DISQUS

Chris · 6 months ago

No, I don't think Leo's blow up has anything to do with his podcast download numbers. If Leo's numbers are drying up, why is he creating even more shows every month? Why are his show's consistently among the top in the iTunes rankings (and not just within tech podcasts)? Why is he continuing to add advertising partners?

I've seen Leo get pissed when people question his integrity, so the only surprise in his reaction to Arrington is the severity of it. He's very protective of his image - as any public figure would want to be, and when someone with the lack of credibility like Arrington tries to smear him, he gets pissed. Supposedly they've made their apologies to each other, but I would be happy to see Gilmour Gang stay off the TWiT network.

If you're going to comment on the show and the state of tech podcasts (and Leo's network in particular), don't admit that you don't actually listen/watch anymore. Just because you've lost interest in Tech podcasts doesn't mean the rest of the world has.

jjgardner3 · 6 months ago

Hi Chris,

Thanks for stopping by.
I was not really trying to judge what happened necessarily on what happened, just what it sparked in my mind as to the bigger picture.

And I feel I can comment based on my history with podcasts, not to mention conversations I have had with several people of the last couple of weeks, who have all said the same thing, that TWIT and the others in the network used to be there go to but now they have all unsubscribed as well.

I am not saying the rest of the world has lost interest, but I would say the tide has turned that way. And the last time I checked blogs were a way to express ones opinion on their own experiences and thats what I did.

Chris Hokanson · 6 months ago

Expressing one's own experience is fine, and that's what blogs are for, you're right. But to create a generalization out of your own (and few friends') experiences is what I was criticizing. To say that TWiT or tech podcasts in general are dying because you got bored with them is like saying "no one goes to that restaurant anymore because I stopped going."

I think you're mistaking the explosion in mainstream media podcasts with the downfall of tech podcasts. Sure, the iTunes podcast directory has been inundated with the likes of NPR and MSNBC, but that's assuming that the audience for podcasts is a static number that can only be divided by an increasing number of providers. I disagree- not only has the diversity and number of content providers exploded on iTunes, so has the diversity and number of the listeners/viewers. I don't think that all the pre-teen girls who made the dozen or so "Twilight" fan podcasts jump to the top of the art category did so because they got bored with This Week in Tech. They came because they had an iPod, they read Twilight, and now they want another way to obsess over it.

You still haven't addressed my initial questions - if TWiT really is on a downward slope, why is Leo expanding so much? Yeah, he's got 14 shows. When I started listening, he had half that. That doesn't sound like he's losing audience to me.

jjgardner3 · 6 months ago

Great points Chris. I am just looking and expressing from my point of view. It just, to me, has seemed to be a pattern I have been noticing really when talking with other tech folks.

I do see that they have added shows, but feel this has only worked to dilute the brand he created, not enhanced it. I am not sure I trust the numbers on the top tech podcasts on the itunes store, as I think they are skewed a bit.

As for adding ad partners, that I think is a matter of them holding a large audience in the past, I would be curious to see how the numbers are trending more recently.

Doug · 6 months ago

I don't listen to tech podcasts for tech news; I listen to tech podcasts for the participants' opinion on tech news. Podcasts aren't for breaking news, but rather, discussing it.

And are you kidding me? That was the best moment ever on Gilmor Gang! No mere blog post can ever provide that kind of entertainment!

jjgardner3 · 6 months ago

I agree to a point Doug, but to be honest the opinions I hear seem to become a broken record after a while. There is little discussion on TWIT any more that does not revolve around Twitter.

BertrandWilliams · 6 months ago

To Chris: this piece asks an interesting *question*, and it is simply that - a question. While, to more clearly convey the idea, it may need further editing to distill the question, this was still a nice piece because of its intent: discussion. Furthermore, an original take on why this may have happened, and not (another) continual re-hashing or opinion festival is more than welcomed.

Rikki · 6 months ago

TWIT Live killed the TWIT network.

Sacs · 6 months ago

I think that is spot on

Roger S · 6 months ago

I agree with the commenter that tech podcasts are much more about getting opinions than finding breaking news. It's obvious that any weekly news source will not scoop more frequent sources. I still find great value in weekly podcasts like "gdgt weekly" (god bless their use of chapter markers in a sometimes long-winded discussion) and Cranky Geeks. Oh, and I still listen to TWIT.

At least one tech podcast works well for me to get breaking news: CNet's Buzz Out Loud. I often hear of news there before I've seen it on a blog or other site.

As further evidence to the demise of tech podcasts: Digg ditched podcast coverage by folding it into Video back in Oct. 2008 (http://blog.digg.com/?p=289). CNet has long since stopped doing their CNet Tech Politics Rundown, and David Pogue never kept up his NYTimes podcasts.

Here's hoping that enough people keep doing technology podcasts so that my crowded morning commute doesn't rely on music playlists or "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me..." doled out in five minute segments just to stretch it out for a full week's enjoyment.

Buddha · 6 months ago

Yep. I totally agree. Below is my comment I posted on another site regarding Leo Gilmore Gang blowup:

"I have tried to watch the Gillmore Gang several times and for one reason or another I always quit. I think the contentious atmosphere is a turn off and I have reached my limit on idiots who for one reason or another are viewed as god like in Silicon Valley but really were just at the right place at the right time. Unfortunately, I have found that I am not listening to TWIT, Cranky Geeks, DLTV or GeekBrief as much due to the later issue. It’s possible that I am simply getting bored with tech podcast genre. Are other folks also feeling this antipathy too? I miss the early TWIT shows with the old Screen Savers crew + Dvorak. The show was about technology by people who really know it and not the pretty people of position (like Jason) and power who seem to now participate on the show."

It's possible that there simply isn't the amount of tech news there was four years ago or everyone is trying to diversify in order to expand their viewer base. Don't know but I don't think it is only us. I did catch a GeekBrief recently and noticed that Go Daddy, there long term sponsor, appears to have gone with nothing to replace it. My guess is that viewership is down. Maybe Cali will need to find a side job.

Cali Lewis · 6 months ago

@Buddha - Our viewership is massively up. We're actually in negotiations with Go Daddy. :)