Podcast Length

[bradhindsight]

There's a lot of great feedback in this thread and want to thank everyone for listening and subscribing.

 

Couple thoughts:

 

- File size: we definitely try to make this manageable without sacrificing quality. Bix rocked out the recent Exile (4:30 + show) at 112 mb, which is a strong number for such a long show. I think the flip side to smaller portions is even more shows on the feeds if they're broken into even smaller parts. A download issue over data isn't something I've thought about as I download over wifi or stream over data if I couldn't DL (let me think more on this). I think our guys are pretty intuitive when it comes to laying out shows and knowing how many parts to make it, not burning out guests, etc while still being thorough.

 

- Shows that exist in a vacuum are going to be longer. More timely shows like This Week in Wrestling, or even BTS (because it's every Monday - although it is not dated) have time stamps or falls, which make them easy to consume. Reaction shows (the most timeliest, and one of our most popular) are shorter and Will drives that to make sure it happens. When we design new shows (JR brought up The Dangerous Alliance as a great example), we do try to aim for that 1:30-2:00 range. I don't think you can do a historical show in a small 30 minute block, without sacrificing a ton of information and quality. Maybe like a RAW recap or super short reaction show. Or perhaps Loss doing a day in the 90s solo - could potentially be something that fit a shorter window.

 

- Hosting is critical and can be one the first things that someone will turn off a show for (I've done it plenty of times when exploring other shows). I think we have some of the best hosts when it comes to driving a topic or a roundtable and I know from past internal discussions how deliberate we are as a team when deciding those.

 

- The GWE was a great success and given the subject matter, warranted a multitude of longer shows. I think we're all glad to be moving back to regular programming now.

 

I do have a question for SomethingSavage (and it's been touched on elsewhere in this thread): Who - for no rhyme or reason - is releasing self-congratulatory five hour podcasts just because? Name shows (or DM me). I assume you're seeing this elsewhere and not on PTBN stuff but I'd love to discuss.

[SomethingSavage]

 

I do have a question for SomethingSavage (and it's been touched on elsewhere in this thread): Who - for no rhyme or reason - is releasing self-congratulatory five hour podcasts just because? Name shows (or DM me). I assume you're seeing this elsewhere and not on PTBN stuff but I'd love to discuss.

 

Nah. No worries, man. You pretty much assumed right.

 

I'm not shy about being outspoken or stating my opinions on things.

 

I stated my appreciation for the sheer amount and quality of content that's been released here.

 

There *is* a reason that this board and WC are pretty much the only ones I frequent anymore - with (admittedly) the occasional lurking over at DVDVR when I want to see some other opinions.

 

But yeah. I'd basically echo your sentiments about the GWE project. To date, it's produced the most audio we've experienced here. Up until then, it was mostly Kris' deep diving into the territories, bios, etc. And I openly praised all that stuff in my previous post.

 

And GWE month gets a pass, because it was such an expansive project. Plus it featured the added bonus of bringing a bunch of new, fresh voices to the scene.

 

But going back to your point...

 

The trend I mentioned was in reference to podcasts in general. I listen to a lot more than just pro wrestling audio... including comics, music, Lovecraftian literature, comedy, film and TV, etc...

 

And it just takes a quick glimpse around to see a LOT of people shifting their efforts toward these exhaustive, at-length episodes all of a sudden. It's a growing trend, like I said.

 

Someone else mentioned it here, but it's like they've abandoned all research and preparation in favor of releasing these inexplicably lengthy episodes that are camouflaged as these great, grandiose, wide open discussions - when they're actually (more or less) just aimless, nondescript conversations. And they go on for a really, really long time - as if that's reason to receive applause or a greater appreciation for some reason.

 

A six-hour podcast isn't automatically an "epic." It isn't inherently any better (or any worse, to be fair) than a 90-minute podcast. But some people seem to confuse that concept.

 

But, moving back to your response...

 

Not sure what you meant about it being mentioned elsewhere in this thread, since this was the first and only time I've weighed in on the subject. So maybe you can ask whoever else brought it up before. But yeah. I wasn't pointing fingers to anyone in particular from here or PTBN.

 

To be honest, the only time I can recall having ANY issue with this place - since joining up - was this past month when the GWE list was released and there was all that elitist bullshit about some of the ballots. But that's water under the bridge now.

 

Ultimately though?

 

It honestly feels a little silly to complain about some of these issues. When it's all said & done, I'm glad to have a stockpile of podcasts saved up for whenever I want to hear 'em.

 

We're all adults here. We know what we want to hear. We can make our own decisions. We can recognize what material is time-sensitive (like the Reaction shows), what can wait (like a Between The Sheets circa 1984 or something), and so on.

 

If any of us are really sweating this stuff and feeling legitimate anxiety over the peer pressure of NEEDING to listen to everything as it's uploaded, then yeah. That's another life problem altogether.

 

I'm not sure if any of that answered your question(s), but feel free to DM me if there's anything else I can clear up.

[bradhindsight]

All good, appreciate the support as always. The bolded was because someone else had also mentioned the same kind of trend and I just wanted to make sure I had a better understanding - because I didn't see that as something within our work. Thanks for clarifying!

[Luchaundead]

There does seem to be an over all trend in the podcast community to go longer and longer. At times you do here guests/hosts talk about the length of their episodes as if that in and of it's self is a positive quality. To be fair to them I completely understand the concept as you are in a way giving more product for the same price tag (in this case free) it's really done with everything.

[Grimmas]

There does seem to be an over all trend in the podcast community to go longer and longer. At times you do here guests/hosts talk about the length of their episodes as if that in and of it's self is a positive quality. To be fair to them I completely understand the concept as you are in a way giving more product for the same price tag (in this case free) it's really done with everything.

I would love to do shorter podcasts, but I also don't want to skip things I feel that need to be covered on that topic. Also, it's hard with me and the co-host I have and the guests I have.

 

When it's just Parv and I, it is a nice time. Us with anyone else and it's epic length proportions.

[Mad Dog]

I'm going to take the shorter podcast idea and try to come up with a 30 minute format for a weekly podcast.

[Judy Bagwell]

I guess some people like short stories, it is after all the time poor attention deficit age

others can resume a show where they left off and want a deep warts and all dive

[Grimmas]

I guess some people like short stories, it is after all the time poor attention deficit age

others can resume a show where they left off and want a deep warts and all dive

Seriously? You are trying to link people not wanting 4 hour podcasts with ADD?

[Mad Dog]

Not everyone has the luxury of listening at work and stuff. I don't mind long podcasts because I always need something to listen to at work but I don't think it's unreasonable for people to want a podcast that's 30-60 minutes.

[Judy Bagwell]

Not everyone has the luxury of listening at work and stuff. I don't mind long podcasts because I always need something to listen to at work but I don't think it's unreasonable for people to want a podcast that's 30-60 minutes.

theres an ocean of wrestling podcasts out there that are that length

[Judy Bagwell]

 

I guess some people like short stories, it is after all the time poor attention deficit age

others can resume a show where they left off and want a deep warts and all dive

Seriously? You are trying to link people not wanting 4 hour podcasts with ADD?

 

lighten up chap

[Outsider]

sorry for posting twice

[Outsider]

If the pod is about 80's and early 90's wrestling than I like long podcasts. I have habit of playing them on an old android phone, when I go to bed. The timestamps help out especially on Between the Sheets because I never got into Jap wrestling and don't know if I ever will. Probably because some of the most exciting moments in pro wrestling are out of the ring! From Pipers pit to brother love.

[overbooked]

I wonder if this conversation would have been different pre-GWE megapodcasts? I don't think many people want half-hour Exiles, for example, but I do wonder if some of the more epic GWE efforts burned people out.

[Gutenberger]

I gotta admit I haven't listened to one of the GEW podcasts and still prefer a reasonable length due to time constraints.

[JAC]

When it's just Parv and I, it is a nice time. Us with anyone else and it's epic length proportions.

 

 

The All Japan Excite series podcasts were a perfect length for a commute. Very easy to digest and always left me wanting more. That's is a good thing!

 

I can't really play podcasts at work--my job requires a fair amount of attention, so if I play the podcasts, I'll miss three-quarters of what's being said. I don't like listening to them when watching wrestling--dividing my attention that way just diminishes my enjoyment of both activities. Realistically, I can get in about 2-2.5 hours if I listen to the podcasts on my commute to and from work and when cooking meals and performing other chores. That's a fair bit of time daily, but that means that a long episode of BTS or Exile is going to take two days to enjoy.

 

I went on vacation last summer and barely listened to anything for three weeks. When I got back to my normal routine, it took me months to completely clear out my backlog. Now, try to be choosy about what I download. If I'm not overly interested in the topic going in, I skip the podcast or, in the case of a couple of recent long podcasts, delete the podcast if it doesn't really capture my interest in the first twenty minutes. It's a mistake to make oneself feel obliged to listen to everything. Which brings me to...

 

 

I wonder if this conversation would have been different pre-GWE megapodcasts? I don't think many people want half-hour Exiles, for example, but I do wonder if some of the more epic GWE efforts burned people out.

 

I definitely got burnt out on the GWE podcasts. It's was like watching a comp tape of nothing but one-hour draws. Even if the matches are good individually, trying to wade through them all in short order just destroys you.

[Zero]

I don't really have a problem with long podcasts at all, the only real problem is if you miss a week. You're never going to catch up. Impossible to find the hours.

[Matt D]

I can't listen to Exile, BtS, AND 6:05. I don't have the time for all of them. so I don't listen to 6:05. That said, I'm glad it exists so that others who can find the time to listen to it do listen (and if i do someday have the time to go back). That's like getting mad that there's too much wrestling on TV and not enough time to watch it all. I'd rather have too much to consume than too little.

[Death From Above]

I have never listened to a podcast longer than 90 minutes and I cannot even conceive of what you are doing with your day that makes doing so feasible.

[Mad Dog]

I have never listened to a podcast longer than 90 minutes and I cannot even conceive of what you are doing with your day that makes doing so feasible.

 

I listen at work if I'm not in a meeting or training someone.

[Grimmas]

I have never listened to a podcast longer than 90 minutes and I cannot even conceive of what you are doing with your day that makes doing so feasible.

Between dishes and walking the dog my commute that adds up time.