Saviour of Radio 1; Destroyer of Worlds
The modern podcasting climate has changed considerably since its mainstream launch in 2005. Many podcasting giants have risen and fallen within the period but still the technology trundles on. The issue that many people have now is not maintaining a podcast, but actually creating one and successfully launching it.
When the iTunes Podcast store opened its gates in June 2005 the online world exploded with podcasting fever. It wasn’t too long before the technology caught the eyes of the big players within the old radio and television industry, from that point on independent podcasts were doomed.
The independent podcast circle used to be a buzzing pace full of enthusiasm and community. Perhaps I’m painting an idyllic image of the past, as one often tends to do with hindsight, but my point is valid nonetheless. There was talk of commercialising podcasts, in order to maintain them and break even, but making millions wasn’t on the agenda. There was a time when I was a big advocate against the commercialisation of podcasts, but that time has passed and I’ve joined the dark side. Commercialisation of podcasting has, if anything, improved the overall quality of content available.
Something changed after the Summer of 2005. Suddenly it became very hard to launch a podcast and gain the amount of an audience as one would have achieved in June. There wasn’t an issue of over-saturation of the market at all, the issue was that big corporate companies started to move in.
The BBC effectively killed independent podcasts when it started to regurgitate its own radio content. The BBC didn’t come up with new content for podcasts, they recycled the shit that came out of the mouth of Chris Moyles in the morning to turn it into what they called a podcast. “The Best of the Chris Moyles show” quickly became one of the biggest podcasts on the web, the BBC saw the success of this and soon began to recycle the rest of their shit from across their radio network. Soon the market was flooded by other broadcasters doing the same.
Take a look at the front page of the iTunes Podcast store today and you will not see a single independently produced podcast. It’s either crap recycled from the BBC, or other network providers, along with one or two “celebrities”. If fun, independent content is becoming hard to source from the world’s number one podcast store the industry is doomed.
Small little networks and communities used to exist that would serve as directories for independent shows, but they’ve long since died out. The Britcaster forums closed their doors way before I even found a slight moderate success with The Podzone. Mevio are no longer promoting the independent content that’s hosted on their network. They’re plugging the shows that they produce, they’re not even supporting the independent producers with promotion on their front page or channels.
If the big old media networks are tainting what was once hailed as he saviour of high quality entertaining content, what’s the next step? Podcasting was created by pioneers who were frustrated with the blatant commercialisation and dumbing down of mainstream content, it’s sad to see it go the same way as radio.
The only way that we shall see the continuation of podcasting and the saving of independent content within that is for a new network to be built. A united front against all of the shit and trollop that is being pushed out and into our ears by old media companies. If there is one thing that could possibly save podcasting, it’s Twitter. Someone just needs to come up with a way to make the two work together.
We need a community, a new directory, a fantastic piece of software and integration that will save the independent podcast industry before it really is too late.
Chris Leydon.
11 Comments
Jesus Chris! Do you have something against everyone?! It’s really very tiresome and tedious. From where I’m standing, Chris is earning £600,000 a year, you’re getting rejected from McDonalds.
Lewis, if you were to actually read my post you’d realise that I was not making a personal attack against Chris Moyles. Chris Moyles is a Radio DJ, not a podcaster. All I have said is that the “highlights” shows, that were rolled out by the BBC in the early days of podcasting, have somewhat tainted the whole independant media idea that Podcasting was born from.
Initially Podcasting was seen as an alternative to mainstream radio, NOT another platform for it to exploit. I’m not saying that these highlight shows are awful, per se, I’m arguing the fact that they have taken the atttention away from the small little independant gems (such as A Minor Technicality).
Chris Moyles is overpayed for what he actually does and my current employment status has no bearings on this post whatsoever.
You got rejected from McDonalds?
I think you’ll find that it’s actually Per se.
Perse refers to a greek mythological character.
I did get rejected by McDonalds. 9 GCSEs (A – Cs), 4 AS Levels (A-D), 3 A Levels (B-D), a Bachelor of Sciences Undergraduate, 4 years of work experience and I couldn’t get a job at McDonalds. Got rejected at the age of 16 too. Technically I’ve been refused twice.
I’ve worked at a Racecourse, a Cinema, a Podcasting company, a Radio station, but never McDonalds. Such is life.
Thanks for the heads up. Eyes are closing and I forgot to proof read.
Yeah, it was hardly an attack on Moyles, and it’s totally inappropriate of you to start comparing salaries and use personal circumstances as an argument. “Jesus Chris”, however, is an admirable play on words – well done.
I’m sure if the BBC had time to push out new content for their podcasts each week, they would, but that clearly isn’t possible. The thing is people like it, they’re download figures show that, I really don’t think it’s “tainted” the independent podcasting TWIT, Revision3, Even Mevio, all get considerable downloads each week and get their message to thousands, if not millions.
All I’m saying.
your sometimes OTT with people and podcasting producers / companys.
and get your copyright updated before some copy your post and publishes it on their website or local paper
another thign to say about you, your so fucking critic about people and how things are ran.
if you don’t fucking like it then tough bastard shit chris!!. Sometimes you need to stop acting on behalf of fucking Ofcomm when you asked me if i have this and that for podcasting or internet radio.!!
Guys, don’t be so harsh. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
I personally like Chris Moyles, and I love the quizzes in the mornings too!
When I say “Pub”, you say “Quiz”. “Pub”– !! Gotta love Rob DJ!
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