PodMov Daily: Thursday, April 29

Episode 418: Your Thursday Podthoughts

Podcasting Needs Its Indie Creators. Here’s Why.

If you’re an indie podcaster, the sale of 99% Invisible (or the sale of Company A to Company B for X million dollars) means virtually nothing. Nick Hilton, co-founder of podcast company Podot, agrees that indie creators are being rapidly pushed out. But ignoring their interests will put more of the ecosystem at risk.

Between indies and Spotify/Apple ‘partner’ publishers, there’s corporate podcasting: “the yin to editorial podcasting’s yang.” Branded products subsidize small publishers like Podot, enabling the interesting, vibrant shows we love. When indie creators suffer, the “already beleaguered” corporate market will, too.

“I would love to believe that Apple and Spotify, when planning the next phase of their podcasting operations, will keep indie podcasters in mind,” Hilton says. “After all, they are — you are — the lifeblood of this industry. But I suspect they won’t.” Upsetting this balance will damage what they’re racing to dominate.

How Should Mistakes Be Corrected in Podcasts?

Podcasters aren’t great at correcting mistakes, writes Gavin Gaddis in Discover Pods. The standard method of addressing them needs an update. “There are too many tools at a given podcaster’s disposal now to justify the sole ‘fix’ for misinformation being a shrug and chaste apology in the next episode.”

When a newspaper files a correction, the goal has always “been to preserve the integrity of the publication and stop any lies that might be spread,” they point out. Where an editor’s note in the next issue does the trick, audio files live forever. Misinformation shouldn’t follow a listener cherry-picking a show’s back catalog. 

What does due diligence look like? “Even if the average podcaster never gains access to magical dynamic ad insertion abilities, we all have the ability to edit out bad information and hot-swap the file,” Gaddis explains. Creators’ best intentions now have a new opportunity. Note: Contains strong language.

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Here's what else is going on:

• Summer break: Tomorrow at 9:00 am CT, Podcast Movement president Dan Franks will join Radio Ink editor Ed Ryan on Clubhouse. They'll discuss PM21, returning this August in Nashville. Did you know that this year’s event is a hybrid in-person/virtual shindig? Tune in for the inside scoop.

• Checks out: Paid subscriptions on Spotify aren’t actually free, Podnews editor James Cridland reminds podcasters. “Standard payment processing fees still apply. Stripe charge 2.9% +30¢, and I’d expect Spotify’s pricing to be similar.” Apple’s subscription rates include equivalent fees.

• House blend: Alitu, The Podcast Host’s podcast editing software, has rolled out in-app call recording. Up to five guests use a link without a password to join the recording. Noise reduction, leveling, and other cleanup is automatic. Hosts can then complete and export from the app.

• Speed dial: A portion of NPR podcasts’ subscription cash will support public radio, Joel Sucherman, VP of New Platform Partnerships, tells Hot Pod. “If you happen to love a specific show and you choose to directly support it…we’re still sharing some of that revenue with member stations.”