Further thoughts on podcasting in the radio world

Further thoughts, that I related to, rather than the pitches for religious programmes
Larry B. • I was able to get a podcast monetized 6 years ago! Should be a snap today! You are right in that the model is not working. No need to trash it. Just think outside the box. As we sit here and discuss "is podcasting radio?", we are still stuck in the rut of thinking the revenue streams are going to be of a similar model as well.
I found it very easy to create a revenue stream. Yes it takes making connections with related businesses and selling but none of that can happen or is needed if you are just another "radio" style show in a huge sea of shows. Who cares that you are doing a talk show in city X that reflects the same or similar content a listener can get off the radio or 12 other pod versions of it.
That is the issue!
Break out with new content that builds niche audiences and caters to specific industries and business. Here is a hint, one style of show is not even close to cutting it! Bring other talent in as hosts so people don't have to listen to your opinion all the time. Give things away!
Personally, I feel much of radio has resisted jumping into podcasting because most of the stations do not want to or know they are not going to be able to keep up with all of the content creation. It is easier to just purchase the programming you want to fill space, other than jock talk, and sell against that. The other issue is staying inline with a stations normal branding. Podcasting allows everyone to have a voice but not everyone needs to be heard as some people have no restraint.
The politics a station has to deal with just does not apply in podcasting and allows so much freedom of expression that many struggle to believe what they are hearing. Yes, some of it is good and some of it is really bad, but just like Youtube, a mass of audio dumping onto the web has a spectrum of quality. Over time people will settle in on what they normally listen to once they find it and find loyalty there. That loyalty can be of value to the right person.
Asking for money from your audience is like driving that Ferrari to mow the lawn but asking people to pay to sit in the stands(porch) and watch. You ask the home owner(industry related businesses) to pay. They are the ones that need content to leverage their brand against.
Streaming is great but normally is nothing more than the same show of traditional radio with a 30 second delay and different advertisers.
There has been so much doubt about podcasting from the start. I was there at the start. It has not changed. Good material and content will always prevail no matter what format you deliver it in. Convenience rules and is also something radio cannot address well compared to podcasting. Mainstream radio has the money locked up and is not going to let it go easily but is losing that hold as we speak.
There are a mass of companies out there that want your podcast audience/demo and will pay if you can figure out how to develop something inline with their customer base and expanded demo. Using a traditional radio style approach and programming, is at a minimum, off putting to these savvy marketing execs.
Brand building through content creation and distribution is what I consult in and I am open to talking more about ways to monetize content as well. lawrencebrumwell@gmail.com
LarryB 1 day ago Charley H.
Charley
Charley H. • I could not disagree with Robin and John more about Monetization. Leo Laporte's TWIT network made over 2 million dollars last year, and there are guys like Jason Van Orden and Cliff Ravenscraft that have left rather lucrative jobs to podcast full time.
While they are exceptions to the rule, it is totally possible for a podcaster with a reach of a couple thousand listeners to pull down 1K per month from their podcasts. I also know a couple of people that have paid their way through college solely on income from their podcasts.
Here is my take on the differences between radio and podcasting.
While AC radio is always looking to reach "Becky" (or whatever her name is now) as their target demographic, she is looking for podcasts like Mommycast and other things she is interested in, like maybe a tv show she watches like Once Upon A Time or Fringe that she can listen to on her schedule rather than listening to the same music rotation all day everyday.
I guess I will sum this up by saying they call it BROADcasting because you are trying to reach the broadest audience possible within a single format while the successful podcasts are all about building a relationship with your audience around a specific niche topic.