Last dedicated UK podcaster forum closing shop
Tea & Podcasts yesterday announced it is shutting down in a month. This is the last dedicated UK podcasting forum which means the only way to openly connect with other producers now falls into the (cringe) social network space.
The two that currently exist – but knowing social networks, I’ll bet others spring up to dilute the value of the activity around and in them – are Podcast Nation and a new one set up by phoenix-like Tartanpodcast producer, now turned salaried pro producer (congratulations if you are reading this, Mark), Podcastmatters, which might have a viable future if Mark can keep actively driving it beyond the initial rush.
There has been some talk around forums no longer being the kind of interaction people want in these social network days, thus leading to the decline in forums in the space. Rubbish. Forums are alive and well all over the net, and growing in membership and activity all the time – and not just getting themselves loaded with link generating spammers, either! There’s something different about the mindset of those who have got themselves involved in podcasting. There’s that definite feeling of the geek-swarm – a surge of activity to the latest, greatest, and shiniest new thing promising to be one’s answer to one’s communications, audience-building and ultimately monetizing challenges. Heads-up independent producers, building audience and making a successful show is and will remain, nothing more than hard graft with no guarantee: there are no shortcuts. All the networks, exchanges, forums, whatever, are never going to help people find your product if you just sit there and follow the advice given to Kevin Costner: If you build it, they will come. And yes, I am still seeing producers, old and new, using this philosophy and bemoaning lack of growth.
Anyway, moving on – it is 2008 after all. It does feel a promising new year. Things are afoot, and there is collaboration within the UK podcasting space, though – and this is largely due to the lack of open and public discussion we once had – very much hidden under the surface. Connections are being made, old imagined rivalries are being forgotten, bridges are once more being used (I never considered any of them burned… OK, maybe one, but that’s old news), and most importantly, those producers who want to earn from their efforts, and are prepared to expend energy towards the goal, are earning very sensible money directly from their independent production(s).
So are we seeing the podcast nirvana we all pictured three years ago? Nowhere near it. But the entire bubble has evolved already, changed into something very different with, I believe, far greater opportunity than existed when it was being initially formed. I have a lot of enthusiasm for 2008, particularly for those producers who can avoid falling by the wayside and lift themselves out of limited expectations and see the true possibilities of what is on the horizon.
I’ll be honest, I visited T&P a couple of times – mainly after tweets from your good self. However, I never posted. Why? I didn’t really feel ‘involved’, to be honest. Sure, I devour podcasts, and I occasionally sling something together to join the marass of others, but I’m not really interested in a social club.. I even signed up for the podcasting convention but decided not to go because it jut seemed too intimidating.
I’m not sure what my point is, but I think my view of podcasting (and my podroll!) has evolved since I first came across the term.. and I reckon, at this moment in time, the only person on my subscriptions list who’s got it even *close* to right is Leo Laporte, with an enormous established audience and quality content.. although I have no idea how he balances family life with 12 different podcasts and a radio show!
Fancy a pint or a coffee sometime to chew the fat? Next time you find yourself in the West End, tweet me
j
The feeling of exclusion is always an issue with forums, sadly, but for some reason in other areas of the net, it is less of a problem and newcomers to a forum are much less inhibited to get involved. Podcasting breaks a number of behavioral conventions with the nature of online activity, very strange.
Leo manages it all because he earns enough from everything that he does not have to do it all himself. Delegation is the key, but I fear the majority of indie podcasters, even if they managed to earn enough to justify some assistance, would be too precious about their baby to let someone else get their hands on it.
Pint or coffee? Absolutely! I shall be in touch.
What an excellent response – you have hit both nails on their respective heads, I think.
I think the exclusion issue is often the case with ‘enthusiasts’ – I don’t know how many times I’ve been somewhere that I’ve just felt “I’m clearly not as passionate about this as everyone else” (not least when terms like ‘monetization’ get mentioned.
That said, I can’t help but admit a degree of hypocrisy, since I work for an institution that creates media content, pays my mortgage *and* I have a passion for what it does.. but why is it able to sustain me and my family? Beause it’s established, I guess. I wonder what lessons one could learn from the early days of the BBC.
As for the delegation, you are absolutely right. Moyles doesn’t do his podcast on his own.. in fact, he does next to naff-all save for presenting his normal breakfast show (no editorial comment inserted).
Trev and I have a somewhat symbiotic relationship, since he does most of the writing, and I do most of the production; how the hell the Traces Of Nuts guys manage to organise themselves to create something so breathtakingly brilliant, I just don’t know. Strong leadership, I guess.
Perhaps that’s what UK podcasting needs? Bring on the charismatic evangelists.. let’s start a cult(!)*
*mullets are not compulsory.
j
p.s. Looking forward to it.
Phoenix-like?!
Should clearly be “pheonix-like”…
@mark – you killed it then it rose again, phoenix-like – it’s actually a complimentary image as the phoenix usually returns with greater glory. I could have said ‘resurrected’, but that could too easily be connected with religion or zombies
I like ‘greater glory’.
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