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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 .

Free episodes:

Hi Gene,

Well, I guess it's all about the ancillary residual streams of revenue income that can be generated outside the main cash cow of the podcast itself. (ie diversify) Although this is a current stretch understandably podcasts are an evolution of the old AM dial of talk shows over the rabbit ears. Now podcasts as known have mostly evolved into videos, be it overlayed on top of an audio with an eye candy video. Or the host of the show on video doing their thing. Maybe you can create a highlights reel as video or audio only sold as a series of the best or greatest hits of the "Paracast" over the years. Something beyond the merchandising of "Paracast" goods like you already have to date.

This last idea is another stretch but introduce donation micro-transactions with items that reward the supporter class of the "Paracast". For example, emotes on the forum sorta like Twitch.com does for supporters in chat. Larger signatures in one's forum posts, little incidental stuff like that for instance. Soliciting sponsors of the community to advertise here in the forum community or cross-endorse via your newsletter another's content where you'll get commissions on referrals on the backend. Diversifying into many smaller revenue streams versus one larger one that supports you and your work here overall.
 
Thanks.

The logistics are going to be difficult. The forum's structure allows for membership upgrades, but not transactions of the sort you mention. At least not that I can see. Regardless, we need development help to make more things possible.
 
there are so many free podcasts now, we as listeners could hear the same subject discussed in the same month many times over. Gene this would be a mistake in my opinion unless you only want to cater to those few hundred friends who would follow you and Chris anywhere and agree with you both no matter what. just my opinion.
 
No. it's hard as it is. Cable is cancelled and most other entertainment is limited. I have two kids, with one heading for college. I love your podcast, and totally understand your position. I hope to keep listening, yet will miss you when your gone. Thank you for your thought-provoking and entertaining show.
 
I don't "subscribe" to anything online that costs money and has auto-renewal because getting the billing to stop can be a nightmare: A Recurring Nightmare: Common Recurring Charges and Tips on How to Control Them

The other thing is that the show already serves as one big infomercial for guests, so why would anyone want to pay for that when they could just go buy the guest's book? What's the incentive? Not that anyone is paying any attention to what I say anyway, but I think the show is great core product with plenty of untapped potential.
 
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You've worked so hard to gain the audience you have. How easy will it be to get them back if this doesn't work? Right now you're in a position to bargain. If it doesn't work, then what? Crawl back to GCN? Retire? Pray some angel investor comes along with a big bag of money? Have you considered the idea of an affiliate program yet?
 
Yes, you lose listeners who weren't willing to pay a fair price for your product, which I wouldn't consider a loss at all... and you gain revenue from those who are willing to pay, and who value what you do enough to support it. That's business. Anything else is a hobby.

As for the cost being an issue, the number of people who really couldn't afford it if they really wanted it is pretty small, I suspect. It's about making choices - $5 - 7 a month is the price of a couple of cups of coffee, and less than a movie.
 
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Hey guys why not use your considerable contacts and experience to create a TV version of the show and sell it to Amazon, Netflix, Apple etc - make your money from these platforms??
 
Paul Kimball said:
It's about making choices - $5 - 7 a month is the price of a couple of cups of coffee, and less than a movie.
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Isn't that a bit like comparing apples to oranges? Your projects are quite different from the Paracast and better suited to your strategy. There are no guests I can think of that I'd pay to listen to while they promote their latest book. I can watch authors promote their books live in-person 5 minutes away at the local Indigo while sipping on a fresh café latte for that $5 you're implying I wouldn't miss.
 
ufology said:
Isn't that a bit like comparing apples to oranges? Your projects are quite different from the Paracast and better suited to your strategy. There are no guests I can think of that I'd pay to listen to while they promote their latest book. I can watch authors promote their books live in-person 5 minutes away at the local Indigo while sipping on a fresh café latte for that $5 you're implying I wouldn't miss.
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It's all about valuing the work that content creators do. That means paying for it. If you're not willing to pay for it, that speaks volumes as to the value you assign to it.

You'll forgive me if I seem harsh on this, but we have allowed a culture to arise where people expect to get original content for free. That's wrong. Gene and Chris create content. You demean and diminish their efforts and their unique take on the subject when you write it off as an infomercial, and don't want to pay, even as you still listen.
 
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?
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I think that's reasonable
 
I'm not in a position to subscribe unfortunately. I've been a listener for many many years to the Paracast. I also listen to a couple others; one of which has the first hour free. I've only been listening to the free half for years. I do want to support y'all but I'm afraid I can't.
 
I do like the idea of maybe doing two episodes per week , if you're going to this new paid subscription only structure . I would be willing to pay if you did maybe 2 2-hour shows per week . $5.99 is reasonable for that.
 
Also , have you ever thought about creating a Paracast app for Android and iPhone? I've been learning about creating Android apps, so I could look into it for you . Maybe one like C2C has, where you can search podcasts and download them .
 
I have no idea what the metrics are for your program. I think another poster made a valid point. I think it is hard to charge for the paracast for the simple reason that the guests on your show, 90% of the time, are on another podcast within a few weeks of each other that does not charge.

As an example, I have just listened to Stanton Friedman and Kathleen Marden promote their new book on several Podcasts as well as being on George Knapp via Coast to Coast, on youtube in its entirety commercial free and at no cost to me.

I think the real economic problem with paranormal podcasts such as yours, of which I am a big fan, is that it is a niche... The problem is that it is a niche with entirely too many choices to choose from due to the low financial barrier of entry into the podcasting or Internet radio field.

What I think would be the greatest value proposition, and something I would gladly pay for in the paranormal field, would be the consolidation of a few not entirely similar podcasts dealing with this subject. That way you could have new podcasts available multiple times a week with different hosts, covering different topics in the paranormal field.

Gene, given your tech knowledge, you must have thought about this at some point. Look at what companies like Recode Media and the Earwolf Network are doing in the world of podcasting. Consolidation is what desperately needs to happen and eventually I think it will.

just some random thoughts from a random fan.
 
Just voted "YES". I'm all for it if it means you and Chris are more able to be financially stable, Gene. I'm not a '+' subscriber right now, but I'd definitely subscribe to get the regular podcast if it were only available via subscription. Being solvent totally changes how we feel about what we do. You guys are hard, dedicated workers. I'm grateful for what you do.

The reason I listen to you, by the way, is to get the unique perspective you offer that is due to your significant experience in the field. The guests you bring on the show are challenged to go beyond the usual questions asked on other shows. You guys, as interviewers and researchers, are what makes me want to listen to your show.
 
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Undertow said:
Also , have you ever thought about creating a Paracast app for Android and iPhone? I've been learning about creating Android apps, so I could look into it for you . Maybe one like C2C has, where you can search podcasts and download them .
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Talk to me. You can open a private conversation and we can discuss this further.
 
The Paracast Show has outgrown the current network it seems and look forward to you chaps moving higher grounds. The need to make it worth your time and there is similar setups online which you both have contacts follow your dreams. Maybe Don's great show Darkmatters which he has touched on many subjects which many radio show never touch on and fights for all Veterans and their families. In the end UFO is only one topic and expansion ideas for the Paracast Show without adds interruptions. More science , technology shows on space and research with experts like Dr Brandenburg , Professor Michio Kaku , Emeritus Professor Stephen Hawking etc.
Stephen Hawking: Humans Should Fear Aliens | Huffington Post


Gene and Chris make it so....
 
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