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Advertisements - Are they disruptive & ruining the show?

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Are you bothered by the nature & duration of advertisements during a show?

  • Total voters
    12

Free episodes:

bugeats

bugeats

Paranormal Novice
I've had The Paracast in my podcasts list for a long time now. I generally really like the show, but find myself almost always skipping over new episodes. I unable to commit to listening.

The advertisements are so frequent and so awful and so loud, that it just completely ruins the show. I just can't deal. I try to ignore them, but it slow starts to grate on me. If my phone is handy I try to skip them, but this is not always possible (like when listening before bed -- ha, not a chance).

I've also noticed that the frequent breaks really screws with the flow of the interviews.

I know you guys have been successfully doing your thing for a while, but let me humbly suggest that you consider the monetization routes of other successful podcasts. It's possible to make this thing work without having constant ads alienating your audience.
 
Gene Steinberg said:
You mean in addition to all the other threads that were already started?
Click to expand...

I do. I once mentioned that maybe you could make a sticky of this common refrain or even post the link to the numerous discussions that have already been posted but then I thought better of it because probably nobody would read it and it would come off as defensive and you needn't be defensive about it. By now I'd be pretty tired of Konstantly ( w/a kapital K :) ) explaining the dynamics involved to new posters even though I'm sure their observations are earnest and not meant to be dismissive.
 
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The flow of the show is awful now unfortunately. The recent Timothy Good episode is a prime example. Tim didn't reveal ANYTHING new or even got around to talking about his current book. The Paracast was far better as a Podcast. I'll keep listening out of loyalty..but man it's getting to be a tough slog.
 
Actually he did tell a little bit about the book. We've been on the network since the summer of 2010 so it's nothing new. We also run more content now, before you include the ads.
 
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*FAST-FORWARD
 
The ads suck, but everything has ads. I just listen when on the computer so I can fast forward, problem solved. Can't fault them for attempting to get at least some compensation for the time invested. Would you do that much work for 100% free?

Besides, if it wasn't for the GCN ads we wouldn't know as much about the Weimar Republic, everyone's favorite doomsday pooping device, and finding out what "they" don't want you to know.
 
Well, you do understand that we're not paid for the network ads. Just our own when we actually get ones that are paid for.

We could, by the way, use some sales help to get more of our own ads so we can really get some compensation for our work.

At least the GCN ads are different from the normal sort of insurance company and enhanced vigor medication promos you get on more mainstream networks. :)
 
The show is great, always has been the cream of the crop of the paranormal genre. The ads are just the cost of doing business. No other show of this stature has zero ads. The cheapo, crapo free ones on youtube and its like may not have any, but know what? They suck. No good guests, no good content. If you listen to any type of radio programming you will hear ads, end of story. All you ungrateful people cut Gene and Chris some huge slack on this, they produce the best show in the genre for you to listen for FREE. This show is not one of those examples where FREE equals you get what you pay for. You get great stuff, great conversations, put up with the ads and stop bitchin'. You love the show and you know it...Peace.
 
Would it be possible to remove the network's ads from archived shows? I don't mind the tech company ads, or the ones for Gene's books, or those sorts of things. The stuff that makes me only listen on my computer is the crap the network puts on there, because I can't stand that stuff and won't be assaulted by it. It's like someone in a cubicle somewhere decided that the show's audience has the IQ of a turnip or something. I'm getting pretty good at guessing where to click on the bar at the bottom of Media Player to skip all that junk, but I no longer even bother to load the shows on my mp3 player.

Yes, I know you have to pay for the show somehow, and I believe you when you say you don't have any more ads than other shows, but even if it's the standard of the industry, it's too many. There is no flow anymore. One of the best things about public radio is that there are no artificial breaks to screw up the conversation. Guests or interviewees are able to finish their thoughts without interruption, provided the interviewers are reasonably competent. It's the only proper way to do an interview, but modern marketing has made it a luxury few shows can afford.
 
We would like to remove ads for older shows. Or perhaps for a premium version that you pay a small fee for. The network says leave the ads, but as of today, they promise they are working on some new ideas. So maybe we'll be able to do something in 2014. I hope we can.

Once again listeners: The Paracast doesn't receive a single penny from GCN's wacky ads. Not a penny. Not a dime. Nothing. Our deal is barter: They distribute the show and give us a handful of ad slots to fill (most are trade-outs). The get their income from their own ads. So if you wonder why I'm constantly starving, that's why. But GCN is better than other networks, who do pay for play. That means we'd have to pay them to get aired.
 
I had forgotten about the premium idea. I was ready to sign up for that.

Just curious, since this thread got me to wondering. Does Jerry Clark do any other shows? I always enjoy listening to what he has to say. I've long thought he is one of the most sensible people in the field, and happily, one of the most articulate. I don't know of him doing any other shows or podcasts, which I think makes for a feather in your cap.
 
Double Nought Spy said:
Would it be possible to remove the network's ads from archived shows? I don't mind the tech company ads, or the ones for Gene's books, or those sorts of things. The stuff that makes me only listen on my computer is the crap the network puts on there, because I can't stand that stuff and won't be assaulted by it. It's like someone in a cubicle somewhere decided that the show's audience has the IQ of a turnip or something. I'm getting pretty good at guessing where to click on the bar at the bottom of Media Player to skip all that junk, but I no longer even bother to load the shows on my mp3 player.

Yes, I know you have to pay for the show somehow, and I believe you when you say you don't have any more ads than other shows, but even if it's the standard of the industry, it's too many. There is no flow anymore. One of the best things about public radio is that there are no artificial breaks to screw up the conversation. Guests or interviewees are able to finish their thoughts without interruption, provided the interviewers are reasonably competent. It's the only proper way to do an interview, but modern marketing has made it a luxury few shows can afford.
Click to expand...

My understanding is that it is OK to download the show and "edit" out the adds for your own use, as long as you do not redistribute it.
This is actually quite a simple and straight forward procedure, and the software required is readily and legally available free of charge.

@Goggs Mackay mentioned the above in another thread*:

"I've given this partial solution before and I shall again:

Download the free audio program audacity. Import episode of Paracast and then remove ad breaks by highlighting them and pressing the scissors icon. It does not require careful listening or cutting, the ad breaks are almost always visibly different due to the break and slight difference in audio. I do it cos I often listen whilst driving and can't be fiddling to fast forward the ads. This process takes about the time of one ad break.
Easy."


*((source)) Enemies ......ehh ?? | The Paracast Community Forums
 
The ads are annoying when i am on my bike or exercising i have to get out my iPod and fast forward through the same ads all the time. I listen to plenty of other podcast that run on regular radio that have ads but when they are submitted to iTunes the ads are gone. I am sure Gene will chime in with an answer to this. Ok Neighbors!
 
It is up to the networks to decide whether to allow podcast versions ad free. Some will simply offer a paid version in that format. GCN says keep the ads, so we keep the ads.
 
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