator platforms like Beehive
• Spotify Megaphone issues affecting ad campaigns and DAI reliability
• Podbean analytics filters mistakenly wiping Apple Podcasts downloads
• The whack-a-mole problem of bots, crawlers, and imperfect measurement
• Podcast 2.0 building blocks gaining traction: person tags and location tags
• Podcast Radar as a map-based discovery tool and why rich location data matters
• Threads experimenting with transcript-synced audio posts
• Listener mail on Megaphone support and hosting fit
Connect With Us:
- Email: weekly@podnews.net
- Fediverse: @james@bne.social and @samsethi@podcastindex.social
- Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support
- Get Podnews: podnews.net
SHOW NOTES 🔗
TRANSCRIPT 🔗
00:00:00.239 --> 00:00:04.160
If you add your show to YouTube, you are entering a Faustian pact.
00:00:04.240 --> 00:00:12.320
The Faustian Pact is a deal where a person trades their moral integrity, values, or soul for a temporary material benefit like power, money, or fame.
00:00:12.480 --> 00:00:15.919
That sounds about right in when you put your content up on YouTube, I think.
00:00:16.160 --> 00:00:23.440
Sam Sethi's back and he's teaching us the classics, but is podcasting right to be building its business on other people's platforms.
00:00:23.679 --> 00:00:26.239
With James Cridlin and Sam Sethy.
00:00:26.800 --> 00:00:31.600
This is the Pod News Weekly Review with Buzz with Buzz Spratt.
00:00:32.000 --> 00:00:35.039
Start podcasting, heat podcasting.
00:00:35.359 --> 00:00:36.960
Well, James, I'm back.
00:00:37.200 --> 00:00:38.159
Ah, welcome back.
00:00:38.320 --> 00:00:39.039
Welcome back, Mr.
00:00:39.119 --> 00:00:39.520
Seth.
00:00:39.759 --> 00:00:43.759
We will talk later about what your life was like in Sunny Island.
00:00:43.920 --> 00:00:45.439
Or not so sunny island.
00:00:45.679 --> 00:00:47.439
Not so sunny island, no.
00:00:47.840 --> 00:00:50.880
Congratulations first to Liam for taking my place on sweet.
00:00:51.039 --> 00:00:51.679
Well done, mate.
00:00:51.759 --> 00:00:53.119
It was very good listening to it.
00:00:53.200 --> 00:00:54.880
So thank you very much for doing that.
00:00:55.439 --> 00:01:03.200
And then I've got a little apology because we were going to have ACAST on, Greg Glenday, this week, and I missed it because of the time zone.
00:01:03.439 --> 00:01:05.840
Holiday head, that's what I'm putting it down to.
00:01:06.000 --> 00:01:09.120
So next week, sorry, sorry, ACAST.
00:01:09.840 --> 00:01:11.280
Let's kick off the show, James.
00:01:11.439 --> 00:01:13.920
Caveat MTOR podcaster beware.
00:01:14.159 --> 00:01:16.079
Oh, we're starting the show with some Latin, are we?
00:01:16.239 --> 00:01:19.439
Oh, we are, yes, you know, a week away reading Chaucer.
00:01:19.920 --> 00:01:26.560
You wrote about a podcast called The Parent Trap and something to do with YouTube kicking them off.
00:01:27.280 --> 00:01:28.560
What are they doing, YouTube?
00:01:28.959 --> 00:01:35.200
Uh so it's a top ten parenting uh podcast, and it has been suddenly pulled from YouTube.
00:01:35.439 --> 00:01:40.159
We carried on Monday, apparently just yanked off by an automated tool.
00:01:40.640 --> 00:01:44.239
Sorry, I have a show title, Yanked Off by an Automated Tool.
00:01:44.480 --> 00:01:44.959
That is it.
00:01:45.120 --> 00:01:50.319
I can't point out listening.
00:01:50.560 --> 00:01:52.239
This isn't podcasting 2.0.
00:01:52.319 --> 00:01:52.799
We don't do this.
00:01:53.200 --> 00:01:53.519
Okay.
00:01:55.280 --> 00:01:56.560
Moving on then.
00:01:56.879 --> 00:01:57.599
Moving on.
00:01:57.920 --> 00:02:05.120
The channel was accused uh of circumventing a ban that uh uh really didn't actually happen.
00:02:05.359 --> 00:02:07.439
So very confusing.
00:02:07.760 --> 00:02:17.199
The the guy behind the channel, Ryan McDonoughhue, he ended up trying to get in touch with YouTube, got an automated response back saying no.
00:02:17.599 --> 00:02:27.759
I've seen chats that he's had with YouTube staff who said no, you've been banned and you don't have any opportunity for appeal.
00:02:28.000 --> 00:02:36.240
And so, yes, thrown off YouTube for seemingly no apparent reason, no strikes, no warning.
00:02:36.479 --> 00:02:38.879
The appeal was instantly denied.
00:02:39.199 --> 00:02:44.319
That is the reality of the of the automated world that we live in, I guess.
00:02:44.719 --> 00:02:50.879
This is really the worry, isn't it, that the podcast community has about building on other people's platforms.
00:02:51.120 --> 00:02:54.879
You know, God rest his soul, Todd Cochrane, getyourwn.com.
00:02:55.199 --> 00:02:59.520
I mean, at the end of the day, you know, no strikes, no warning, no appeal.
00:02:59.759 --> 00:03:14.560
If you are going to get YouTube doing this and to a top ten, I wonder how many other podcasts have been taken off of YouTube and you know they haven't had the platform to come and talk about it, but they've just gone, I can't get back.
00:03:14.800 --> 00:03:18.080
Yeah, no, I I I think that there's a lot of this.
00:03:18.159 --> 00:03:28.400
I mean, I had two other podcasters who contacted me after I had focused on the parents tap and said, Look, we've been thrown off as well.
00:03:28.639 --> 00:03:44.560
Now, one of those was from an email address that was something like, I really loveai at gmail.com, and turned out to be an AI-produced podcast, which was thrown off for reasons of AI.
00:03:45.039 --> 00:03:58.240
But, you know, I I I I'm I'm not clearly going to be, you know, the only person who sits there and says, you know what, I'm gonna cover every single podcast that uh YouTube has ever kicked off because I wouldn't be doing anything else.
00:03:58.400 --> 00:04:02.000
But there's clearly it's clearly happening for quite a lot of people, yeah.
00:04:02.319 --> 00:04:07.520
Yeah, I mean the last few weeks we've seen them change the rules for you know the partner programme.
00:04:07.599 --> 00:04:08.879
You have to double the requirement.
00:04:08.960 --> 00:04:12.159
We've seen them with that crazy play count.
00:04:12.319 --> 00:04:13.759
Hovering is a play.
00:04:14.000 --> 00:04:17.519
Please, someone get them sorted over there.
00:04:17.920 --> 00:04:24.720
But I would say this: look, and if you add your show to YouTube, you are entering a Faustian pact.
00:04:24.879 --> 00:04:32.800
A Faustian pact is a deal where a person trades their moral integrity, values, or soul for a temporary material benefit like power, money, or fame.
00:04:33.040 --> 00:04:36.560
That sounds about right when when you put your content up on YouTube, I think.
00:04:36.879 --> 00:04:37.680
Yes, I think so.
00:04:37.839 --> 00:04:50.959
I mean, you know, at the end of the day, you you you kind of have to live with the rules of these third-party companies like YouTube, like indeed Apple, and like various other things.
00:04:51.120 --> 00:05:01.439
I love the fact that we started with uh Latin and we're now on a German legend based on the historical Johann Georg Faust from 1480 to 1540.
00:05:01.759 --> 00:05:02.639
Stick with it.
00:05:02.879 --> 00:05:05.199
You never know where we might go next.
00:05:06.079 --> 00:05:08.800
So, yes, so I I think that that's very excellent.
00:05:08.959 --> 00:05:24.000
The thing here isn't necessarily that people are getting chucked off these platforms, the thing is that it it is all algorithmic, and the algorithm decided that that uh Ryan McDonough should be thrown off.
00:05:24.480 --> 00:05:41.920
And there is no reason why he should have been thrown off, and I can tell you that because as of today, YouTube has now reinstated the channel, saying after taking another look, we can confirm that it is not in violation of our terms of service.
00:05:42.079 --> 00:05:51.360
Now, the question is, would they have done that if they hadn't been the top story on a podcast newsletter that reaches 33,000 people?
00:05:51.519 --> 00:05:53.680
And the answer is yes, they probably would.
00:05:53.920 --> 00:05:58.000
But nevertheless, uh let's uh let's kind of ignore that bit.
00:05:58.240 --> 00:06:12.560
You know, I I that that is the concern here that actually this guy had to really push and really push very, very hard to get a human being at YouTube to turn around and go, oh, actually we've looked at it, and no, you're absolutely right.
00:06:12.800 --> 00:06:15.759
Anyone else would just have gone, oh well, we've been thrown off.
00:06:15.839 --> 00:06:16.959
Oh well, well, there we are.
00:06:17.279 --> 00:06:26.160
The one other thing I would say is his show has always continued on open RSS, and you've been always able to get his show on that platform, of course.
00:06:26.480 --> 00:06:32.800
Yeah, and that I thought was the telling punchline to your piece that it still continues on RSS.
00:06:33.199 --> 00:06:36.560
As Adam Curry says, it's not open, it's just RSS.
00:06:37.680 --> 00:06:44.000
But the the thing I would say is, you know, we've been trying to define podcasts, and and there's been some great definitions of it.
00:06:44.079 --> 00:06:47.519
Don't get me wrong, you know, something for your ears while your eyes are busy.
00:06:47.920 --> 00:06:51.439
I still fundamentally believe it can't be a podcast unless it has RSS.
00:06:52.079 --> 00:06:58.879
That includes both audio and video, therefore, within the definition, within the alternative enclosure.
00:06:59.199 --> 00:07:11.759
But the way that YouTube, Spotify, and Apple are now requiring me as a host to publish content via a closed proprietary API and not RSS annoys me a lot.
00:07:12.000 --> 00:07:17.120
And I therefore think a podcast is only a podcast if it has an RSS feed.
00:07:17.360 --> 00:07:18.160
Well, there we are.
00:07:18.240 --> 00:07:19.759
And on that bombshell.
00:07:21.040 --> 00:07:28.639
No, I mean, I I I have I have always said for the purposes of Pod News writing about you, are you an Apple Podcast?
00:07:28.879 --> 00:07:31.360
If you're not in Apple Podcasts, I'm not going to write about you.
00:07:31.439 --> 00:07:37.680
I mean, that that is the that's not necessarily a definition of a podcast, because I think that's a little bit too cheeky.
00:07:37.759 --> 00:07:48.399
But I think from a point of view of is this something that I might write about, I think the answer is yes, as long as you're in Apple Podcasts, i.e., as long as you have an RSS feed.
00:07:48.560 --> 00:07:52.160
There's no way of you getting into Apple Podcasts if you don't have an RSS feed.
00:07:52.240 --> 00:07:54.079
I mean, there is, but let's ignore that bit.
00:07:54.480 --> 00:07:55.600
Well, is that true?
00:07:55.680 --> 00:08:05.360
Uh well, it is true to the extent that yes, you need an RSS feed in order to still get there, but the API requirement is a piece on top for the video stuff.
00:08:05.839 --> 00:08:06.639
For the video stuff.
00:08:06.879 --> 00:08:08.560
And uh I I completely agree.
00:08:08.639 --> 00:08:14.399
Uh, but but there again, you can turn around and say an RSS feed will get you into YouTube as well.
00:08:14.720 --> 00:08:19.519
So, you know, there is a there is always that the audio, not the video.
00:08:19.839 --> 00:08:21.120
Again, yes, exactly.
00:08:21.279 --> 00:08:24.720
So I think I think RSS is, yes, absolutely right.
00:08:24.879 --> 00:08:33.360
And without being without being there, and without using that RSS feed is I think the point that I'm trying to make with that are you in Apple Podcasts.
00:08:33.519 --> 00:08:37.039
Without using the RSS feed, then you're not really a podcast.
00:08:37.200 --> 00:08:46.240
And there are plenty of people who are publishing on Spotify for creators but haven't even enabled the RSS feed, and they think that that's a podcast.
00:08:46.399 --> 00:08:47.279
It's not really.
00:08:47.440 --> 00:08:54.960
And I think you know, i if a podcast is it's available in more than one place, then that's probably the the easy answer.
00:08:55.120 --> 00:08:57.519
But uh yes, I would I would certainly agree.
00:08:57.679 --> 00:09:05.519
But in this particular case, yeah, you know, this this podcast has been available on RSS all the time.
00:09:05.679 --> 00:09:09.759
I deliberately call it open RSS because of the fact that it is open.
00:09:09.919 --> 00:09:19.519
I know that there is no closed RSS apart from private feeds, but the the point about RSS is that it is open and anyone can access it.
00:09:19.679 --> 00:09:22.960
And that's the point that I try and make every time I say open RSS.
00:09:23.519 --> 00:09:25.679
I know I I I do the same thing.
00:09:26.080 --> 00:09:30.000
It's it's the delimiter to try and make people understand the difference.
00:09:30.159 --> 00:09:34.399
But yeah, I just thought I'd get it in before Adam pulled us up on it on Friday.
00:09:34.720 --> 00:09:35.200
Yes, I know.
00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:36.240
Yes, I know.
00:09:36.399 --> 00:09:40.879
Well, the only the only way that he'll now bring it up, he's got an AI bot listening to this show.
00:09:40.960 --> 00:09:44.080
So the only way he'll bring it up is if is if we mention his name.
00:09:44.480 --> 00:09:50.559
So maybe what we should be doing in future is just, I don't know, using a code word, and then the AI bot won't notice.
00:09:50.879 --> 00:09:51.919
Let's move on, James.
00:09:52.000 --> 00:10:02.480
And a story that you you had in Pod New Daily, Bloomberg is suggesting that YouTube is not happy about its creators who are also posting videos on Netflix.
00:10:02.799 --> 00:10:05.519
You know what came to my mind, James, was toys and pram.
00:10:05.679 --> 00:10:07.679
They're throwing their toys out the pram.
00:10:07.840 --> 00:10:08.960
Why, James?
00:10:09.840 --> 00:10:17.120
Yes, well, uh, so they clearly don't want some of their biggest creators to go to Netflix for some reason.
00:10:17.360 --> 00:10:25.840
And so therefore, they are talking about giving lots of money, according to Bloomberg, deals of up to$10 million, according to the Anklers.
00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:26.879
Like and subscribe.
00:10:26.960 --> 00:10:36.159
The company is talking to around 15 creators with that sort of number, to basically say, please don't go to Netflix and please don't take your your stuff off.
00:10:36.240 --> 00:10:53.039
But they're also threatening them by basically saying, We're not going to promote your shows to advertisers, we're not going to promote your shows in the algorithm, we'll you know downmark you if you are also available on the Netflix platform and so on and so forth.
00:10:53.200 --> 00:10:59.679
So there's a bit of there's a bit of coercion in there as well as a bit of as well as a bit of you know money.
00:11:00.080 --> 00:11:11.360
But yes, I mean you know, I I I can kind of see if you are YouTube, you might feel a little bit threatened by Netflix, but frankly, only a little bit threatened.
00:11:11.440 --> 00:11:16.639
I mean, how many how many podcasts have they got now from YouTube?
00:11:17.120 --> 00:11:19.440
I mean, they've probably got 30 or 40.
00:11:19.600 --> 00:11:22.720
It's not it's not big, you know, numbers, is it?
00:11:23.120 --> 00:11:30.240
I I have heard that you know the number one thing on YouTube has about a three percent share of all YouTube users.
00:11:30.399 --> 00:11:39.039
So it's it's you know YouTube has so much stuff on it that you know one person leaving is not going to harm YouTube particularly.
00:11:39.600 --> 00:11:42.720
No, but I do think it is quality versus quantity, right?
00:11:42.879 --> 00:11:48.720
I mean that they're they're cherry-picking the quality ones that will drive or they hope will drive traffic to them.
00:11:48.799 --> 00:11:56.159
I mean I I I know that there are podcasts now on Netflix when I'm in the lounge, but I never go to look at them.
00:11:56.399 --> 00:12:00.960
So, you know, I've seen the rest is football, and I thought I'm not gonna be watching that.
00:12:01.120 --> 00:12:04.480
But I'm you know, I may not be the right demographic they're aiming for.
00:12:04.879 --> 00:12:08.799
But the the thing for me is where's the DOJ?
00:12:08.960 --> 00:12:18.720
Isn't this anti-competitive by YouTube going and saying we don't want this and we're gonna change our algorithm to downgrade you and and openly declaring it?
00:12:18.879 --> 00:12:21.440
I mean, what happened to the DOJ?
00:12:21.679 --> 00:12:29.759
Well, yeah, I mean I I don't know whether that is uh you know, I mean, antitrust and all of that, but you know, I mean Netflix is quite big.
00:12:30.080 --> 00:12:31.759
People are allowed to compete.
00:12:32.000 --> 00:12:33.600
Uh, YouTube might be number one.
00:12:33.759 --> 00:12:34.000
Exactly.
00:12:34.320 --> 00:12:37.840
Netflix are you know, sort of number two or number three-ish.
00:12:38.559 --> 00:12:41.200
So they're they're quite big.
00:12:41.360 --> 00:12:48.720
I think you know, Ford is allowed to compete with Toyota, uh, and I don't think necessarily that that's a bad thing.
00:12:48.799 --> 00:13:00.320
Where it gets difficult is if your product is, you know, used by 80% and the next one is used by 20%, and your but you know, your background at Microsoft, you will know all of that, of course.
00:13:00.639 --> 00:13:04.879
So you know, and and so I suppose that's that's where the difference is here.
00:13:04.960 --> 00:13:05.440
But yeah.
00:13:05.919 --> 00:13:08.639
I mean, I think it's quite weird, isn't it?
00:13:08.799 --> 00:13:23.519
We talk about it week in, week out, how YouTube is a company that pays for nothing, i.e., they get loads and loads of free content, and now they're crying about having people you know go to another platform and having to pay, that's what they they probably are most angry at.
00:13:23.679 --> 00:13:28.320
Having gone from free content, they're now having to pay millions to stop creators moving.
00:13:28.480 --> 00:13:28.799
Yes.
00:13:28.960 --> 00:13:34.240
I mean they have paid for content in the past, but yes, I I know exactly what you mean.
00:13:34.399 --> 00:13:36.320
Dear dear, if only there was a song.
00:13:36.559 --> 00:13:42.080
In the words of Justin Timberlake, James, cry me or ever YouTube and uh what goes around comes around.
00:13:42.399 --> 00:13:44.240
Was that was that Justin Timberlake as well?
00:13:44.720 --> 00:13:45.519
Yes, it was, yeah.
00:13:45.679 --> 00:13:52.320
So one other story I wanted to talk about, James, this week was newsletters.
00:13:52.480 --> 00:14:01.679
Now Tom Webster from Sounds Profitable wrote a post back in July which was the best real estate to own in podcasting is newsletters now.
00:14:01.759 --> 00:14:02.720
I'm sure you'd agree with that.
00:14:03.600 --> 00:14:10.320
He said 87% of subscribers to podcast newsletters have listened to an episode because of them, and 42% often have.
00:14:10.720 --> 00:14:13.679
And of course, they allow you to speak directly to your audience.
00:14:14.559 --> 00:14:19.279
Now, what we found this week is TikTok has started a newsletter.
00:14:20.000 --> 00:14:27.200
So they are launching the creator's cut, and it's there to help TikTok live creators understand what they can do with the platform.
00:14:27.440 --> 00:14:30.240
And I thought that was interesting that TikTok has started a newsletter.
00:14:30.320 --> 00:14:35.759
We know Substack and Beehive are two platforms that are focused on newsletters.
00:14:36.480 --> 00:14:44.480
Well, now it seems, James, ACast has done a deal with a company called Kit, which is another newsletter provider.
00:14:44.639 --> 00:14:45.679
Tell me more about this one.
00:14:46.000 --> 00:14:52.320
Yeah, so I mean, as you say, you know, Beehive, Substack have added podcast features.
00:14:52.480 --> 00:14:54.080
Patreon has as well.
00:14:54.399 --> 00:15:01.600
Acast has taken a very different route to this and has basically gone to Kit, or Kit has come to them, who knows?
00:15:01.919 --> 00:15:07.919
But uh they will be partnering so that Kit does newsletters and all of that kind of stuff.
00:15:08.080 --> 00:15:14.080
And ACast does, of course, podcasting and podcast monetization and all that kind of stuff.
00:15:14.240 --> 00:15:22.080
So there's very clearly a good mix there and a good complementary relationship between those two companies.
00:15:22.240 --> 00:15:41.919
And so they announced a partnership that will basically offer, you know, slightly cheaper access to both of those if you're if you happen to be the customer of the other one, if you see what I mean, rather than you know, ACAST suddenly adding a ton of newsletter stuff, and indeed Kit adding a lot of podcasting stuff.
00:15:42.080 --> 00:15:44.240
So I think it's quite clever on one side.
00:15:44.320 --> 00:15:53.759
They've been, you know, both of them are avoiding another competitor in this space, but I think it's also, you know, probably the right thing to end up doing.
00:15:54.159 --> 00:16:16.960
Certainly, what I'm seeing from Patreon and Substack, for example, is that they have put very rudimentary, and indeed Riverside, they've put very rudimentary podcast stuff into their platform, but it's really not uh fit for larger publishers.
00:16:17.200 --> 00:16:25.840
You know, there's no IAB compliance, there's none of that, there's no DAI, there's there's you know, there's really not very much going on there.
00:16:26.159 --> 00:16:36.960
And so actually it makes sense for a specialist in this, ACAST, and a and another specialist in the newsletter side of kit joining uh together.
00:16:37.039 --> 00:16:38.399
So I think it's a clever plan.
00:16:38.879 --> 00:16:46.879
I think it's a clever idea, but I think these days, is it going to be the all-in-one integrated platforms that win out?
00:16:47.039 --> 00:16:47.919
So bear with me.
00:16:48.080 --> 00:16:57.519
Is it uh the Patreons, the Substacks, and the beehives and the supercast who are host newsletter, video podcast, etc., etc.
00:16:58.240 --> 00:17:03.440
Or is it better to be uh multiple uh points of differentiation?
00:17:03.600 --> 00:17:08.480
So in this case A Cast and Kit, and then maybe ACAST doesn't deal with another third party.
00:17:08.559 --> 00:17:12.720
So it's not integrated deeply, but it has a connection.
00:17:12.880 --> 00:17:15.759
I don't know which way is going to work, horizontally or vertically.
00:17:16.079 --> 00:17:17.200
Yeah, I don't know either.
00:17:17.359 --> 00:17:28.640
I mean, I I would I would very much like to use a kit of parts, a kit of different of different companies to pull together and get the best companies in each side.
00:17:28.960 --> 00:17:34.400
I think you know that that that's the way that I've always tried to find, you know, companies.
00:17:34.640 --> 00:17:39.519
Um you know, my email company is a company that does email, and that's all they do.
00:17:39.839 --> 00:17:47.599
And what I really don't want is a is a company that does email as part of another 12 different other things.
00:17:48.079 --> 00:17:58.079
But uh yeah, you could you could certainly argue very clearly the other way around that actually, you know, nobody wants to be dealing with 30 companies when they could just be dealing with one.
00:17:58.160 --> 00:18:01.839
So it will be fascinating to see which one wins in this particular case.
00:18:02.240 --> 00:18:06.319
Yeah, I mean we when you interviewed Tyler Denk from Beehive, that was his big thing.
00:18:06.480 --> 00:18:11.119
You know, Beehive is going to provide the end-to-end solution for a single price point.
00:18:11.359 --> 00:18:19.680
And I wonder, you know, again, with A Cast and Kit, do I have to create a kit account independent like I would have done a Patreon account in the past?
00:18:19.920 --> 00:18:24.880
And would I then have to subscribe over there, create a user base over there?
00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:28.160
That then becomes you know distributed across.
00:18:28.799 --> 00:18:39.839
I don't know, I I haven't got enough detail, but if it's going to be me having to do multiple different sites and different accounts and different payments, then it becomes quite messy, I think.
00:18:40.160 --> 00:18:41.119
Yes, I think so.
00:18:41.200 --> 00:18:45.839
And I think you know, perhaps that's where Beehive appears to be doing things right.
00:18:46.079 --> 00:18:53.839
Now, I I mentioned Patreon and Substat getting into podcasting but not really doing it very well.
00:18:54.240 --> 00:19:03.440
Beehive have done two things which are showing that they are very sensible and serious about getting into podcasting.
00:19:03.599 --> 00:19:07.359
Actually, three things that they're currently doing.
00:19:07.599 --> 00:19:14.000
The first thing that they're doing is they're uh jumping into IAB certification, which is great.
00:19:14.240 --> 00:19:21.039
So they are the very latest company to be IAB certified as of a couple of weeks ago.
00:19:21.279 --> 00:19:22.319
So that is excellent.
00:19:22.480 --> 00:19:33.440
The second thing is that uh somebody from Beehive, Ainsley, will be at podcast movement, and so you'll be able to talk to her, which is again excellent.
00:19:33.680 --> 00:19:38.079
And where are the people from Patreon's podcast team?
00:19:38.240 --> 00:19:41.039
Where are the people from Substack's podcast team?
00:19:41.200 --> 00:19:45.920
I'm not sure that they're going to be there, or at least if they are, we don't know about that.
00:19:46.160 --> 00:20:03.119
So there are two things there, and the f and the third thing, just on a purely selfish basis, but the third thing where you know that these people are serious about getting into podcasting, is that the very latest supporter of the Pod News newsletter is Beehive.
00:20:03.519 --> 00:20:11.599
So I think you can see that there is definitely something going on there, and and they are taking things quite seriously.
00:20:11.920 --> 00:20:20.480
So yeah, you know, that that's a good tell, isn't it, for a company if you're going to be wanting to be taken seriously.
00:20:20.640 --> 00:20:28.559
Well, you know, a good tell perhaps is to you know what, let's um let's see if we can support some of the uh some of the trade press.
00:20:28.720 --> 00:20:29.920
That's probably a good plan.
00:20:30.160 --> 00:20:42.079
Now, if you're interested in reading more about newsletters and comparing them, Dave Jackson from the School of Podcasting compared kit to Substack and SendFox.
00:20:42.400 --> 00:20:44.720
He did that on the Pod News Daily.
00:20:44.960 --> 00:20:46.799
James, what was this one about?
00:20:47.039 --> 00:20:56.000
Yeah, so he's he's actually done that in his newsletter, which is called Podcasting Observations, which is a paid newsletter on Substack.
00:20:56.319 --> 00:21:11.920
He thinks that Substack is becoming more and more of a platform than an email service, and there's all kinds of commenting and video on Substack, and also Nazis, so that's why I'm not on Substack, but you can see that there's certainly stuff going on there.
00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:14.000
But yeah, they were misunderstood.
00:21:14.240 --> 00:21:18.160
So great clothes.
00:21:18.400 --> 00:21:19.759
Well done, Hugo Boss.
00:21:20.160 --> 00:21:21.599
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:21:21.839 --> 00:21:24.480
Think of the motorways, the motorways, they were brilliant.
00:21:24.640 --> 00:21:25.119
Exactly.
00:21:25.279 --> 00:21:27.920
Um what did the German Nazis ever do for us?
00:21:28.079 --> 00:21:29.119
Auto bonds.
00:21:29.279 --> 00:21:30.079
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:21:30.160 --> 00:21:31.200
The AutoPods.
00:21:31.279 --> 00:21:31.599
Brilliant.
00:21:31.839 --> 00:21:37.759
Anyway, so so that's certainly worth a read as well from Dave uh Jackson, who is very excellent.
00:21:38.079 --> 00:21:41.599
The pod news weekly review will return in just a second.
00:21:42.000 --> 00:21:46.000
International Podcast Day is September 30th, and you can help spread the word.
00:21:46.160 --> 00:21:48.720
You may be asking, what can I do to get involved?
00:21:49.039 --> 00:21:49.839
It's pretty simple.
00:21:50.000 --> 00:21:54.079
Head over to international podcastday.com and check the suggestions.
00:21:54.240 --> 00:21:58.240
Then use hashtag international podcast day to join the conversation.
00:21:58.480 --> 00:21:59.839
You can reach out and connect with other podcasts.
00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:03.440
Podcasters, listeners, and your favorite podcast hosts.
00:22:03.599 --> 00:22:10.240
Remember September 30th, International Podcast Day, a day-long celebration of the power of podcasts.
00:22:10.480 --> 00:22:14.160
The pod news weekly review with BuzzSouth with Buzz Sprout.
00:22:14.559 --> 00:22:17.920
Start podcasting, keep podcasting.
00:22:19.359 --> 00:22:23.119
Let's move on, James, and Spotify's mega cock-up.
00:22:23.279 --> 00:22:23.920
What have they done?
00:22:24.160 --> 00:22:25.599
Spotify's mega cock-up.
00:22:25.759 --> 00:22:30.160
Well, yes, megaphone appears to be well and truly broken.
00:22:30.319 --> 00:22:42.880
Now, there's been all kinds of things going on with people putting their ad campaigns into megaphone, and then megaphone messes them up, or megaphone takes them out, or megaphone does weird and wonderful things.
00:22:43.200 --> 00:22:59.039
And so much so that Flight Path has built, uh, as you will have heard this time last week, has built a new tool that basically logs into megaphone and fixes everything for you men multiple times a day to make sure that everything works.
00:22:59.119 --> 00:22:59.440
Yeah.
00:22:59.680 --> 00:23:04.559
Um and which is very bright and clever from the Flight Path people.
00:23:04.880 --> 00:23:14.880
But yes, lots of feedback from people who have been just really having a difficulty with megaphone over the last month or so.
00:23:15.039 --> 00:23:19.440
They've done quite a lot of technical changes on the on their end.
00:23:19.599 --> 00:23:28.559
And that's essentially meant that there are lots of bugs that seemingly aren't fixed, and nobody really understands what the bugs are, and lots of changed APIs as well.
00:23:28.880 --> 00:23:34.400
So one person says, one star Spotify summer, do not recommend.
00:23:36.000 --> 00:23:38.160
So okay, yeah, fair enough.
00:23:38.400 --> 00:23:51.359
While another one was basically saying, you know, we we've had i i uh complete outages of ad plays completely, ads repla uh ads repeating back to back and other stuff, and we really don't know what's going on.
00:23:51.519 --> 00:23:55.200
So yeah, it's uh it's it's most certainly not good.
00:23:55.359 --> 00:23:59.440
Now, what I should say is that I've approached the company for comment.
00:23:59.680 --> 00:24:14.559
Now, normally when I write something about the good folks at megaphone, I get an angry email within six hours saying, How dare you, you've got this wrong, you need to issue an correction, blah, blah, blah.
00:24:14.880 --> 00:24:28.000
I have now approached the company three times for comment and basically said, I think you should probably be saying something so that people won't, you know, completely kill you when it gets to podcast movement.
00:24:28.319 --> 00:24:31.039
And I've heard absolutely nothing back.
00:24:31.279 --> 00:24:38.240
So I I I don't know quite what that says, but uh it's not good news from the from the folks there.
00:24:38.319 --> 00:24:40.319
So yeah, not sure what's going on there.
00:24:40.559 --> 00:24:44.079
Oh well, I'm sure you'll hear about it at Podcast Movement, that's for certain.
00:24:44.319 --> 00:24:46.559
Now moving on, more bad news, James.
00:24:46.720 --> 00:24:47.759
Podbean and gone.
00:24:47.839 --> 00:24:48.720
What have they done?
00:24:49.119 --> 00:24:50.720
Bad news, good news though.
00:24:51.039 --> 00:25:06.319
Podbean Podbean podcasters were given a shock last week because what they ended up doing is rolling out new filters to its download analytics that the company said were designed to identify and filter AI and crawler-related traffic.
00:25:06.480 --> 00:25:11.599
And what they actually did brilliantly is they got rid of all downloads from Apple Podcasts.
00:25:12.480 --> 00:25:12.880
Well done.
00:25:13.680 --> 00:25:14.319
Yes.
00:25:14.640 --> 00:25:16.079
So, yeah, no.
00:25:16.480 --> 00:25:22.319
So that essentially meant that there were lots of Podbean folk who were very, very upset.
00:25:22.960 --> 00:25:31.839
And they were saying, you know, our downloads are down to, you know, you know, less than less than 20% of what they were, and all of that kind of stuff.
00:25:32.079 --> 00:25:39.519
Of course, their downloads hadn't actually changed, it was just the numbers that they saw in the Podbean dashboard which had changed.
00:25:39.759 --> 00:25:44.960
So people were still hearing their show, it's just that they didn't actually see any of those numbers.
00:25:45.279 --> 00:25:51.119
So, yes, Podbean particularly hasn't been very good at communicating any of this stuff.
00:25:51.200 --> 00:26:02.960
But the good news is that they appear to have fixed it, they appear to have rolled back a change, and people are now beginning to see downloads from Apple Podcasts particularly appearing as valid again.
00:26:03.200 --> 00:26:08.400
So uh w whether it was AI vibe coding or not, we will never know.
00:26:08.880 --> 00:26:10.160
So let me just get this clear.
00:26:10.319 --> 00:26:19.039
Have they just rolled back the filters to where they were, or have they rolled back and then rolled forward with a new updated feature?
00:26:19.599 --> 00:26:21.200
Well, we don't yeah, we don't know.
00:26:21.359 --> 00:26:31.039
And you know, as I've said in the Reddit thread about this, where people got very angry that I was uh that I was saying, no, your downloads aren't down, it's just your numbers.
00:26:31.200 --> 00:26:42.400
Your downloads haven't stopped downloading, and they got very upset and said, the only reason you're defending Podbean wasn't really defending them, is that you take money from them.
00:26:42.559 --> 00:26:47.039
Well, yeah, yeah, have you seen some of the stuff I've I've written about Podbean?
00:26:47.119 --> 00:26:48.480
I don't I don't think so.
00:26:48.720 --> 00:26:51.039
So anyway, they they were getting very, very upset.
00:26:51.200 --> 00:27:10.960
But I think that any company will be on a relatively regular basis every week or so, every couple of weeks or so, changing those changing those lists, changing those bot lists, changing that what the referrers are, you know, and all of that just to spot more bad traffic.
00:27:11.200 --> 00:27:14.400
So I'm sure that things change all of the time.
00:27:14.480 --> 00:27:17.519
I'm sure that you know you will be changing stuff all of the time.
00:27:17.599 --> 00:27:24.000
It's just that they made a mistake in this particular set of changes, they have uh which they've fixed.
00:27:24.079 --> 00:27:31.759
So however they've fixed them, I don't know, but at least we know that those numbers are fixed and that people are now seeing Apple Podcasts downloads.
00:27:31.920 --> 00:27:47.680
Now, the the other sort of side of this is that so far as I can work out, and I logged into my Podbean account just to see, but as far as I can work out, you can't add third-party analytics like OP3 or others to your Podbean podcast.
00:27:47.839 --> 00:28:03.200
And perhaps that's something that the company may wish to change because that would at least allow some of the more vocal people to basically go, you know what, we we can see our free stats from OP3, or we can see them from PodTrack, which also gives you free stats as well.
00:28:03.279 --> 00:28:05.039
And perhaps that will be a good plan for them.
00:28:06.079 --> 00:28:07.839
It is a game of whack-a-mole.
00:28:08.000 --> 00:28:14.880
I mean, you know, we at TrueFans use the OPOG bot list that you and John Sperlock and a few others put together.
00:28:15.359 --> 00:28:21.599
But you know, it's not comprehensive because it can't be comprehensive because you're forever having new bots appearing.
00:28:22.160 --> 00:28:30.480
I mean, we are currently going through a process of trying to identify what is just simply coming in as unknown traffic to us.
00:28:31.359 --> 00:28:34.960
We just have, you know, do we mark unknown as a bot?
00:28:35.119 --> 00:28:39.759
Well, it's not a bot and it's it's not a user agent that we can identify.
00:28:40.400 --> 00:28:45.200
So we are uh working out what we do with it, and it's very difficult.
00:28:46.079 --> 00:28:50.799
You know, if we if we marked it as a bot, then we might get users saying, Well, my traffic's dropped.
00:28:51.200 --> 00:28:54.960
If we don't mark it as a bot, are we overinflating their numbers?
00:28:55.839 --> 00:29:04.400
What's happened to this user agent that we were all talking about three or four weeks ago having a digital signature seems to have all gone quiet, James.
00:29:04.799 --> 00:29:05.680
Yes, it does.
00:29:05.839 --> 00:29:13.839
I th I think, you know, that was something that yeah, it was just it it just looked like too many people were angry about it for some reason.
00:29:14.079 --> 00:29:16.319
And and so that hasn't that hasn't gone anywhere.
00:29:16.400 --> 00:29:22.240
It's a real shame because I think that that would have been a particular help for podcast apps to get paid apart from anything else.
00:29:22.319 --> 00:29:24.160
But uh yes, all of that has gone away too.
00:29:24.480 --> 00:29:26.000
Yeah, I mean that as well.
00:29:26.079 --> 00:29:30.000
But I think you know, when you go back to Podbean, I have empathy with them, right?
00:29:30.079 --> 00:29:39.359
Which is you know, they're trying to look at doing the right thing for their users, putting in filters to prevent AI and crawlers, etc., to give them the right numbers.
00:29:40.160 --> 00:29:46.640
And you know, by mishap, they've included Apple, but maybe they included because it says Apple bot.
00:29:47.039 --> 00:29:48.960
So maybe somebody just took the bot word, right?
00:29:49.440 --> 00:29:53.920
I mean that's quite simple and something they may have done, I don't know, by the way.
00:29:54.559 --> 00:29:58.160
But it it's not going away, this problem.
00:29:58.720 --> 00:29:59.839
It's not going away.
00:30:00.480 --> 00:30:09.200
And we can bury our heads in the sand, you know, skip buttons will exist, analytics will get worse, and bots do exist.
00:30:09.279 --> 00:30:10.160
So what do we do?
00:30:10.480 --> 00:30:20.720
Yeah, well, I I I mean the easy answer for somebody that wants 100% accurate analytics is to put all of your stuff on YouTube, and that's it.
00:30:20.960 --> 00:30:22.079
Don't go anywhere else.
00:30:22.160 --> 00:30:23.519
That's the easy answer.
00:30:23.680 --> 00:30:28.400
We have again a Faustian pact, if I can come back to that.
00:30:28.640 --> 00:30:47.759
Either we want 100% accurate stats, and in which case we go to YouTube and we take whatever stats that they give us, uh, because those are going to be accurate even though we're not quite sure what they are, or we use a technology like RSS, and that means that for some of those downloads, we won't know what what those downloads are.
00:30:48.079 --> 00:31:12.240
And you know, we we just need to bear in mind that you know we we have a choice to make either perfect stats, perfect attribution, but a closed ecosystem giving the keys of our industry to one company, or we go, you know what, let let's make stuff available on loads of different platforms, but we know that we're not gonna get as as brilliant stats that we actually get.
00:31:12.400 --> 00:31:22.079
Now, the the the the question really is, I suppose, how can we make those analytics better, but they're never going to be perfect, which I suppose is the thing.
00:31:22.400 --> 00:31:32.079
Yeah, I mean it's a bit like the play discussion you had with Liam last week in the industry talking about YouTube having a hover now being considered a play, which is crazy, by the way.
00:31:32.640 --> 00:31:33.119
Oh yes.
00:31:33.359 --> 00:31:37.200
And they're keeping all the good stuff, the good data to themselves.
00:31:37.359 --> 00:31:40.079
I mean, it's you know, it is the closed wall, closed garden.
00:31:40.319 --> 00:31:40.880
Yeah, yeah.
00:31:40.960 --> 00:31:41.680
No, indeed.
00:31:41.759 --> 00:31:45.759
But that's uh if that's a future you want, then that's a future we're gonna get.
00:31:45.839 --> 00:31:46.559
So yeah.
00:31:46.880 --> 00:31:50.319
Moving on, James, then people in jobs, who's moving and grooving.
00:31:50.559 --> 00:31:53.839
Yes, Ray Harkins has left Amazon's Art19.
00:31:53.920 --> 00:31:54.960
He was senior ad rep.
00:31:55.279 --> 00:31:57.680
He's off to another adventure shortly, he says.
00:31:57.759 --> 00:31:59.519
Uh ACAST has been hiring.
00:31:59.599 --> 00:32:03.279
They've hired Mark Bulling as VP of Product.
00:32:03.599 --> 00:32:07.920
Uh, interestingly, he is joining from WPP Media's Choreograph.
00:32:08.160 --> 00:32:13.599
So he is a dataman in the ad tech world, and uh he'll be working in London.
00:32:13.759 --> 00:32:18.880
Ricardo Neto has been promoted to managing director of US Sales.
00:32:19.279 --> 00:32:24.240
He's been with ACast for quite some time now, joining the company in 2023.
00:32:24.799 --> 00:32:36.240
Good news for Lower Street, Lex Friedman, not Lex Friedman, Lex Friedman, uh, is now Lower Street's fractional CRO, uh, which is good news.
00:32:36.400 --> 00:32:40.799
He will be at Podcast Movement if you want to say hello to him.
00:32:40.960 --> 00:32:44.240
And good news from PAVE Studios as well.
00:32:44.400 --> 00:32:48.480
They are very serious uh about uh this particular hire.
00:32:48.880 --> 00:32:58.720
A five times Emmy Award-winning producer, Jennifer Passavoy, is hired as their head of unscripted video.
00:32:58.960 --> 00:33:02.640
So certainly doing quite a lot of good things there, I think.
00:33:02.960 --> 00:33:05.599
Moving on then, James, let's look at some events.
00:33:05.680 --> 00:33:08.960
Uh, you're flying to the sunny Big Apple.
00:33:09.119 --> 00:33:10.799
What's going to be going on there?
00:33:12.319 --> 00:33:14.000
Yes, I will be in a couple of weeks.
00:33:14.160 --> 00:33:17.920
Actually, this time next week, I will be in Jakarta in Indonesia.
00:33:18.079 --> 00:33:19.759
No, she went of her own accord.
00:33:19.839 --> 00:33:21.759
So I'm looking forward to going there.
00:33:21.839 --> 00:33:30.559
Um for uh keynote for for both Radio Days Asia but also Podcast Day Asia.
00:33:30.720 --> 00:33:37.599
I'm actually um hosting the entire day at Podcast Day Asia and looking forward to doing that.
00:33:37.759 --> 00:33:43.359
And we will uh doubtless hear more from that event on this very podcast next week.
00:33:43.519 --> 00:33:44.400
So that should be fun.
00:33:44.480 --> 00:33:47.039
And then, as you so rightly say, to New York.
00:33:47.119 --> 00:33:53.119
Uh, the full schedule for podcast movement New York City is now published on the website and also on their swap card.
00:33:53.200 --> 00:33:56.319
You can see the schedule in their swap card without signing in.
00:33:56.559 --> 00:34:00.400
If you have bought a ticket, then you can sign in and you can see who's going.
00:34:00.640 --> 00:34:01.440
So there's a thing.
00:34:01.599 --> 00:34:07.359
Announcement's still to come for some of the keynote sessions, but all of the other speakers are there.
00:34:07.440 --> 00:34:14.000
I am up against Rob Walsh, which I'm very annoyed about because I can't go and see Rob because he's normally quite good value.
00:34:14.159 --> 00:34:17.599
So I'm looking forward to finding out what he said afterwards.
00:34:17.760 --> 00:34:19.360
But we'll catch up as well.
00:34:19.519 --> 00:34:21.280
But yeah, but that should be fun.
00:34:21.519 --> 00:34:24.159
So, yes, podcast movement in just a couple of weeks.
00:34:24.320 --> 00:34:25.840
Looking forward to that.
00:34:26.239 --> 00:34:33.039
Also, uh, good news in Ireland, the Sound Waves Conference has been announced for a second year.
00:34:33.199 --> 00:34:38.880
That's in a little a little town in Ireland, which I can't remember its name, but very fancy.
00:34:38.960 --> 00:34:43.440
Uh, it also has the All Ireland uh podcast awards there as well.
00:34:43.519 --> 00:34:44.719
It's in Adair.
00:34:45.199 --> 00:34:46.239
Where's Adair?
00:34:46.480 --> 00:34:49.119
You you've been to what you've been to Ireland, you should know.
00:34:49.679 --> 00:34:51.840
I've been to Ireland now, I know everything about it.
00:34:52.079 --> 00:34:54.000
No, it's it's it's in the south of Ireland, though.
00:34:54.400 --> 00:34:55.199
It's in Limerick.
00:34:55.280 --> 00:34:56.480
I'll I can tell you that much.
00:34:56.559 --> 00:34:59.679
I don't even know whether Limerick's in the south either.
00:35:00.559 --> 00:35:01.440
So there we are.
00:35:01.599 --> 00:35:04.480
Don't know much about Ireland, but still, but there we are.
00:35:04.639 --> 00:35:07.679
But that should be a good closest country to us, and we know nothing about it.
00:35:07.840 --> 00:35:10.480
Well done, but that should be a good event.
00:35:10.639 --> 00:35:13.920
And and you may have heard a promo for this earlier on in this very show.
00:35:14.000 --> 00:35:17.199
Uh, it's International Podcast Day on September the 30th.
00:35:17.360 --> 00:35:21.360
It's an international celebration of the power of podcasts.
00:35:21.679 --> 00:35:28.079
And I would like to know if you're doing anything special for International Podcast Day, September the 30th.
00:35:28.400 --> 00:35:35.440
You may be releasing some nice new data, you may be doing some nice live streams of shows or something like that.
00:35:35.599 --> 00:35:42.159
We would love to know so I can actually feature it on the day rather than a couple of days later looking a little bit stupid.
00:35:42.320 --> 00:35:45.039
Editor at podnews.net is my email address.
00:35:45.119 --> 00:35:49.519
Uh if you're doing something special, and if you've not considered it yet, well, consider it.
00:35:49.679 --> 00:35:51.679
You've got you've got just over a month.
00:35:51.840 --> 00:35:52.800
You might as well.
00:35:53.039 --> 00:35:56.239
So, yes, uh, International Podcast Day, September the 30th.
00:35:56.480 --> 00:36:00.000
The tech stuff on the Pod News Weekly Review.
00:36:00.320 --> 00:36:03.760
Yes, it's the stuff you'll find every Monday in the Pod News newsletter.
00:36:03.840 --> 00:36:05.920
Here's where Sam talks technology.
00:36:06.400 --> 00:36:08.800
Well, I just saw this story that piqued my interest.
00:36:08.960 --> 00:36:14.000
It was Apple Music's adding labels for AI-generated music later this year.
00:36:14.400 --> 00:36:22.239
The news builds on Apple's recent announcements about AI transparency tags for songs, and we we've heard Spotify doing stuff and YouTube.
00:36:23.599 --> 00:36:26.000
Is it Chinese walls, James, in Apple?
00:36:26.079 --> 00:36:31.039
I mean, will the Apple Podcast team do this, or will we just have to wait another year for a new feature?
00:36:32.239 --> 00:36:44.480
Well, of course, the labels are coming from the from the uh music companies, from the music distributors, because of course uh Spotify's uh also doing this sort of thing as well.
00:36:44.800 --> 00:36:50.239
So essentially that just means that Apple will be showing these particular labels.
00:36:52.159 --> 00:36:58.960
Interestingly, by the way, all AI-powered music has just been banned from the Australian charts, is if anybody cares.
00:36:59.119 --> 00:37:02.960
But nevertheless, that's that's a thing which has also happened.
00:37:03.199 --> 00:37:05.119
Will it happen in terms of podcasting?
00:37:05.280 --> 00:37:11.280
Well, I mean, uh Apple already has rules, they're rules that that they don't seem to follow.
00:37:11.599 --> 00:37:30.559
I listened to an Inception Point AI podcast this week, and it was an Inception Point AI podcast or whatever their new name is, but it was an Inception Point AI podcast where they were doing a biography about somebody and the AI voice pretended to be that person.
00:37:30.960 --> 00:37:39.519
I mean, that is clearly against any of Apple Podcasts' rules, but it's still in Apple Podcasts, so they clearly don't care.
00:37:39.679 --> 00:37:49.280
So it'd be nice if if Apple took the rules that they already have and actually and actually, you know, made uh sure that that that uh they actually applied them, I think.
00:37:49.440 --> 00:37:50.480
That would be a good first step.
00:37:50.800 --> 00:37:54.000
They go on holiday in August, they'll sort it in September, James, when they're back.
00:37:54.320 --> 00:37:59.840
They're not on holiday, and I know that they're not on holiday because they've been sending me statistics and all kinds of things.
00:38:00.000 --> 00:38:02.000
So uh no, it's all it's all good.
00:38:02.400 --> 00:38:02.960
Right.
00:38:03.599 --> 00:38:08.000
Now, Dave Jones, the podcast sage, he's been busy, hasn't he?
00:38:08.079 --> 00:38:10.239
He's been building some new endpoints.
00:38:10.320 --> 00:38:12.400
One of those is the person tag one, James.
00:38:12.480 --> 00:38:12.880
Tell me more.
00:38:13.199 --> 00:38:23.840
Yes, so this is a very simple, possibly too simple, but a very simple person tag search, which is now integrated into the Pod News website as well.
00:38:24.000 --> 00:38:29.760
The first I the first time that I integrated it, I actually didn't do it very well.
00:38:29.920 --> 00:38:31.119
But it's much better now.
00:38:31.360 --> 00:38:35.760
So that's good because I've actually I've I've actually followed the spec.
00:38:36.000 --> 00:38:44.239
But yes, so uh you can now, if you're listening to Adam Curry, let's just say Adam Curry, just so that his uh AI bot gets him to listen to this bit.
00:38:44.400 --> 00:39:01.280
If you're listening to a show with Adam Curry, then you can click on that on that little search next to Adam Curry and it will go and query the podcast index search endpoint for people and find out all of the other shows that Adam Curry has been marked down as a person on, which is uh good.
00:39:01.440 --> 00:39:03.280
Now, a couple of drawbacks with it.
00:39:03.440 --> 00:39:07.199
Firstly, there are more than one person in the world called Dave Jones.
00:39:07.360 --> 00:39:08.719
It may be a surprise.
00:39:09.039 --> 00:39:13.840
So there is no way of pulling out more information than that.
00:39:14.480 --> 00:39:22.079
It'd be nice to basically go, I'd like Dave Jones, but this Dave Jones, please, i.e., this URL, perhaps.
00:39:22.239 --> 00:39:24.800
That would be a nicer way of doing it.
00:39:25.039 --> 00:39:28.159
The other thing is that this is channel only and not item.
00:39:28.320 --> 00:39:36.559
So if you have somebody on as a guest, then they're probably not going to appear in this uh list quite yet, which I think is a bit of a mistake.
00:39:36.880 --> 00:39:47.920
And I think the person tag, like the location tag, which we'll come on to in just a second, but the person tag should be here's the channel, and the item overrides that.
00:39:48.079 --> 00:39:57.199
If if the information is available in the item, then that overrides the default information which is in the which is in the channel, but that doesn't appear to have been the case here.
00:39:57.519 --> 00:40:05.599
So but it's a great start, and it's really good to be able to show the power of the podcast person tag.
00:40:05.760 --> 00:40:07.679
So hurrah for Dave for doing that.
00:40:08.079 --> 00:40:09.679
Yeah, no, I um I think this is great.
00:40:09.920 --> 00:40:21.119
We had a look at the data set, and basically we're already pulling that information out, but I think it's great that it's been put into a separate uh endpoint that people can use separately if they want to.
00:40:21.760 --> 00:40:24.159
We've included this as a feature for I think two years.
00:40:24.239 --> 00:40:25.440
It's called My Podcast Work.
00:40:25.679 --> 00:40:25.920
There you go.
00:40:26.159 --> 00:40:34.800
Well, look, I'm just you know I mean you know, if you if you think about it in advance and you do it, at least I can show you a screenshot of it working, right?
00:40:35.280 --> 00:40:38.960
So I can prove money where your mouth is, is what I like to say.
00:40:39.199 --> 00:40:40.239
Yeah, very good.
00:40:40.480 --> 00:40:43.280
No, but the the point you made is like correct.
00:40:43.519 --> 00:40:49.679
If the item level, which we support, is picked up, then that supersedes a channel.
00:40:49.760 --> 00:40:54.960
And also in the podcast person, there is a guest tag.
00:40:55.519 --> 00:41:00.960
So if we pick up that you are a guest within it, then we'll put we'll label that as a guest rather than the host.
00:41:01.199 --> 00:41:04.719
So it's great, and I think you know, let's let's get more of us doing it.
00:41:04.800 --> 00:41:08.960
I think the thing two years ago when we did it, was there was just no data.
00:41:09.119 --> 00:41:11.280
There was nobody really supporting the person tag.
00:41:11.360 --> 00:41:13.599
So we were getting like three or four podcasts.
00:41:13.840 --> 00:41:16.239
So we never really developed the feature much further.
00:41:16.559 --> 00:41:17.199
Yeah, yeah.
00:41:17.360 --> 00:41:17.679
No.
00:41:17.840 --> 00:41:19.920
Well, that that that's one excellent thing.
00:41:20.159 --> 00:41:21.599
The podcast person tag.
00:41:21.679 --> 00:41:25.599
Another excellent thing, of course, very close to my heart, is the podcast location tag.
00:41:25.920 --> 00:41:26.800
Indeed.
00:41:27.280 --> 00:41:31.280
What's this podcast radar that Alberto's been working on then?
00:41:31.599 --> 00:41:36.000
This is very good, and you may have heard Adam Curry getting very excited about it last week.
00:41:36.239 --> 00:41:51.199
Radar.rs.io is where you can find this, but there's basically a globe that you can spin and find a podcast which is either based near you or a podcast which is featuring something near you, which is very nice, or indeed anywhere in the world.
00:41:51.360 --> 00:41:58.159
If you zoom in, you can see individual shows, you can click points on the map to learn more, all of that sort of thing.
00:41:58.400 --> 00:42:00.639
And it's very smart and very neat.
00:42:00.880 --> 00:42:11.519
So hurrah for Alberto for spinning that up in less than I think in less than half a day, actually, now that the data is available from the podcast index.
00:42:11.760 --> 00:42:18.960
Again, it's uh channel information rather than individual item information, which is a bit of a a bit of a shame.
00:42:19.119 --> 00:42:24.400
It would be nice if it was a little bit a little bit uh you know wider than that.
00:42:24.559 --> 00:42:29.760
But I think Dave is doing a little bit of work on that to make that a little bit more visible.
00:42:30.000 --> 00:42:32.800
But uh yeah, it's a super good smart tool.
00:42:32.960 --> 00:42:34.639
Have you played around with it?
00:42:35.119 --> 00:42:36.400
Again, really love it.
00:42:36.480 --> 00:42:38.880
Yeah, I mean, reminds me of Radio Garden.
00:42:38.960 --> 00:42:39.599
Do you remember that?
00:42:39.840 --> 00:42:40.239
Yes.
00:42:40.559 --> 00:42:55.039
Well, uh funnily enough, funnily enough, I emailed Alberto a couple of weeks ago and I said, what we really need podcast index to do is we need them to produce uh a list of podcast locations because I would really like to build Radio Garden.
00:42:55.119 --> 00:43:02.719
And Alberto said, I will ask, went off, went off and then produced the whole thing.
00:43:02.960 --> 00:43:04.800
But it is, it's really, really good.
00:43:04.960 --> 00:43:28.079
And the one thing that I would say about podcast locations is uh you can put a building in there, a business in there, you can put a you can put everything from the state of Queensland to Brisbane City Post Office, you can put whatever you like in there, and that will really help people find your stuff in future.
00:43:28.400 --> 00:43:53.280
Because, for example, if you do a podcast with a pastor, as you know, somebody who used to be on MTV with big hair does, then don't just put the the city where you are or the town where you are, put the church, put the church, because then you can go in the future, you can go back and go, okay, show me all podcasts that are made by a Christian church.
00:43:53.440 --> 00:43:57.360
And uh you can get that information from the podcast location tag.
00:43:57.519 --> 00:44:04.000
It is an incredibly rich tool, but we We've been waiting for rich data set to actually exist.
00:44:04.079 --> 00:44:06.480
And I think we're beginning to end up seeing that.
00:44:06.639 --> 00:44:07.920
So yeah, it's really good.
00:44:08.239 --> 00:44:09.199
Well worth a peek.
00:44:09.360 --> 00:44:12.639
If you've not seen podcast radar yet, you really should.
00:44:12.719 --> 00:44:14.960
It's radar.rs.io.
00:44:16.559 --> 00:44:25.920
I think what we're beginning to see is all the hard work from the people in the podcast 2.0 community is beginning to bear fruit now because I see them as building blocks.
00:44:26.079 --> 00:44:29.440
The person tag, the location tag, the transcript.
00:44:29.840 --> 00:44:36.639
All of these were fundamental building blocks that now you can start to build services around, which is what we've been waiting for.
00:44:36.719 --> 00:44:43.280
And of course, the lag was waiting for the data to be you know filled in once the tags were available.
00:44:43.519 --> 00:44:45.679
So yeah, I think this is really interesting.
00:44:45.840 --> 00:44:52.960
And I just have this little thing in my mind of Alberto after he spoke to you having a Julius Caesar moment where he went Venny Vidi Vici.
00:44:53.440 --> 00:44:54.960
I came, I saw, I conquered.
00:44:55.039 --> 00:44:57.039
So he built it before you, James.
00:44:57.440 --> 00:45:01.360
And now, unreliable trivia with Sam Sethe.
00:45:01.760 --> 00:45:04.400
No, I'll I I I will do the unreliable trivia.
00:45:04.480 --> 00:45:05.360
This is this is reliable.
00:45:05.599 --> 00:45:23.920
Veni Vidi Vici is popularly attributed to Julius Caesar, as you so rightly say, who, according to Appian, used the phrase in a letter to the Roman Senate around 47 BC after he had achieved a quick victory in his short war against Pharnaces II of Pontus at the Battle of Zella.
00:45:24.320 --> 00:45:27.119
That was unreliable trivia with Sam Cethi.
00:45:27.280 --> 00:45:29.360
Trivia may not be truthful, but please check on facts before acting on them.
00:45:29.440 --> 00:45:30.239
No guarantees are given.
00:45:30.320 --> 00:45:32.639
Use this trivia with caution, especially in a pub quiz or a similar situation.
00:45:32.800 --> 00:45:33.599
Terms and conditions lie.
00:45:33.920 --> 00:45:36.320
I did I did read that off Wikipedia.
00:45:37.920 --> 00:45:40.559
But yes, any seconds after me then.
00:45:40.800 --> 00:45:41.360
Right.
00:45:43.440 --> 00:45:44.079
Good.
00:45:44.320 --> 00:45:45.119
Very good.
00:45:45.360 --> 00:45:45.840
Yes.
00:45:46.159 --> 00:45:47.119
Any other radars?
00:45:47.199 --> 00:45:49.599
We've we've just uh spoken about a radar.
00:45:49.840 --> 00:45:51.280
Yeah, I think this is really weird.
00:45:51.360 --> 00:45:58.000
I was I was doing the research for the show and I was like, oh, and podcasting and blah blah blah, and up comes radar.
00:45:58.079 --> 00:46:00.239
I thought, oh, it's just a story about what Alberta's done.
00:46:00.480 --> 00:46:01.679
You know, that's fine, move on.
00:46:01.840 --> 00:46:06.559
And then it was on TechCrunch, and I went, okay, well, let's see what their angle is on what Alberto's done.
00:46:06.639 --> 00:46:10.159
And it's actually not Alberta, it's another company.
00:46:10.480 --> 00:46:22.480
It's called Particle, and it's founded by former Twitter engineers who had decided to basically uh create a company or create a feature, sorry, called Radar, which makes podcasts searchable.
00:46:23.039 --> 00:46:25.440
And it's also usable by AI agents.
00:46:25.599 --> 00:46:26.159
Oh great.
00:46:26.639 --> 00:46:34.000
Anyway, the company introduced radar last Wednesday and it's a search engine that only transcribes the podcast audio.
00:46:34.639 --> 00:46:39.599
But I did reach out to their CEO, who I think will be on the show next week, James, just to talk about it.
00:46:39.679 --> 00:46:45.679
But yeah, um it's a podcast search engine that comes from the people who were formerly at Twitter.
00:46:46.480 --> 00:46:50.800
Yes, and of course, uh Twitter was formerly Audio, which was a podcast hosting company.
00:46:50.880 --> 00:46:53.360
So it's everything is going round and round.
00:46:54.320 --> 00:46:55.199
Which is a lovely thing.
00:46:55.599 --> 00:46:56.320
Very nice.
00:46:57.679 --> 00:47:05.679
Now, one of the other things that seems to be the derigor at the moment, we heard from Transistor adding an MCP interface.
00:47:06.000 --> 00:47:16.719
Audiogram is a new remote MCP service that lets Claude, OpenClaw, and other AIs, allows them to process available episodes to retrieve full transcripts.
00:47:16.800 --> 00:47:18.559
So we just talked about particle.
00:47:18.719 --> 00:47:22.719
It looks like everybody's adding an AI interface to podcasting, James.
00:47:22.960 --> 00:47:23.440
Yes, indeed.
00:47:23.519 --> 00:47:31.920
Uh ListenNotes also adding some podcast API skills to help your imaginary friend understand how the the ListenNotes API works.
00:47:32.159 --> 00:47:46.480
I am surprised, although I kind of am also not surprised, but I'm I I would have expected Dave Jones to have done an MCP uh directly with the the podcast index by now.
00:47:46.880 --> 00:47:54.159
And who knows, maybe even to have to have stuck that behind some form of a paywall or something, I don't know.
00:47:54.480 --> 00:47:57.679
Because that to me seems like a pretty obvious thing.
00:47:57.920 --> 00:48:06.800
And given that Dave is working so much with AI tools in his day job these these days, I would imagine that he'll be pretty good at making it all work.
00:48:07.039 --> 00:48:11.440
So yeah, so I'm kind of surprised why they haven't done that yet.
00:48:11.519 --> 00:48:14.320
But who knows, they may be they may be getting ready to do that in the future.
00:48:14.880 --> 00:48:20.159
I think with um rewriting the whole of Podping, I think he's a little bit busy at the moment, but other than that, yeah.
00:48:20.320 --> 00:48:20.800
Well, yes.
00:48:20.960 --> 00:48:22.400
Well, yes, obviously.
00:48:22.639 --> 00:48:32.880
But no, so I think it it is interesting, lots of MCP uh services going up there, and of course, other MCP services from some of the advertising organizations as well.
00:48:33.039 --> 00:48:36.480
So um yeah, no, it's it's certainly a thing, isn't it?
00:48:37.679 --> 00:48:40.480
Now, congratulations to Dystopia.
00:48:40.639 --> 00:48:50.800
They are the latest podcast host to launch and support Apple Podcasts, so they can now do Apple Podcast delivery by the API using HLS.
00:48:51.840 --> 00:49:03.280
They are saying that they have been doing video distribution for over two years, so they feel very comfortable in adding this as a new feature to their existing users.
00:49:04.000 --> 00:49:04.719
Yeah, very nice.
00:49:05.599 --> 00:49:07.360
Now, this isn't a weird one, James.
00:49:07.760 --> 00:49:20.719
Threads, the social media platform, has said that they're testing a new display for podcasts that would provide the listeners with a transcript of the discussion that is linked with the audio so that they can follow along.
00:49:21.360 --> 00:49:25.440
They seem to be looking at testing it in various different display formats.
00:49:25.599 --> 00:49:32.000
The idea being that they want to bring the conversation to threads around the audio.
00:49:32.320 --> 00:49:37.119
Now, we talked about Dave Winer with what was it, rss.cast or something like that?
00:49:37.440 --> 00:49:38.159
Which I can't remember.
00:49:38.320 --> 00:49:39.280
Yeah, rss.chat.
00:49:39.760 --> 00:49:41.679
Chat, that was rss.chat, yes.
00:49:41.920 --> 00:49:44.639
Yeah, and I can't get hold of it, so I've sort of got bored with that.
00:49:44.719 --> 00:49:52.000
But but it feels like this is another way of, dare I say it, cross-up comments eventually appearing.
00:49:52.320 --> 00:49:54.320
Yeah, I mean, yeah, maybe.
00:49:54.480 --> 00:50:01.440
I mean, certainly anything that makes podcasts a bit more visible in social media is a good thing.
00:50:01.679 --> 00:50:08.239
And so this just automatically adds a transcript and to the clip of the audio that you're using.
00:50:08.480 --> 00:50:12.719
Weirdly, it's also got an Apple podcast logo in it.
00:50:12.800 --> 00:50:15.599
I'm not quite sure how that works, but it does look very smart.
00:50:15.840 --> 00:50:20.880
So yeah, so it's um you know a nice thing that that that uh threads are doing.
00:50:20.960 --> 00:50:26.880
Now, obviously, it's threads, so therefore not very many people will see it, but nevertheless, it's a good it's a good move.
00:50:27.679 --> 00:50:30.159
Yeah, I I think they're only just using Apple.
00:50:30.320 --> 00:50:34.800
So I don't think unless going back to your comment earlier, unless it's in Apple, it's not a podcast.
00:50:34.960 --> 00:50:59.119
I think in their case they could they took that literally and just went and worked with Apple and Yeah, I mean, you know, if if that's the way that they need to make it appear, then that would be, you know, I I I don't necessarily see an issue with that of but of just basically saying, look, you if you if you want the fancy thing to do to to work nicely, we've made it work nicely with um with uh Apple Podcasts.
00:50:59.360 --> 00:51:02.320
Does that mean that it's taking the transcript from Apple?
00:51:02.400 --> 00:51:09.039
And in which case does that mean that they've got some kind of of API access to those transcripts?
00:51:09.199 --> 00:51:12.320
There's an interesting question, and I'm not quite sure what the answer is either.
00:51:12.559 --> 00:51:12.960
Fair mail.
00:51:13.119 --> 00:51:14.320
Fan mail and voicemail.
00:51:14.960 --> 00:51:20.159
Our favorite time of the week, it's the Pod News Weekly Review inbox.
00:51:21.119 --> 00:51:23.119
Yeah, so many different ways to get in touch with us.
00:51:23.280 --> 00:51:27.679
Voicemail by using the link in our show notes or uh there's email as well.
00:51:27.840 --> 00:51:35.119
And Seth Goldstein, who is coming to podcast movement in New York City and says that he would like to catch up for a beer.
00:51:35.280 --> 00:51:38.960
I think what he means is he'd like to catch up for me to buy him a beer.
00:51:39.280 --> 00:51:42.880
He says, firstly, great intro for Liam Heffernan.
00:51:43.039 --> 00:51:43.679
Thank you very much.
00:51:43.840 --> 00:51:50.320
And also, Megaphone Spotify for creators has the worst customer service and they're really messing up DAI.
00:51:50.800 --> 00:51:58.000
So much so that I can't wait until my network hopefully gets off of megaphone to a more capable host.
00:51:58.159 --> 00:52:00.320
I push them towards true fans.fm.
00:52:00.400 --> 00:52:01.599
We'll see if it's a right fit.
00:52:01.840 --> 00:52:02.480
No, it's not.
00:52:02.559 --> 00:52:03.599
No, we're not right yet.
00:52:03.840 --> 00:52:04.639
Your DAI.
00:52:04.880 --> 00:52:06.159
No, I'm just gonna be honest.
00:52:07.119 --> 00:52:08.239
Says the CEO.
00:52:08.880 --> 00:52:09.840
Uh yeah.
00:52:10.079 --> 00:52:15.679
No, I mean, uh I I don't like, I'm not one of these people who go, oh yeah, we're brilliant, no, we do everything great.
00:52:15.760 --> 00:52:19.039
And when when we're not the right fit, we don't do dynamic ad insertion yet.
00:52:19.119 --> 00:52:23.039
We've got that as our number one thing to do, but we're not there yet.
00:52:23.119 --> 00:52:24.000
So we wouldn't be alright.
00:52:24.559 --> 00:52:24.960
So indeed.
00:52:25.199 --> 00:52:28.159
Seth is, as I say, going to podcast movement.
00:52:28.239 --> 00:52:35.519
He is he's already written down some of the some of the uh speaking things that he is that he is attending.
00:52:35.760 --> 00:52:41.360
So it's always interesting to see what some people are seeing and what some people don't want to see.
00:52:41.599 --> 00:52:57.039
He's definitely seeing, for example, the interview beneath the interview, a conversation about uh interviews, obviously, from the after chapter podcast, and also talking about uh programmatic advertising as well, which he's uh also going to be seeing.
00:52:57.280 --> 00:53:03.440
Seth, don't see uh in fact, you're you're going to watch Rob Walsh, are you?
00:53:04.400 --> 00:53:05.280
Opposite me.
00:53:05.440 --> 00:53:10.159
Uh so you're not you're not you're not bothered about my my talk then, Seth.
00:53:10.320 --> 00:53:12.400
You're off to watch Rob, are you?
00:53:12.559 --> 00:53:12.800
Okay.
00:53:13.039 --> 00:53:14.480
I'll fair enough.
00:53:14.719 --> 00:53:15.920
Fair enough, to be honest.
00:53:16.000 --> 00:53:16.880
I would as well.
00:53:17.039 --> 00:53:30.400
Uh so so anyway, looking forward to meeting him and and you, if you're going to the to podcast movement, please do get in touch through the uh swap card app if you are doing so.
00:53:30.639 --> 00:53:33.119
There are 24 power supporters.
00:53:33.360 --> 00:53:42.159
And uh why don't I say that I will buy any of the power supporters a beer if I if if I see you there, that that that makes sense.
00:53:42.239 --> 00:53:46.400
Uh there's a WhatsApp group where only power supporters can also get in as well.
00:53:46.480 --> 00:53:56.480
Uh, you can join that by becoming a power supporter at weekly.podnews.net, which is uh also where you can uh find out more information about this and uh and everything else.
00:53:56.880 --> 00:53:58.800
So, what's been happening for you this week then, Sam?
00:53:59.039 --> 00:54:01.840
Well, I got back from Ireland James in one piece.
00:54:01.920 --> 00:54:02.079
Yes.
00:54:02.239 --> 00:54:04.880
Didn't think I would get back in one piece, but I have, yes.
00:54:05.119 --> 00:54:19.920
Yes, it was very scary, but very very adrenaline filling, climbing the two highest peaks, Cartoon Hill and Mount Brandon, in the rain, climbing a one kilometre shell waterfall climb was not fun.
00:54:20.159 --> 00:54:27.519
I did look at my wife and swear at her quite a lot, I think, as I was on all fours scrambling up a mountainside.
00:54:27.679 --> 00:54:30.719
But no, when you get to the top, it's quite exhilarating.
00:54:30.800 --> 00:54:36.719
You you have a sense of achievement, but um boy, oh boy, it certainly pushes you to your limits.
00:54:37.039 --> 00:54:44.079
Yes, current tool, by the way, in case you're wondering, highest mountain in Ireland, 1038 metres high.
00:54:44.320 --> 00:54:47.119
Gosh, is that high?
00:54:47.280 --> 00:54:47.840
Yes.
00:54:49.280 --> 00:54:52.960
It's not it's not oxygen mask requiring, no, none of that.
00:54:53.199 --> 00:55:00.480
But but what you do get, I mean, we on the way back down, it's great, you get up to the top and then you go, Yeah, god, I've got to get back down now.
00:55:00.559 --> 00:55:02.159
Um no, yes, of course.
00:55:02.239 --> 00:55:02.480
Of course.
00:55:04.960 --> 00:55:07.920
Uh what what is what is uh just just as a test?
00:55:08.000 --> 00:55:09.119
What is at the top?
00:55:09.440 --> 00:55:09.920
Across.
00:55:12.320 --> 00:55:13.360
I'm glad you said that.
00:55:13.599 --> 00:55:15.440
You you you've actually climbed it then.
00:55:15.599 --> 00:55:16.400
There you go.
00:55:16.960 --> 00:55:17.920
Oh, it's a test.
00:55:18.159 --> 00:55:18.960
It's a test.
00:55:19.199 --> 00:55:25.039
Yeah, no, it's it's one of those things you come down and then you've got to come down a windy path.
00:55:25.199 --> 00:55:35.360
But the windy path basically is a 12-story sheer drop on your left hand side, and the mountains on your right, and you just walk this narrow path.
00:55:35.519 --> 00:55:38.320
And I have to say, I was not a happy boy doing that.
00:55:38.480 --> 00:55:50.719
I mean, your knees went a little bit wobbly at a couple of occasions, but you do get down, and eventually, you know, like three hours of winding down a mountain, your kneecaps and your thighs are burning.
00:55:50.800 --> 00:55:51.920
That's all I can say.
00:55:52.719 --> 00:55:53.360
Yes.
00:55:53.760 --> 00:55:58.639
Gosh, my wife likes doing this though, so I I assume I'll be doing more of it.
00:55:59.119 --> 00:56:00.159
Yeah, yeah.
00:56:00.480 --> 00:56:01.679
Whether you like it or not.
00:56:02.400 --> 00:56:04.400
Well, yes, happy wife, happy life.
00:56:04.480 --> 00:56:04.719
Yes.
00:56:04.960 --> 00:56:05.840
Yes, yes.
00:56:06.079 --> 00:56:07.519
Have you have you been doing so?
00:56:07.599 --> 00:56:09.840
Obviously, you've not been doing anything at work, which has been nice.
00:56:10.000 --> 00:56:13.920
I know, I haven't, but uh as usual, Mo does all the work, so it's fine.
00:56:14.559 --> 00:56:18.320
I don't do any of the work, I just pontificate and say what I think we should do.
00:56:18.639 --> 00:56:22.559
Which is fantastic, because I couldn't code for Toffee or vibe code.
00:56:22.880 --> 00:56:24.480
No, we we extended.
00:56:24.639 --> 00:56:30.960
I think the Tom Webster comment, which we talked about earlier, which was back in July, was timely.
00:56:31.119 --> 00:56:32.159
It was on our roadmap.
00:56:32.239 --> 00:56:36.639
I wanted to build out a newsletter function for TrueFans.
00:56:36.800 --> 00:56:42.079
We've not been very good at promoting, we've been just hanged down trying to build stuff.
00:56:42.639 --> 00:56:48.079
And I I realize that, you know, although we're getting good numbers, I think we need to now really ramp things up.
00:56:48.159 --> 00:56:55.440
And a newsletter is, as it we talked about earlier, a really good way of reaching out to your audience to keep them informed of what you're doing.
00:56:55.920 --> 00:57:02.079
So we've launched one called Fanzine, and you know, not not that original, but I like it, it's fine.
00:57:02.639 --> 00:57:18.400
The the idea is we're going to put out a monthly newsletter, but the bigger feature is we're going to extend that to all creators, and that's the thing I'm really excited about is being able to give every podcast creator on TrueFans the ability to create their own newsletter if they want as well.
00:57:19.199 --> 00:57:19.760
So good.
00:57:20.559 --> 00:57:23.599
Yeah, it comes back to that question, James, as I said before.
00:57:23.760 --> 00:57:24.639
I don't know.
00:57:24.800 --> 00:57:34.320
I mean, I've been banging the drum about creator portals for I think two years, you know, the whole idea of not just having a podcast, but audio, video, merch, newsletters, etc.
00:57:34.559 --> 00:57:35.039
blogs.
00:57:35.519 --> 00:57:42.480
I think when we look at what Beehive, Patreon, Substack, Supercast are all doing, they're the people I look at.
00:57:42.639 --> 00:57:48.079
I don't look at Overcast, I don't look at Pocket Cast, I don't really look at those standalone single function apps.
00:57:48.480 --> 00:57:51.599
But there is a great place for those and people will continue to use them.
00:57:51.679 --> 00:57:52.480
They're brilliant apps.
00:57:52.559 --> 00:57:53.519
I'm not knocking them.
00:57:53.920 --> 00:57:57.920
But I think the arrow of direction, if I'm right, and if I'm not, then guess what?
00:57:58.079 --> 00:57:59.119
True fans won't be here.
00:57:59.199 --> 00:58:03.039
But if I'm right, then I think creator portals are the way forward.
00:58:03.599 --> 00:58:09.760
Um and it's that vertical versus horizontal conversation which I don't really have an answer to.
00:58:10.320 --> 00:58:12.719
But is it multiple bits of things?
00:58:12.880 --> 00:58:26.960
So you use uh Overcast as your app, but you use BuzzSprout as your host, you use something else for your newsletter, you use something else for your ad platform, or is it the verticalization where you get everything in one application?
00:58:27.360 --> 00:58:27.840
Who knows?
00:58:28.000 --> 00:58:28.480
We'll see.
00:58:29.039 --> 00:58:30.159
Well, who knows indeed?
00:58:30.320 --> 00:58:31.039
Who knows indeed?
00:58:31.119 --> 00:58:32.480
The proof will be in the eating.
00:58:32.559 --> 00:58:34.480
Uh the proof of the pudding will be in the eating.
00:58:34.559 --> 00:58:35.440
That's the phrase I was looking for.
00:58:37.679 --> 00:58:39.920
Never said by Mary Antoinette, by the way.
00:58:40.559 --> 00:58:41.360
She never said it.
00:58:42.079 --> 00:58:43.039
I've already played your jingle.
00:58:43.119 --> 00:58:44.480
I'm not playing it again.
00:58:45.599 --> 00:58:47.039
Don't do that to my now.
00:58:47.199 --> 00:58:48.800
Uh, what's happened for you, James?
00:58:48.960 --> 00:58:52.000
I did note that uh, you know, I made Forbes a couple of weeks.
00:58:52.079 --> 00:58:53.519
Looks like you've made Forbes as well, mate.
00:58:53.679 --> 00:59:00.639
Yeah, uh, yes, uh, Frank Rashioppi wrote about Spotify ad skipping in Forbes, which was very kind of him.
00:59:00.800 --> 00:59:11.039
I saw him face to face in a Eurowaves advisory board meeting, which is the first time that uh many of us have seen Frank Rashioppi, seen him actually face to face, which was nice.
00:59:11.280 --> 00:59:14.159
So I believe that he's coming to Podcast Movement as well.
00:59:14.239 --> 00:59:15.920
So that's so that's all very good.
00:59:16.159 --> 00:59:18.480
And also, uh Sam, I'm back on Twitter.
00:59:18.800 --> 00:59:20.800
No, okay, come on, stop.
00:59:22.719 --> 00:59:24.480
Go on, James, explain.
00:59:25.039 --> 00:59:31.199
So there's a company which is called Operation Bluebird, and they have gone, well, you know what?
00:59:31.360 --> 00:59:41.360
We you know, Twitter is a nice brand, and the X Corporation have basically said that they don't want it anymore, they're not using it.
00:59:41.599 --> 01:00:04.880
Some of those trademarks have not been renewed, so therefore, we will have that trademark and we will launch a social a social platform called uh Twitter, and it is called Twitter, it's got slightly different logos in there, and it's got and it's got yeah, and it's the same blue though, that it's the same Twitter blue.
01:00:05.119 --> 01:00:07.599
It it's pretty well, I bet you it's not.
01:00:07.679 --> 01:00:13.519
I bet you it's a slightly different colour because everything is very carefully slightly different.
01:00:13.679 --> 01:00:20.880
Twitter, not affiliated with X, which is what it's called, and you you know, and there's all kinds of fascinating things.
01:00:21.039 --> 01:00:37.760
The one of the fascinating things on it is that in order for you to get in, it costs$20 to get in, or you can pay$40 if you want to put a bit of money for them for their inevitable court case with Elon Musk.
01:00:37.840 --> 01:00:38.159
Yes.
01:00:38.400 --> 01:00:42.000
So you can so you can put$20 in or put$40 in.
01:00:42.079 --> 01:00:44.400
So of course I've put$40 in, haven't I?
01:00:44.719 --> 01:00:50.159
And that will enable you to you know get your username and and all of that sort of thing.
01:00:50.480 --> 01:00:52.079
So that I thought was interesting.
01:00:52.239 --> 01:01:05.760
So their gate is is essentially money, and they're uh you know, you can't sign up for free, but you can sign up if you put 20 bucks in, which I think is a very uh clever uh gate just to sort of calm things down a little bit.
01:01:06.079 --> 01:01:18.159
The other thing though is, and you can see on one of my posts, Sam, in the in the screenshot that I've uh shared, you can see that one of my posts has a weird 100 next.
01:01:18.559 --> 01:01:20.159
Yeah, I'm just gonna ask you what that was.
01:01:20.480 --> 01:01:30.000
Yeah, and so the way that they are doing the way that they are doing, and I I have so many reservations about all of this, by the way.
01:01:30.239 --> 01:01:46.400
But the way that they are doing moderation is that they are using AI moderation to check whether what you're saying is truthful and to check for certain things that you might end up saying, you know.
01:01:46.480 --> 01:01:54.480
So it'll uh uh check whether or not you're super grumpy and being rude about people, but it'll also check the truth of what that you are actually saying.
01:01:54.559 --> 01:01:58.159
It's using Gemini behind the hood.
01:01:58.480 --> 01:02:01.440
So quite what that means, who knows?
01:02:01.519 --> 01:02:05.039
It'll probably all go, it'll probably all fall apart and die.
01:02:05.199 --> 01:02:14.960
But nevertheless, and so the 100 there is that is a perfect score, basically saying that that particular post of mine was absolutely fine.
01:02:15.039 --> 01:02:27.280
There was nothing that the AI found that was wrong about it, and certainly in terms of checking against a a ton of other a ton of other tools, all of that is you know, all of that is fine too.
01:02:27.440 --> 01:02:33.199
And they say, We give you freedom of speech, but we don't give you freedom of reach.
01:02:33.440 --> 01:02:51.039
And the way that the the the that the thing works is that you can set it so that you can go, I will, I only want to see all posts with a 60 score or above, and it will only show you those posts of 60 score or above, which is a really clever plan.
01:02:51.119 --> 01:02:56.000
So if you want to see all of the crap, then you can see all of the crap, but otherwise, you know, you won't.
01:02:56.159 --> 01:02:59.199
Now, of course, is it GDR GDPR compliant?
01:02:59.440 --> 01:03:00.320
Probably not.
01:03:00.480 --> 01:03:02.159
Is it is it centralized?
01:03:02.320 --> 01:03:03.519
Absolutely it is.
01:03:03.760 --> 01:03:08.559
Um, has it learnt anything from any anybody doing another social network?
01:03:08.719 --> 01:03:09.519
No, not really.
01:03:09.679 --> 01:03:12.480
But I I was curious about the Vera thing.
01:03:12.639 --> 01:03:17.519
I did enjoy Twitter, so I'm just sort of curious as to how it all works.
01:03:17.679 --> 01:03:23.199
But uh, yeah, once you're in, it is virtually identical in terms of the Twitter experience.
01:03:23.360 --> 01:03:28.159
And by the way, it's called Twitter.now is where you go to sign up, Twitter.now.
01:03:28.719 --> 01:03:30.079
I mean, that's very clever.
01:03:30.159 --> 01:03:32.000
I wonder who's behind it, and we'll have to have a look.
01:03:32.159 --> 01:03:40.000
But um as you said, I'm sure once Elon Musk wakes up, certain lawyers will be sending a cease and desist letter to these people.
01:03:40.079 --> 01:04:05.679
So well, but only this week, Twitter X has sent a cease and desist to a couple of different companies, xcancel.com and knitter.com, which are two sets of people who are who've essentially been scraping the X website to get rid of any advertising and give you a way to you know have a look through X without actually being on X.
01:04:06.079 --> 01:04:08.400
And both of those have just been shut down.
01:04:08.639 --> 01:04:12.800
So clearly, you know, Elon is you know is cares about this.
01:04:13.119 --> 01:04:18.320
But yes, it's it's it's a really, really interesting, really interesting move.
01:04:18.480 --> 01:04:21.280
But yeah, they're a very, very small team.
01:04:21.679 --> 01:04:26.400
And I I just really like the idea of freedom of speech, but not freedom of reach.
01:04:26.559 --> 01:04:28.480
That's very that's very clever.
01:04:28.639 --> 01:04:33.519
Whether or not it works, I'm not so sure, to be honest.
01:04:33.760 --> 01:04:35.599
But you know, it's worth a peek anyway.
01:04:35.679 --> 01:04:42.239
So yes, so if you want to be there, if you want to get get a decent uh name on that service, then um then jump to it.
01:04:42.320 --> 01:04:44.559
Of course, I should have checked if I could have got James.
01:04:45.119 --> 01:04:49.760
Yeah, I think it's I like this uh in their footer.
01:04:49.920 --> 01:04:50.960
Get early access.
01:04:51.119 --> 01:04:52.320
Early access is open.
01:04:52.559 --> 01:04:53.760
Get over your ex.
01:04:56.400 --> 01:04:57.519
Yes, exactly.
01:04:57.760 --> 01:04:58.320
Very clever.
01:04:58.639 --> 01:05:01.119
It's very it's very clever, it's very neat.
01:05:01.360 --> 01:05:02.719
So um, yes, very good.
01:05:02.880 --> 01:05:04.880
And that's it for this week.
01:05:05.039 --> 01:05:09.119
All of our podcast stories taken from the pod news daily newsletter at podnews.net.
01:05:09.440 --> 01:05:18.320
You can give us feedback using the BuzzSprout voicemail link in our show notes, or become a monthly power supporter like the 24 Power Supporters at weekly.podnews.net.
01:05:18.639 --> 01:05:20.079
Our music is from TM Studios.
01:05:20.159 --> 01:05:21.440
Our voiceover is Sheila D.
01:05:21.679 --> 01:05:23.760
Our audio is recorded using CleanFeed.
01:05:23.840 --> 01:05:27.840
We edit with Hindenburg, and we're hosted and sponsored by BuzzSprout.
01:05:28.079 --> 01:05:30.480
Start podcasting, keep podcasting.
01:05:30.719 --> 01:05:32.480
Get updated every day.
01:05:32.639 --> 01:05:36.000
Subscribe to our newsletter at podnews.net.
01:05:36.480 --> 01:05:38.400
Tell your friends and grow the show.
01:05:38.719 --> 01:05:40.159
Support us and support us.
01:05:40.320 --> 01:05:43.599
The pod news weekly review will return next week.
01:05:43.840 --> 01:05:44.960
Keep listening.