1/best model for podcasting would be to build an @HBO / @netflix where you pay $10 a month for 200 exclusive podcasts. Would hit 5m members

2/in order to do this you would need to spend $250m a year on content at scale & $50m in year one. It is outside typical VC scale

3/if you went to top 400 podcasters & said "we are HBO of podcasting & will pay 2x your ad revenue to not read ads" 1/3rd+ would say "yes!"

4/you would need a very visionary VC/PE firm willing to fund $100m for a startup on day one. There are 2-3 funds out there who might.

I would absolutely pay for this as a consumer.

Why do you need such a huge capital commitment? Seems like a content creator friendly contract is all you need.

I listen to podcasts everyday and I don't think I would pay the 10$ a month for them. I would prob just move back to books or find free

I understand your reasoning find some of the ads on the podcasts interest/relevance to me doesn't make them as bad Cc:@Buddyloveless

i agree. Doesn't seen viable with such a large amount of quality, free podcasts available

disagree totally. Only way for podcast to make money is by having radio/XM channel or a youtube channel

interested in discussing at LAUNCH next month. deep in this world for a while.

It's the dif between @YouTube and @HBO. Anyone can post to @YouTube but I'll pay for @HBO so I don't have to wade through the junk.

As an extremely successful podcaster, what would it take to convince you to scrap your model Knowing your audience growth will slow?

isn't that basically $AAPL at this point? Not easy competing with platform provider

unless the current creators stop publishing their own podcast, no product will succeed as the content will be available elsewhere

cc @breakeraudio

I'd want to 1) invest in this and 2) would pay $10 for vetted podcasts of various types aggregated and itemized et al w/no ads

do you think a legacy company could do this? They have the funds

“Inside Podcasts” ?

A lot of podcasters have a fear of lock-in and have avoided services like @Stitcher.

Agree! Interesting move for @Microsoft, splash massive cash & make podcasts Groove Originals. Backdoor path to eat Spotify's lunch.

TWIST ads are actually part of the value. I use several of your sponsors as a result of TWIST. Most directly relate to founders.

Sometimes the ads are the best part of the podcast. @billburr ZIP........................................ RECRUITAH! Also, MeUndies!

think an existing podcast network, like say a @Gimletmedia w/ existing A+ content, could pivot to that model?

targeted curation, many people would and currently do pay for this.

I'll be your first subscriber as long as you have tech/business, sports analysis and history. Sign @thehistoryguy

Apple could do this easily through iTunes. Risk for new venture - it works, Apple sees it works, big foots startup.

hire me on, sir. I’m ready. and I can form sentences usually.

kinda like what @Gimletmedia is building?

interesting. let's talk about it! DM me to connect...

would need a few @HowardStern level people to pull that off.

check out db60

2.0 -- it's an ok start.

I think that's what @sferik and @leahculver are trying to do with breaker as well, $6 / month

I would definitely pay for ad free podcasts

#Stitcher is doing this $6 per Month. @earwolf's @howlfm app is 🌅 their library of comedy Podcasts now on $ stitcher

shows on Stitcher Premium are adfree

that's assuming there are 200 podcasts that are HBO or Netflix-level quality. the top podcasts are making good $ off ad revenue.

You going to talk Gimlet into it?

really, really need ability to rate individual shows. lots of great podcasts with 100s of episodes, nowhere to start

truth

Yes! A way to surface the best shows. Why does @Apple hate podcasts!?

hardest problem is that they are free. It seems like podcasts are exploding but seems too early to get paying subs

I think $10/mth for podcasts is too high; $2-5 max--this should also be much more than they get on ads, no?

depends on the show. $5 split among 66 of the top 200 podcasters is only 8 cents per month per subscriber. Would be a paycut for some.

If a single network gets big enough they can try this at a lower amount. The Ringer is the obvious candidate. $2/Mo for add free.

I’m already paying that for just @HardcoreHistory. I’m in.

Believe it or not but I was thinking about this earlier today, might give it a go 👊🏻

Sign me up @Jason

I pay $9/month for Netflix. Something like this would have to be at a lower price point.

1/I'd hope part of this would include exposure for fledgling podcasts that haven't been noticed yet. @Jason @leolaporte

2/ My podcast had ~500 listeners until we joined the @GeekDads podcast network and in a month we've eclipsed 2000. @Jason @leolaporte

Hey, what do you use to track downloads/listeners?

we get pretty detailed statistics from @libsyn, we infer listeners from how many downloads we get of each episode

3/ Exposure is everything but it's too expensive until manage to get networked with someone big @entertainedcast @Jason @leolaporte

Um... isn't radio/SiriusXM basically the Netflix for podcast

Some Chinese audio apps are doing subscription model for exclusive contents. E.g., igetget.com & ximalaya.com

Why not a podcast app that is able to dynamically insert targeted ads with way better metrics instead?

Because nobody listens to those.

Ads in general or dynamic ads?

Ads have let me run a successful podcast company full time (with employees) since 2008. Inserted ads do not work.

cough, Stitcher Premium, cough

I would say take the 200 shows take away the feed and deliver content in a more evergreen way. Image the number of listens of DHH_1

a new podcast instead what exist such as iTunes ?

I agree, but what are larger podcasting networks doing wrong? Is it just the business model?

Essentially audible's "channels". Small demand. Hard to convince creators to get behind a pay wall.

you can go ahead and sign up for it here: stitcher.com/premium

This is a great idea! Need Ferriss, Leo, Altucher, Dubner, Rogan, Harris & Planet Money & you'd really have something

I would pay $10 mo for Twist twit avexcel recode and npr. Sold.

um. @Gimletmedia

as a podcast addict, I’d 100% pay that for ad free. So tired of hearing ads for Squarespace, Mailchimp, Blue Apron etc

I think all content producers deserve to get paid, but ... TiVo for podcasts? Someone will do it.

2) TiVo meaning automated Ad bypass, so drivers won't mess with phones

People pay for podcasts?? That's news to me. I certainly wouldn't. I'd rather find equivalent content on YouTube.

I would kick in for this. The delivery would have to be better than the Apple podcast app - more immersive maybe?

Television has a much higher cost and barrier to entry. There is none for podcasting, therefore, harder to charge.

think he means if you took top 100 most popular podcasts and put them behind a pay wall. Would you subscribe?