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The Paracast — Subscription Only?

Forums New posts

If The Paracast Were Subscription Only, Would You Subscribe?

  • Total voters
    101
  • Poll closed .
Gene Steinberg

Gene Steinberg

Forum Super Hero
Staff member
The Paracast+ has a loyal following, though we wish it were more popular.

One option suggested to help monetize the show is to make it all subscription. That means you'd get a small sampler show, but to hear the entire episode, it would require a subscription. This is similar to what's being done with "Greenland" and other podcasts.

No final decisions are being made now, but your input is important about which direction to go. Prices will be in line for what The Paracast+ is now, and if we make this move, existing subscriptions will remain intact for the new service.

We're depending on how this vote goes.
 
Not to be snide but That You Kidding answer could be taken two different ways as in "Are you Kidding. Of course I would. I think it's a great value" or "Are you Kidding , does it look like I'm made out of money?' and anything in between.
 
If you did the subscription only option, would it still be commercial free? And include ATP ? Kind of like making people get a Plus subscription .
 
If we're all-subscription, the ads will be phased out as contracts expire. There won't be many, and remember if we had a full roster of paid ads, it would only reflect 9 minutes of an episode; the rest belonged to the network and local stations. ATP will still be included but may be refocused. But the free episodes will no longer be available if we choose this method, with the possible exception of those from early 2010 and older.
 
I would surely subscribe if you go subscription only. As a matter of fact, I subscribed for a month to get the commercial free show but was unable to figure out where to listen to the show with my membership. I subscribe to Mysterious Universe and have an app where I sign in and get their Plus shows. But I didn't know how to do that with the Paracast.
 
I’m not quite clear on this. Since I’ve been an annual subscriber since Paracast+ started, I currently pay $50 per year for the ad-free P+ plus ATP. I’m perfectly happy with no thoughts of discontinuing.

Would the new version mean I would have a rate increase for a Paracast with ads (until the contracts expired) plus a”refocused" ATP?
 
Right now, we're only dealing with 2 minutes of paid ads per episode, so the difference wouldn't make much of a difference. The rest are the network's, trade-outs and such, and they won't be there. That's another reason why we have to look for new sources of revenue.

Would two minutes make a difference to you?
 
There's a set of instructions we sent you in the Inbox of the forum that tells you where things are and how to play them.

If it's still not clear, please let me know.
 
Gene Steinberg said:
Right now, we're only dealing with 2 minutes of paid ads per episode, so the difference wouldn't make much of a difference. The rest are the network's, trade-outs and such, and they won't be there. That's another reason why we have to look for new sources of revenue.

Would two minutes make a difference to you?
Click to expand...

No, two minutes of ads wouldn’t make a difference. But I’m interested in what the subscription rate increase would be.
 
There may not be an increase. This is still in flux, and as you see, a high percentage of listeners really don't want to have to pay. That has always been my concern about going this route. Why deprive listeners of being able to hear the show because they have to use their money for other purposes? I've gone through enough financial turmoil to understand why people feel this way.
 
It is not a fair comparison but other podcasts have more shows per week with more hours per show for $4.99 a month. (i.e. midnight in the desert) i would definitely subscribe for $2.50 to $3 a month. more than that id almost want more frequent shows.

i use the app beyondpod, very easy use.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
 
I'm not against cheaper, a little cheaper, but we'd have to accommodate existing subscribers who paid more. There is no easy way to transition one rate to another with PayPal's structure. Once you set up a recurring payment, you'd have to cancel in PayPal and start over to do that.

But, yes, I'm am willing to consider a price reduction, particularly if it means more subscribers. Indeed, if we had enough subscribers for Paracast+, there'd be no need to change anything else. But it has to grow by several times to make it viable. Would reducing the price to $4.99 a month, $49.99 a year (five-year and lifetime rates unchanged) help take us there?
 
Hi There Gene,

Although I've been a longtime listener especially during the "David Beidney" co-host days. I mostly only enjoy the Paracast via the weekly newsletter. I'm in the camp that occasionally listens to a full episode like 2 to 3 times a year. I understand this poll is just to get the feel of the idea and to see how it jives. I had in the past enjoyed helping out as an early donor before the time it was solicited. Much like I did in the former community of "Paratopia" with Jeff and Jeremy. So going all into full subscription mode would alienate us old timers and new blood that isn't part of the current incarnation of the community itself. A sampler version as free content with heavy on the ads makes sense. Although a half in and half out donor class that isn't a full regular subscription. But, those that offer a little something as a yearly or bi-annual donation to support the community. Could perhaps get a stripped down quasi-version more than the free sampler, but less than a full regular subscriber.

Just a thought anyhow.

Take care.
 
Atrayo said:
Hi There Gene,

Although I've been a longtime listener especially during the "David Beidney" co-host days. I mostly only enjoy the Paracast via the weekly newsletter. I'm in the camp that occasionally listens to a full episode like 2 to 3 times a year. I understand this poll is just to get the feel of the idea and to see how it jives. I had in the past enjoyed helping out as an early donor before the time it was solicited. Much like I did in the former community of "Paratopia" with Jeff and Jeremy. So going all into full subscription mode would alienate us old timers and new blood that isn't part of the current incarnation of the community itself. A sampler version as free content with heavy on the ads makes sense. Although a half in and half out donor class that isn't a full regular subscription. But, those that offer a little something as a yearly or bi-annual donation to support the community. Could perhaps get a stripped down quasi-version more than the free sampler, but less than a full regular subscriber.

Just a thought anyhow.

Take care.
Click to expand...
I don't know how we'd do it halfway with the current structure. It would have to be all in, and I realize a lot of people won't or can't pay. If I had to make this decision for myself, choosing whether to pay for a radio show that I had formerly heard free, I'd have to think twice. I don't have the spare cash, and this is why I continue to have reservations over such a drastic move.

It's about generating revenue. The current model isn't working, so changes have to be made. Maybe there's a way between the two extremes. I'm working on another, a podcast network that gives revenue sharing. If there's enough potential revenue to share, and we still had Paracast+, maybe that would be the solution. But I won't know for a while.
 
And regardless of what decision is made, things have to change, and I need some volunteers with web development skills, who can work PHP, MySQL and our forum to make those changes.

I'll give free Paracast+ and Tech Night Owl+ access for those who can help out.
 
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