Podcast sustainability

Posted on March 7, 2006
Filed Under Business, Podcasting |

Who’s Paying For Podcasts? - Forbes.com

Aside from the few large podcasters that can go the route of Ricky Gervais, there is not a sustainable revenue model (yet) for podcasting. The old media advertising model does not fly, which is why it has hardly gotten off the ground. Take the Earthlink ads at PodShow, in particular Steve Gillmor’s pleading with listeners to “give them the respesct they deserve”. At which point I hit >>| (that’s fastforward for all you non-iPodders) for the next 30 seconds.

Earthlink is not paying for old world radio style averts in podcasts because of some altruistic support for the new medium, it is because they wanted to be the first (big shot) to the game… so WE all remember they were first to the game. (Read more about First mover advantage, from Seth Godin) Even when the current game is dead (comming soon to a podcast near you).

I have more to say on this, but it needs to bounce around the space between my ears a little more. Discuss.

Comments

4 Responses to “Podcast sustainability”

  1. Steve Williams on March 8th, 2006 11:42

    I’ve been podcasting on a weekly basis for six months. I have approximately 2,500 listeners and I pay a whooping $9.50 a month for a blog and 250 megs of storage to my podcast provider. I see no need to scramble for advertising dollars—it’s just a hobby, folks!

  2. mhp on March 8th, 2006 12:38

    Independent hobbyist podcasters, such as yourself, are not going to be the target of marketing dollars. Mainly because most feel the same as you, and could care less about it. But if the medium is really going to go mainstream, people have to be able to “quit their day jobs” (a la podshow promotion). Because of Google Adsense and others, people have been able to turn blogging into full time jobs. While others, like me and you, do these things for personal interest and not profit. [Disclaimer, my Google Ads generate a cold hard $0.09/day]

  3. mhp’s musings » Podcast sustainability 2 on March 16th, 2006 10:13

    […] This is a follow up to this commentary that raised questions but did not provide any value-added ideas about alternatives. […]

  4. mhp’s musings » Podcast sustainability 3 on March 25th, 2006 0:41

    […] Previous posts: Podcast sustainability Podcast sustainability 2 […]

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