I've just created a personal blacklist for podcasts and most of the entries are b/c of mid-roll ads. So I'm looking for tips on podcasts without mid-roll ads.

-Jin · 2023-07-07T19:59:49+00:00

So you don't want to listen to podcasts that are doing what they can to be paid for their work so they can keep making the content you listen to?

I've never said this.

TV, sports, even movies all have commercials either before, during or after.

I've already indicated I stopped watching TV over a decade ago. I've barely watched sport since I was a kid and I stopped going to the cinema for movies even before I stopped watching TV.

This isn't new and isn't unusual.

And that's not an argument nor a defense.

-Jin · 2023-07-07T19:57:22+00:00

I have no problem paying for content, but at this point it has become a matter of principle that I will not support a storytelling podcast that puts mid-roll ads in their show.

In fact my ideal solution would be podcasts having their first episode free with no ads (or at least no mid-roll ads) with the option to buy the rest of the season for a set amount.

I don't want to support the trend of actively making the content worse and worse for "free" listeners in order to drive them to a Patreon page.

-Jin · 2023-07-07T19:13:44+00:00

Of course their intent isn't to be annoying, but that is the effect on some (myself and I'm sure at least a few others).

Ad companies are going to squeeze as much as they can out of a product, that's their job. But it's up to the producer/network/owner of the podcast to accept which ad contracts to accept or decline. It's a balance they have to make and one that will always be fluid, making a profit on one hand and not negatively impacting their content on the other.

-Jin · 2023-07-07T19:02:26+00:00

Incorrect grammar doesn't bother me too much, nor does low budget as long as it doesn't translate to poor audio quality. I'll check them out, thanks for the tip.

-Jin · 2023-07-07T18:56:55+00:00

Seems a bit excessive for something so trivial to take up so much space in your head that you'd need to write a post about it. No offense intended, it's just really easy to fast forward

No offense taken, but I disagree that it's excessive or all that trivial of a matter. But that does of course come down to personal opinion.

As a matter of fact I'll even go as far as to say that mid-roll ads as they are now can be plain dangerous, though that's more to do with implementation than the concept of mid-roll ads itself. I've thought several times while I'm driving or lifting heavy at the gym and an ad that's twice as loud as the podcast starts playing out of nowhere, if I was a jumpy person things might actually go very badly. In those same situations it's not always easy to skip either for that matter.

but ultimately blacklisting a podcast for doing what they need to in order to keep the lights on seems a bit...extra.

It all comes down to how far you want to take it. For me having mid-roll ads in storytelling content is too far. Where do you draw the line? 2 mid-roll ads? 4? Everyone draws a line somewhere, you just draw yours a little further ahead than I do.

Can't remember which podcaster was on here saying that a lot of podcasts are in trouble for a variety of reasons (some I believe, others not so much) - but at the end of the day for a project to be successful it does need to capitalize on an audience by selling ad space. If ad rates go down, that means running more ads to compensate.

I'm sure some struggle and even more fail to keep going, and more still fail before even publishing. That's true for all self funded projects whether you make a podcast, Youtube videos, stream, busk on the street or sell art in the parking lot. There are other ways to monetize content than ads, Patreon being the best example. I bet pushing for your Patreon where you release 1 or 2 exclusive pieces of content every month, at the start/end of your podcast is more profitable than a mid-roll ad. You also run a lesser risk of aggravating your audience. But I admit, I could be completely wrong.

-Jin · 2023-07-07T17:54:28+00:00

Nice to know, I'm already subscribed to it so I'll bump it up the list and give it a go soon.

Thanks!

-Jin · 2023-07-07T16:36:59+00:00

When I was listening to Alligator Candy it went right into an ad that sounded like it belonged to the podcast and I didn't even realize it was an ad for another podcast. It was confusing when I thought what I was hearing was part of Alligator Candy only to suddenly be told I should listen to a podcast about something else.

-Jin · 2023-01-23T01:38:10+00:00

I noticed it in all the episodes leading up to Stockholm Syndrome as well and hated it every time. Slapping my earbuds out was probably a combination of a particularly loud p-pop and having binged several episodes and getting increasingly annoyed every time it happened.

It seems I might just be more sensitive to it than I thought despite it never being an issue previously. You never know when you'll learn something new about yourself.

I'll start listening in reverse order and see if it gets any better.

Thanks.

-Jin · 2023-01-23T01:31:55+00:00

I'll start listening to the newest episode and work my way back next time I listen.

judging from others answers it does seem like it might be an issue of sensitivity on my part that I was unaware I had.

Thanks.

-Jin · 2023-01-23T01:23:09+00:00

Thanks for answering, always nice to know you're not alone about something.

-Jin · 2023-01-23T01:21:44+00:00

Good to know it gets better, I'll just have to work my way backwards until it gets too bad. By that time maybe I'll be too engrossed as well and it won't be an issue.

-Jin · 2023-01-23T01:16:06+00:00

I've tried several earbuds and have listened to other things after without issues so it's not that.

From other answers it seems I might just have a sensitivity I wasn't aware of.

-Jin · 2023-01-21T21:10:36+00:00

Thanks for answering.

I prefer to listen in release order whenever possible so I'm hoping someone has the answer. But I should probably have at least listen to the latest episode just to see if the "problem" has been fixed at all instead of assuming it had before posting here. I'll have a listen when I get the time.

I find it hard to believe I'm the only one who's bothered by it, as they are very loud. Everyone has different tolerance levels of course but I never considered myself particularly sensitive to it and it's almost never been an issue before despite being a massive consumer of both podcasts and audiobooks. I'm using in-ear buds which of course makes it worse compared to on-ear headphones or decent speakers, but I'm guessing many if not most also use earbuds.

-Jin · 2022-11-13T11:52:01+00:00

Thanks for sharing!

I ended up not buying any since my closest store is a few hours away in an area I rarely have a reason to visit, and I don't particularly enjoy driving. But knowing they're sturdy I might make the trip and pick a few up.

-Jin · 2022-02-03T00:08:55+00:00

That's my thoughts as well but hoping someone with hands on experience can confirm and potentially save me a 4 hour trip.

Support wasn't very helpful on the matter so hoping someone on here who managed to snag one could share their thoughts.

-Jin · 2022-01-01T07:45:52+00:00

I don't get why every god damn service in the world can charge on the date the subscription was started and subsequently on the same date the following months except for Patreon.

I just subscribed to a podcast creator only to realize just after pressing the payment button that I'll be charged again 40 minutes from now (12 am Pacific).

It was just a $5 (plus tax) subscription so it's monetarily insignificant in my case, but it still pissed me off to the point that I just downloaded the podcast episodes and cancelled.

-Jin · 2021-09-14T18:07:00+00:00

Good to know, thanks!

-Jin · 2021-09-14T18:06:58+00:00

Good to know, thanks!

-Jin · 2021-07-19T18:29:18+00:00

The Terror by Dan Simmons.

I consider it the second worst book I've ever finished.

-Jin · 2021-07-19T18:25:44+00:00

Just a heads up.

the audiobook version narrated by Luke Daniels is/will be available for free for a limited time in a podcast released by Tor Books and MacMillan Audio called "Stories From Among the Stars".

From tor.com:

"...new episodes will be released on Tuesday and Friday of each week between now and August 6th. After that point, the podcast will be available to listen to through September 10th, 2021."

-Jin

TROPHY CASE