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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:

Thanks to Paul Kimball, he's already submitted several episodes of his terrific "Other Side of Truth" podcasts, customized for members of The Paracast+. They'll be posted shortly. The first videos from Paul will come later this month.

So if you've been thinking about whether to subscribe to The Paracast+, maybe now's the time? We're really working hard to add content as quickly as possible.

This weekend we feature an extended interview with EVP expert Michael Esposito, where he expands on some of the subjects dealt with in the regular episode of The Paracast, this time without commercial interruptions. We'll also be posting a full slate of EVP audio files exclusively for Paracast+ subscribers. These include files we didn't have time to play on the show.
 
DaveM said:
That's true. The focus should be on the show not the forums. But didn't you say you haven't been able to listen through a whole episode lately?
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Yes, but evidently that is just me. Everyone else adores it exactly as it is. There is no need to change anything except improve promotion and make subscribing easier on the website. That should fix all their financial problems.
 
Even if you want to employ a lower risk evolutionary approach, I agree with the posters who say that increasing subscriptions should be your target. To do that, you need to provide people with additional content that is not available on the free show that people would be willing to pay for. So if you're not willing to transfer some of the features of the free show to the Paracast+, you need to enhance the Paracast+ with some of the enhancements I mentioned before (and I'm sure others will come up with other good ideas):
  • Live IM questions
  • Longer shows
  • Guests on almost every show
  • Unique guests not likely to be found on other shows
  • Round-tables on specific topics
  • Detailed analyses of recent cases
Also, I would recommend putting the archive behind the pay wall. That is a nice subscriber benefit; If you're loathe to do that, then keep just the last 6 months or year as free and put the rest behind the wall.

There has to be a substantial difference between the free content and pay content to make it worth peoples' while to subscribe. The threshold will be different for different people, but the greater the difference, the more subscribers you will get.
 
I'm down with older archives. Perhaps we should do news on ATP. I also have to work on the IM setup. We need a better IM script and that's yet another cost.
 
beyondthestargate said:
There are numerous podcasts out there who are accessed only via a subscription. In fact, that is becoming relatively common nowadays except for very new start-ups or people pursuing the podcast purely as a labor of love or a hobby. Here are some successful examples:

1. MYSTERIOUS UNIVERSE is a prime example of 2-3 guys making a living simply from doing their podcast. They do extensive research to prepare for each episode. Most of the time there is no guest. The show is a sort of audio paranormal newspaper. They provide free content and exceptional additional shows and extended shows by subscription. Although I no longer subscribe, if someone were to ask me for ONE SHOW to subscribe to, it would definitely be MYSTERIOUS UNIVERSE.
2. MYSTERIOUS MATTERS is by subscription and claims to be an award winning podcast (there are awards for podcasts?).
3. VERITAS - gives half the episode free and then you pay for the rest
4. RED ICE - gives half the episode free and then you pay for the rest
5. JIM HAROLD - has made a success with subscriptions. I once subscribed and he has a TON of content for the subscriber in various categories.
6. DREAMLAND - gives half the episode free and then you pay for the rest
7. COAST TO COAST - Radio Broadcast with subscription to 4-5 years of archived shows. Around $6 a month.
8. PARATOPIA (which is probably a sore subject around here). That podcast ended only because the 2 hosts grew tired of it and felt they had nothing further to say. It began free but became subscription only with a by-episode purchase option. The 2 hosts still do an occasional episode available for purchase singularly.

Of course, there are still excellent free podcasts out there like OPEN MINDS and THE UNEXPLAINED by Howard Hughes. There are many others popping up. I agree that there still are a lot of free shows of very high quality on the internet. I can only surmise that such shows are hosted or managed by people with deep pockets so that an income from the podcast is not necessary. In Gene's case, I believe it is necessary, so going to a subscription only service makes sense.
.
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Some good points , but MYSTERIOUS UNIVERSE is crap : two guys screaming and laughing.
Red Ice : Was good a long time ago , nazi propaganda now.
Dreamland: indeed dreamland.
C2C : 1% is good.
Much better :
Where Did The Road Go.
Exploring the Bizarre.
Skywatchers Radio.
 
kanakaris said:
Some good points , but MYSTERIOUS UNIVERSE is crap : two guys screaming and laughing.
Red Ice : Was good a long time ago , nazi propaganda now.
Dreamland: indeed dreamland.
C2C : 1% is good.
Much better :
Where Did The Road Go.
Exploring the Bizarre.
Skywatchers Radio.
Click to expand...
The point of my post was to point out to Gene that there are successful subscription podcasts in the same genre. I agree that MU has become tedious with the guys constantly making juvenile jokes and laughing uproariously at their own "wit". I unsubscribed. But for many years it was the best. I also almost never like the guests on Dreamland. I seldom listen to C2C anymore. Red Ice is indeed now extremely right wing. I think the host is out of his mind. Another host I put in that category is Jeff Rense, who has a subscription service for racists and Nazis.
 
Never heard of it. But I found it very difficult to read the description on the, since they make the all-too-common error of putting white (in this case gray) type on a black background.

Your point?
 
Gene Steinberg said:
Never heard of it. But I found it very difficult to read the description on the, since they make the all-too-common error of putting white (in this case gray) type on a black background.

Your point?
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Well, obviously you wouldn't like it. My point is that YOU are not the only podcast that takes a serious look at ufology and the paranormal. The rest of the podcast world is NOT just a bunch of loons hosting nutcases.
 
You make no point here. We never said this is the only serious paranormal radio show on the planet. But there aren't many. Most are busy placating their audience with fanciful nonsense. We've recommended several shows over the years. As a listener, you know what they are.
 
So let me focus on what this thread is about, which is whether the show should go subscription only. It's also relevant to suggest additions and changes to The Paracast+, and from that I see most of you want more content, and that's what we're working on. In addition, since the beginning of September, five After The Paracast episodes have featured Gene with a different co-host and/or extended interviews with one or more guests. We are mixing it up more, but we've always done a little of the unexpected on that show.
 
The value of the Paracast that I think needs to be kept accessible is the archived shows and the forum posts. That's what will keep attracting new people looking for good discussion of unusual matters. A lot of the complaints people are registering, e.g. about the ads, have never bothered me. I can't even recall ever actually listening to the ads.

Once I realized how much I relied on various podmedia for either entertainment or background noise I started thinking seriously about ways to support their creators. This is probably because I am a liberal brainwashed by being raised on PBS and NPR pledge drives. So I do what I can, which often isn't much.

I got a plus subscription mostly to support the show, and I enjoy the more relaxed after the paracast perk. Yes, a lot of it is frequently more personality-driven, but that is exactly why I listen to the podcasts I do. There's like a balance between the info presented, the host personality dynamics, and the sense of community created by a podcast. However, I can see why people might like something of more weight and substance as a perk. The only thing about that is the Paracast is already a weekly two-hour show; where's the extra pound of flesh going to come from?

I liked Technomage's suggestions above - here is a partial reminder from their post:
  • Live IM questions
  • Longer shows
  • Guests on almost every show
  • Unique guests not likely to be found on other shows
  • Round-tables on specific topics
  • Detailed analyses of recent cases
I don't know what IM questions are, but if there was a members-only chat room where people could listen as the show was being recorded, that could be fun. Although I know recording time is during many people's work hours.

In summary, I would do my best to support some kind of subscription-only access because I think the Paracast is an important information resource and should be maintained. Which is not to say the podcast needs to remain exactly the same. It's been ten years, after all. Sometimes a change turns out to be a good thing.
 
Sue said:
The value of the Paracast that I think needs to be kept accessible is the archived shows and the forum posts. That's what will keep attracting new people looking for good discussion of unusual matters. A lot of the complaints people are registering, e.g. about the ads, have never bothered me. I can't even recall ever actually listening to the ads.

Once I realized how much I relied on various podmedia for either entertainment or background noise I started thinking seriously about ways to support their creators. This is probably because I am a liberal brainwashed by being raised on PBS and NPR pledge drives. So I do what I can, which often isn't much.

I got a plus subscription mostly to support the show, and I enjoy the more relaxed after the paracast perk. Yes, a lot of it is frequently more personality-driven, but that is exactly why I listen to the podcasts I do. There's like a balance between the info presented, the host personality dynamics, and the sense of community created by a podcast. However, I can see why people might like something of more weight and substance as a perk. The only thing about that is the Paracast is already a weekly two-hour show; where's the extra pound of flesh going to come from?

I liked Technomage's suggestions above - here is a partial reminder from their post:
  • Live IM questions
  • Longer shows
  • Guests on almost every show
  • Unique guests not likely to be found on other shows
  • Round-tables on specific topics
  • Detailed analyses of recent cases
I don't know what IM questions are, but if there was a members-only chat room where people could listen as the show was being recorded, that could be fun. Although I know recording time is during many people's work hours.

In summary, I would do my best to support some kind of subscription-only access because I think the Paracast is an important information resource and should be maintained. Which is not to say the podcast needs to remain exactly the same. It's been ten years, after all. Sometimes a change turns out to be a good thing.
Click to expand...
IM... Instant Messaging
 
Gene Steinberg said:
My biggest concern is still my biggest concern: Many of our long-time listeners, who have invested up to a decade in our show, would leave us if we went all subscription. That weighs heavily on me.
Click to expand...

That's kind of you to note this, kindness is vastly undervalued in today's society, and that it is a financial jungle out there for some of us. To Paul Kimball I have to say that some of us never got a 5$ coffee per day and that 1 @ 5$ coffee treat per month got cut out years ago, as has going to the movies. I am not much unlike Gene in that I had to reinvent life and start a new career at a much later age...starting over AGAIN sucks but that's life. But I did start over and am working my way slowly back up. Podcasts are an escape, an entertainment and a source for a number of intriguing research rabbit holes to explore.

Do whatever you feel you have to do. I tried the P+ for a month. Though the commercial free was great there wasn't enough additional content to merit continuing it at the expense of something else. - which in this economy for me is fact: something is always at the expense of something else. I don't have a pool of extra funds to dip into.

Again, do whatever you feel you have to do. I didn't like every podcast episode but many of them opened my eyes to new "worlds." Thank you.
 
zaphrella said:
That's kind of you to note this, kindness is vastly undervalued in today's society, and that it is a financial jungle out there for some of us. To Paul Kimball I have to say that some of us never got a 5$ coffee per day and that 1 @ 5$ coffee treat per month got cut out years ago, as has going to the movies. I am not much unlike Gene in that I had to reinvent life and start a new career at a much later age...starting over AGAIN sucks but that's life. But I did start over and am working my way slowly back up. Podcasts are an escape, an entertainment and a source for a number of intriguing research rabbit holes to explore.

Do whatever you feel you have to do. I tried the P+ for a month. Though the commercial free was great there wasn't enough additional content to merit continuing it at the expense of something else. - which in this economy for me is fact: something is always at the expense of something else. I don't have a pool of extra funds to dip into.

Again, do whatever you feel you have to do. I didn't like every podcast episode but many of them opened my eyes to new "worlds." Thank you.
Click to expand...

That's all perfectly fair. I suffered financial reverses several years ago, and had to work my way through them. Choices had to be made, and there were a lot of things that I wanted to do or have that I couldn't at the time. I understand.

But I also never asked someone to provide me with their work for free. If I couldn't afford it, I went without, because everyone has a right to be compensated for their work.
 
I continue to look at extra content for Paracast+, but the main feature is the commercial-free show. After The Paracast has grown, and other content is being added as we move forward.

As of today, we are also featuring two audio interviews from Paul's "Other Side of Truth" podcast, and one of his video clips featuring Kevin D. Randle.
 
beyondthestargate said:
The point of my post was to point out to Gene that there are successful subscription podcasts in the same genre. I agree that MU has become tedious with the guys constantly making juvenile jokes and laughing uproariously at their own "wit". I unsubscribed. But for many years it was the best. I also almost never like the guests on Dreamland. I seldom listen to C2C anymore. Red Ice is indeed now extremely right wing. I think the host is out of his mind. Another host I put in that category is Jeff Rense, who has a subscription service for racists and Nazis.
Click to expand...

The Genesis Communications Network (GCN) that Paracast uses is also an embarassing network as evident from the type of ads it has, the Alex Jones Show etc. It certainly does not suit Paracast.
 
Most of the major networks have one or more prominent right-wing talkers. So we'd have a choice of zero networks if that was the criterion.

The GCN ads are not nearly as extreme as they used to be, so checking recent episodes of The Paracast, I heard one for the "Be Your Boss Network," for working at home, My Pillow (fancy pillows), an ad for a supernatural novel and a campaign to make it a movie, an ad for a Lasik eye center, an online physician's network run by the parent company of GCN, Sunshine Pillows, similar to My Pillow, an ad for an ambulance-chasing national legal firm, etc. The GCN site presented display ads for Jeep, Panasonic, Namecheap and Cal Ben, an online soap store.

Many of these advertisers are the same as the ones you find on cable news and other talk radio networks. Or maybe we attract a better class of ads. :)

True, there are still some of those infamous survivalist ads, but the network has attracted more mainstream shows, so it also attracts more mainstream advertisers.

So which network suits The Paracast?
 
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