Joe LaGrecaNov 18, 2022
Chief TWiT 

Now that we're learning this lesson that centralized silos are brittle and operate in the interest of the owners not the users...

...please note the move toward centralizing podcasts into apps from Amazon/Audible, Spotify, iHeart, YouTube, TikTok etc.

If you like podcasts, use an RSS-based podcast player. Support the open ecosystem. We can only survive if you clearly see the threat and act supportively.

Nov 18, 2022 at 5:54pmWeb
Show threadJoe 📷 🖖🤨Nov 18, 2022
@leo Better yet, let’s start calling these proprietary podcasts what they are - shows. Joe Rogan has a Spotify show, not a podcast. It’s no different than if he had a show on NBC, ABC, CBS, etc.
Show threadIron Curtain (Chiptunes)Nov 18, 2022

@Joe @leo

That's a good point. It's also why I call the iPhone a Video Game Console and the android devices computers (I'm an iPhone user, BTW).

Show threadWillNov 18, 2022
@leo So not Apple podcasts?
Show threadJeff Nov 18, 2022
@will @leo It seems like a very small step for them to start having “exclusive” content.
Show threadIron Curtain (Chiptunes)Nov 18, 2022

@Jeff_a @will @leo

Not really. They would have to deprecate the ability to use RSS podcasts first (i.e. locking them) and then they would have exclusive shows. It's definitely not unprecedented in Apple's history (far from it!), but it's not "a very small step" either.

Show threadRobert ThompsonNov 18, 2022
@leo @will Apple Podcasts is an RSS-based podcast app, that one is fine. But use Overcast because it’s better 😉
Show threadBerufsquerulantNov 19, 2022
@will @leo no, use Overcast😊
Show threadkne:cht Nov 18, 2022
@leo is there a federated podcast … well, hub or however you name it
Show threadKyle MurphyNov 19, 2022
@knechtomat @leo I don't know of a hub, but Castopod (https://castopod.org/) is a platform for self-hosting podcasts. It uses ActivityPub, so podcast releases for shows you follow should be able to show up in your Mastodon feed, and it also publishes to RSS so existing aggregators can pick it up too.
I haven't used it personally, but it seems like something that could take off.
Castopod | Your Free & Open-source Podcast Host

Castopod is a free and open-source hosting platform made for podcasters. Engage and interact with your audience whilst keeping control over your content.

Show threadChrisNov 18, 2022
@leo AntennaPod is open source. I really enjoy it.
Show threadnobloatNov 18, 2022
@MovieBozo @leo +1 for Antennapod. Been using it for years
Show threadnobodyzhome Nov 19, 2022
@MovieBozo @leo pocketcasts is also now open source.
Show threadDamonNov 18, 2022
@leo I will continue to support twit podcasts and other independents as long as they are available.
Show threadDarryl Schmidt Nov 18, 2022
@leo Hey folks, Pocket Casts is not only free and open source, but a killer of a podcast app.
Show threadillepicNov 19, 2022
@darrylschmidt @leo pocket casts is the GOAT. RSS for life
Show threadI like to think.Nov 18, 2022
@leo I use Google Podcasts. Does that count?
Show threadrustyNov 18, 2022
@leo as any centralized silo is fragile, whether it is one of the big CDNs, or a single user hosted store, I really would like to see more options for distributed hosting as well. Perhaps something like rss feeds that update to multiple locations, and content hosted in something like a torrent based file system. One advantage to this could be that a nomad Podcaster wouldn't have to have a persistent online presence.
Show threadJames CridlandNov 19, 2022

@rusty @leo There is IPFS for podcasting, which does much of what you're looking for. https://ipfspodcasting.net/

Realistically, though, until podcasting has a fundamental change away from download metrics, there are benefits to keep shows hosted in one place (and that's why many podcasters don't like services that cache your audio).

What's great about RSS podcasting is that you can host your audio anywhere.

IPFS Podcasting

Decentralized Podcast Distribution over IPFS

Show threadrustyNov 19, 2022
@james @leo I agree that the question of downloading metrics will continue to be critical, especially in the commercial market. About the only way to get around that is if you control what players can access your content like Audible does with audio books, and it reports activity on locally stored content. I was aiming more at the rss feed variety, and my own experience with web servers that go down because of other Single Points of Failure failing.
Show threadDane Berryman Nov 18, 2022
@leo
im still going old school my podcasts download to a computer running itunes. i then listen via home share on my other devices and take my ipod mini with 128GB upgrade for on the go
Show threadJeff Parker™ 💙  ☑️Nov 18, 2022
@leo Every word of this. Absolutely.
Show threadEdwin G.Nov 18, 2022
@leo This is why I have been using Overcast since 2016.
Several of the podcasts have gone to a closed-platform, namely "Ici Ohdio" and no longer pulbish over RSS. Oh well, their loss. #Podcast #OpenPlatform
Show threadtravistuckerNov 18, 2022
@leo yea i use a gentoo linux server and gPodder
Show threadThe Orignal ‘SonyFony’Nov 18, 2022
@leo Did you hear about ITpro Technado losing it's podcast host?
Show threadScott BassettNov 18, 2022
@leo I refuse to listen to podcasts on any platform other than RSS through my Pocket Casts app and web interface. I subscribe to Spotify, Audible, Amazon, YouTube Premium, but will never use them to listen to podcasts.
Show threadJames_PTNov 18, 2022
@leo Overcast for life!, The smart speed up feature is the only way I can listen
Show threadMichael Downey Nov 18, 2022
@leo twit on @funkwhale? 😇 
Show threadAlexandru CiobanuNov 18, 2022
@leo Pocket Casts forever.
Show threadJeanNov 18, 2022
@leo So important! Thanks for putting the word out.
Show threadJeff Nov 18, 2022
@leo Would any of the independent podcasting apps/podcasts be interested in advertising on the network? Or a how-to about how to use the RSS based apps?
Show threadrnlfNov 18, 2022
@leo Also self host if you run your own podcast. Some small web hosting isn't expensive and there's a lot of software that'll run the podcast for you.
Show threadDylan Thomas, Psps ParticipleNov 18, 2022
@leo Pocketcasts is great! It supports cross platform/device sync, supports purchase once use everywhere (with account login), and has been a pleasure for me personally to use for years.
Show threadMike Masnick ✅Nov 18, 2022
@leo this is why i refuse to call audio that goes to an exclusive platform "podcasts." They're not. They're proprietary exclusive audio content.
Show threadBrandonNov 18, 2022
@leo @mmasnick Netcasts you love, from people you trust.
Show threadChief TWiT Nov 18, 2022
@mmasnick Yeah it frosts me when I see Audible ads promoting "ad-free podcasts."
Show threadKevin GaminNov 18, 2022
@leo If the recording is not openly accessible without subscribing to a service, is it really a podcast?
Show threadAaron AbernethyNov 19, 2022

@leo @kevingamin I personally don’t think so.

Podcasting has always described a delivery method to me, not a content description.

Show thread(((Baslow)))Nov 18, 2022
@leo
Related to your point:
there are federated podcast publishing apps, such as Castopod (https://castopod.org), and more general audio apps, such as Funkwhale (https://funkwhale.audio) , which allow podcast creators to publish to the Fediverse, making it possible to follow them from one's Fediverse (e.g., Mastodon) account.
Show threadThommyNov 18, 2022
@leo I was just thinking about this yesterday. How podcasts are the one usecase of rss that kept having widespread adoption, then the big podcast hosts, like Spotify, chipped away at that. Ideally I should still be able to download a text file, then as many audio files as I need and not have to "stream" it from a proprietary service.
Show threadPhil RandalNov 18, 2022
@leo nerd that I am, I use podget on a raspberry pi to download my fave podcasts and play them using @moodeaudio
Show threadKatherine ☘️Nov 18, 2022
@leo Thank you! I hate the move by certain companies to try and own podcasts.
Show threadmikeTVEng  Nov 18, 2022

@leo Great resource https://podcastindex.org/

Apps list -
https://podcastindex.org/apps

Big fan of https://www.fountain.fm/ myself.

Show threadKenny JohnsonNov 18, 2022
@leo I've been using #PocketCasts for years. It's an excellent #podcast app on Android, with good support. And you can easily switch to their web portal when needed.
Show threadhammondjNov 18, 2022
@leo Agreed! I won’t listen to a podcast on a closed platform and have told podcasts that move so. I understand people need to make a living but there are other ways to earn income. And yes I do financially support some independent podcasts.
Show threadAshtonNov 18, 2022
@leo I refuse to listen to episodes on Spotify. Existing RSS syndication works great. No need to change, imho.
Show threadRubenNov 18, 2022
@leo I really love @AntennaPod (for Android) and how the newer versions have worked out!
Show threadIron Curtain (Chiptunes)Nov 18, 2022
@leo Exactly. I use Apple Podcasts on my iPhone and Mac, but it operates on the RSS protocol and I refuse to go to a silo to listen to podcasts.
Show threadZac Davis ⚡️Nov 19, 2022
@IronCurtain @leo ah it does? Good
Show threadIron Curtain (Chiptunes)Nov 19, 2022

@thatzacdavis @leo

It's ironic, isn't it? Apple would be the last company you'd expect to embrace open standards and they have yet to silo off their podcasts app. Not only that, but in their books app, if you search up a Project Gutenberg text, it'll show up to download whereas on Amazon's Kindle the only public domain books in their store are non-free versions in both the "beer" and "speech" senses of "non-free".

Show threadZac Davis ⚡️Nov 19, 2022
@IronCurtain @leo great to know! Thank you!
Show threadIron Curtain (Chiptunes)Nov 19, 2022
@thatzacdavis @leo No prob, Bob! Happy to help!
Show threadComputeforloot Nov 18, 2022
@leo so true
Show threadMichael HoffmanNov 19, 2022
@leo I’m a big fan of and believer in @marcoarment’s @overcast app.
Show threadCanageekNov 19, 2022
@leo I am currently moving away from Podkicker Pro since it's minorly buggy and making horrible UI decisions and adding ads despite the fact I've paid for it and moving to @AntennaPod since it seems to be solid and doesn't have ads or crypto bullshit
Show threadCanageekNov 19, 2022
@leo (I found two podcatchers on fDroid that looked good, and @AntennaPod is the one that didn't have a weird using crypto to tip podcasters feature built in)
Show threadIgnis 小火龙Nov 19, 2022
@leo Thanks for the reminder, chief twit.
Show threadBenjamin Hollon 🇺🇸🇲🇾🇮🇳🇦🇫Nov 19, 2022
@leo
I'm still looking around for one I like, but I definitely agree with the sentiment.