The great UK podcasting Conspiracy
Published by on October 11th, 2006
So, the latest news in is that I deliberately created Britcaster.com and helped organise PodcastconUK last year so that they would swell my CV* and land me a nice, sweet, swanky job with Podshow. Thank you to the person who pointed that out, because in a year and a half since Britcaster.com was created, I simply wasn’t aware of my devisive, underhand, ulterior motives. Thank you for re-educating me - I’m now off to punish myself with chilli-coated barbed-wire-wrapped pretzels.
That came as a result of another round of feeling like UK Podcasting’s resident punchbag. Now I can almost understand the a defensive aggression as a result of general insecurities of your average hobbyist podcaster at the appearance of Podshow in the UK - it’s all an evil empire designed to take over the world (ahem…podcasting), don’t you know - but abusing a small group of people who had an idea, got together and created something just because they could, wanted to, and thought it might be fun, is totally un-called for.
It’s not just Britcaster that has been the brunt of criticism this week. The organisers of PodcastconUK (of which I am one - reluctantly this year) are apparently rolling around in the glory of the wealth, influence, and endless flow of all manner of pleasures as a result of putting together a conference for podcasters last year in their own time and at no profit (oops sorry, I think there was just over £100 left in the kitty at the end, we should be locked up for our collective greed), and doing it again out of a sense of duty and realisation that if we didn’t, no-one else would. Sadly, and primarily because of this and past abuse, I find it unlikely that any of the organising team will be involved in 2007 - it’s going to be someone else’s problem, and I’m sure we can sit back and watch it not happen. I would be delighted to be proved wrong in that.
So, back to the main point. I have been directly criticised because in creating Britcaster, I have ended up having a conversation, followed by a professional relationship with Podshow. After several exchanged passionate emails what actually turns out to be the problem of this particular individual, is an underlying resentment that in his case, the podcasting dream of gold in them there RSS feeds did not flow his way. On the other hand I’m rolling in the splendour of a penthouse apartment (read: average 2-bedroom, top floor flat), and one of my endless supply of Ferraris (read: average Ford Focus - and only one). I wonder if I’m about to take more flak for having an online portfolio of work to attract new clients, or handing out business cards with my contact info on so that I can bring in enough work to pay the rent, because in those cases, I do have a deliberate intent to earn money - I’m such a bad boy.
In order to increase your success rate, you have to increase your failure rate.
The vast majority of projects I have personally developed - of a similar nature to Britcaster - have gone precisely nowhere. Now I wouldn’t actually call those a failure, because they each enabled me to, for example, learn new skills or technologies which enabled me to get better and more satisfying work - there I go paying the rent again, what a sellout. Britcaster has opened more doors to opportunity than I have experienced before, but anyone actively involved in the podcasting space has had their own doors opened. Whether they decided to step through and make the most of it is another matter, but right now opportunity abounds - though there’s never guarantee of success.
So my advice for anyone wanting to reap the rewards of unpaid effort: keep at it, but watch out for the bitter resentment of those who would rather abuse than build. Eventually something comes along which will take you unawares and give you a great opportunity. Step up to the plate, give it a good swing and if it strikes, just focus on the next one. On the other hand, you can just sit and mutter into your Special Brew about how opportunity passed you by while everyone else rode the gravy train to a blissful existence. I wonder if that’s the same train I’m about to have to trudge through a thunder storm to catch in a few minutes… oh for the day when those deviously-acquired benefits finally kick-in and my chauffeur is ready and waiting beside the glistening Bentley.
*Just for the record, my current CV doesn’t even mention podcasting, let alone Britcaster and Podcastcon!
12 Responses to “The great UK podcasting Conspiracy”
October 11th, 2006 at 11:32 am
I like pretzels.
It is kind of interesting how complicated life became after you created Britcaster. It’s been mostly positive, but Wow! the negative stuff has, at times, been super harsh. I know there have been several occasions where you and I have discussed killing Britcaster to shed ourselves (and others) of the negative attention, but know that the positive side of the community usually outweighs the bad apples.
It is appallingly easy for people to make assumptions and get nasty via the internet. With some of the things people say to each other, if it were a physical confrontation, you’d expect missing teeth. Yet for some reason negative comments fly online without fear of repercussion and tend to lack respectful regard for the other person. The safe distance of the web… lob away!
The curse of an online, proactive existence.
October 11th, 2006 at 11:44 am
The curse of the keyboard warriors…
October 12th, 2006 at 4:26 am
The level of anger, resentment and downright nastiness that has been shown towards you and the rest of the PodcastCon UK organisation team has on occassion left me speechless, and II’ve only been party to the public outpourings, I dread to think what your respective inboxes look like.
I can’t say I blame any of your from washing your hands of any followup event in 2007. Life is far too short to be taking this kind of crap over something you have done out of passion, not greed. Like you I suspect there won’t be a PCCUK 2007, which would be a real shame, but it might also be the reality check elements of the british podcasting community need.
Or am I just being a grumpy old man?
- Neil.
October 16th, 2006 at 12:51 pm
Neil you poor aggrieved soul!
You are in the middle of lots of positive activity which is vastly benefiting the podcast community. I think some people envy your position and this possibly accounts for some of the negatives.
It’s early days yet… keep your whiskery chin up. In the end, results speak for themselves.
October 17th, 2006 at 12:20 am
Well, there’s one man who truly understands
October 17th, 2006 at 10:36 am
The solution seems simple to me. Sell Britcaster!
That way everyone’s a winner, rather than letting it die out it could go on to be better or worse i.e. more left or right wing. Your critics would be able to say “I knew it - the sell out capitalist swine” but then bemoan how the person who bought is even worse and everyone would miss you. It would also mean you would get a bit of cash plus an end to all the headaches. You could then go on to do proper work (perhaps buying it back at a later date for a smaller amount)
Face it - if the conspiracy theories are true then the podshow machine will squash it anyway like a small animal crushed under the wheels of a juggernaut. Forums are dead anyway, it’s all about digg-able social network interactive sites these days.
Just take the money and buy a Ford Granada.
October 17th, 2006 at 10:58 pm
I’m not so sure, Conrad, I mean I could only do it if I could get enough for a Ghia… oh now there’s a car and a half.
October 19th, 2006 at 2:45 pm
There are always going to be “cottage cheese fluffy bunnies” around. In response to them (in the U.S.), we say “Just consider the source.” That puts a lot of chatter in the “not worth paying attention to” file!
October 21st, 2006 at 1:26 am
Quick lets run off with the biscuit tin and badge holders (Jen, you can come too as you’re in on it) !
October 22nd, 2006 at 3:42 pm
Jup, it is always amazing what people make their mind up about. I know it is not helping to tell you to not take it seriously and go over it - it is never easy to do so every time it happens.
This will not stop the nutheads in believing and stating otherwise but I think it goes without saying that no professional person would ever make this combination nor think of this as really happening.
October 22nd, 2006 at 10:04 pm
mspoke: ‘keyboard warrior’ I never remember than character class in D&D. Disclaimer: I haven’t played D&D since I was a teen, stop sniggering.
Ginny: I’m thoroughly impressed, not only are you clearly reading more than one post here, but you’re using callbacks too! Awesome, truly awsome. Even I can’t manage that.
Paul: The biscuit tin doesn’t have any biscuits any more, mate… you’ll be disappointed.
Nicole: Thank you. I’m pretty much over it now, though I’ve lost all respect for the main individual concerned this time, and that’s always a shame.
November 1st, 2006 at 1:51 pm
I would just like to point out there is nothing wrong with still playing role-playing games in your forties…. absolutely nothing! Okay?
- Neil.