Itunes + Podcasts… widening or constricting choice?
Published by on June 14th, 2005
There was a mighty buzz at the announcement that the impending update to Apple’s iTunes will include support for podcasts.
Across the net podcasters and listeners alike were heralding a great age of podcasting as it moves from underground, geeky cult status to a mainstream broadcasting medium. Looking a little closer at what iTunes will provide, will it open audiences for podcasters, or just focus their attention on the minority of prominent podcasts?
Steve Jobs described iTunes’ podcast subscription capability being based around a podcast directory containing thousands of hand-picked podcast streams. With the estimated 8000 or so podcast shows out there right now, and growing, it’s doubtful that all but the minority will find their way into the directory. Admittedly iTunes will be capable of handling the inputting of any RSS feed whether part of the directory or not, will the average non-techie user actually go to the trouble of searching for new - and let’s be honest, often better - podcasts from those not included in the directory? I doubt it.
Audiences are inherently lazy, that’s why advertising works. The more it’s in their faces, the more likely they are to buy-in. They will already have thousands of podcasts to choose from, why bother seek out more. It will certainly introduce a wider audience to podcasting, broadening acceptance of this new medium, but not broadening the audience base for the majority of podcasters.
Rather than opening up the market, I believe it will stifle it – make it much harder for new, smaller, less prominent niche podcasts to find a solid audience and therefore probably lead to their ultimate demise. That’s not a good thing for the podcasting scene as it stands now. Exactly the same thing happened to streaming radio stations once iTunes created their built-in internet radio directory. Those outside the directory saw listener figures drop, while those included had server-crunching listener numbers.
Plus, with iTunes using an Itunes Music Store based directory for the podcasts, everything is in place for Apple to provide pay-per-show or subscription-based podcasts. It is clear they see a new emerging market there and are poised to exploit it.
Apple are obviously keeping quiet as to what is their criteria for selecting podcasts for inclusion. However, will the music industry look favourably at apple if they include podcasts with non-podsafe music in their shows? With the downloading music marketplace steadily growing, Apple cannot afford to get on the wrong side of the licensing authorities, so if you are not podsafe, you’ll likely kill any chance of being included.
Prominence is everything in a competitive, global space. iTunes will raise the profile of some, crush the profile of others. Podcasting will become a class-based environment of the in’s and the outs… those in the iTunes directory, and those not.
On the other hand, maybe I’m entirely wrong and we’ll all end up with millions of listeners…
5 Responses to “Itunes + Podcasts… widening or constricting choice?”
I’m optimistic at the inclusion of podcasts into the iTunes service, however, the handpicked environment will do a positive service to only a small segment of podcasters. Regarding the podsafe angle, if a tune is researched by the (I’m assuming in place) podpolice at Apple and found to be unacceptable and infringing, the podcast will likely be throw out of the hat for inclusion. But, if a band says, “Yes! Please include our song on your podcast,” to a podcaster but doesn’t realise that they actually have no right to do so, (maybe they’re recorded on a tiny indie label or are in the process of getting signed), and Apple finds out… does that throw into question the podcaster’s entire library of programmes though he believed he had the permission to play a track because the band said so? Will there be a “three strikes - you’re out” rule? I doubt it… This is going to be a tricky thing for Apple to police if they do go down the route of monitoring podsafe podcasts. Murky waters ahead, cap’n.
It certainly raises the bar for average amateur podcasters on content and will likely alienate or squash otherwise enjoyable shows, regardless of creative rights adherence.
Great post, Neil.
smooches~
jEN
I’m going to have to call you on this bit:
“Admittedly iTunes will be capable of handling the inputting of any RSS feed whether part of the directory or not, will the average non-techie user actually go to the trouble of searching for new - and let’s be honest, often better - podcasts from those not included in the directory? I doubt it.”
How do you know that the podcasts included with iTunes won’t all be really good; the cream of the crop? If I was Apple, that’s what I would want in my podcast directory; they’re not (currently) intending to charge anything, so it’s all about widening the Apple/iTMS brand so it makes sense for them to make it good.
Also, it’s entirely possible that Apple will except submissions for podcasts to go in the directory - in fact, we simply don’t know what they’re going to do, so don’t get too down on it yet!
I’m not trying to say that the Apple selected podcasts will be poor, of course they’ll select quality as it reflects on iTunes itself. But the lazy end users will for the most part assume that the directory is a true representation of what is good - if it ain’t in, it ain’t worth listening to. Some great and worthy casts will have potential audiences reduced, and it will be much harder for new casts to get a taste of the newly created audience unless they can generate significant prominence. Prominence means marketing/promoting, often means money, which few podcasters have.
You’ll never increase consumption of esoteric podcasts without broadening the pool of podcast users in the first place. I see your complaint, but I don’t get it. Small-time podcasters will always have to work harder to grow their audience…you’re not suggesting that they’re entitled to free promo from Apple, are you?
The bottom line is that if users of podcasts are up overall, then there exists the possiblity of getting some of those users to tune in to your show.
jjankechu… I’m not suggesting Apple or anyone else owes podcasters or podcasting anything at all. But many heralded the iTunes as the key to bring podcasting into the mainstream. It will broaden the audience, but audience’s vision might be focused in a much narrower field.
However, my concerns (which are based around my Britcaster network rather than my own personal podcast), have been eased a little by iTunes 4.9’s release this week. Thankfully, the ITMS directory is NOT the default screen one is presented with at the click of the ‘Podcasts’ button. Some of the Britcaster podcasters are reporting significant boosts in their stats since iTunes’ release - so all’s well so far.