How Spotify started — and killed — Latin America’s podcast boom
restofworld.org
In Latin America, “podcast” and “Spotify” became synonymous; now the audio industry is reckoning with the company’s retreat.
  • Brewchin@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    3 months ago

    This seems a reach. Podcasting (MP3 files distributed by an RSS feed) is platform agnostic.

    To me, claiming that any platform is “killing” any demographic’s podcasting capability is screaming “I know absolutely nothing about podcasts”.

    YMMV. 🤷🏽‍♂️

  • circuscritic@lemmy.caEnglish
    0·
    3 months ago

    I don’t see the issue here.

    I detest what Spotify has been, and is doing, to artists, but this isn’t that.

    Spotify jump started a market by infusing it with cash, and then ran out of cash. It sounds similar to when a patron of the arts no longer has the funds available for patronage.

    Yes, it sucks for those people who lost their funding, but podcasts are profitable all over without the infusion of cash from Spotify.

    I realize that those with a large overhead, or those who are otherwise just unable to adapt, are in a shit situation, but I suspect the rest of them, and those that follow, will adopt the monetization strategies of other successful podcast markets.

    Also, who the fuck wants to use the Spotify app for podcasts? Jesus I would never subject myself to that, they’ll be better off for it in no time.

    • IAmNotACat@lemmy.worldEnglish
      0·
      3 months ago

      Any suggestions for alternatives? I switched to Apple Music a while back because it allows me play my own files on any of my devices, but for obvious reasons I’d prefer something else.

      • Sibbo@sopuli.xyzEnglish
        0·
        3 months ago

        Use AntennaPod. Free, open source and allows you to subscribe to all free podcasts. It has a search over three podcast indices included, which gives you anything that is openly available on the web.

        • IAmNotACat@lemmy.worldEnglish
          0·
          3 months ago

          I’m a bit confused. I don’t think I could possibly fit any more musical instruments in my house.

          • The Quuuuuill@slrpnk.netEnglish
            0·
            3 months ago

            Then bandcamp and SoundCloud for you lol. But encourage your friends and neighbors to play music, too. And bring your instruments to their houses and have them bring theirs for yours. And you never gave to play in public or record anything. Just get together and be bad together. Its what our ancestors did. They weren’t good. They just did it to enjoy themselves. And our modern culture factories have taken that away from us in a time when we should have more free time than ever because we’re more productive than ever

            • EngineerGaming@feddit.nlEnglish
              0·
              3 months ago

              I wish I could play, but musical school is only free here for very young children, and no way I am affording a paid one now…

                • EngineerGaming@feddit.nlEnglish
                  0·
                  3 months ago

                  First - instruments are unaffordable as well, a school would at least lend one to you. Second - you won’t be taught good technique like that. I don’t even know notes!

            • IAmNotACat@lemmy.worldEnglish
              0·
              3 months ago

              Haha for sure. I agree with all that. I’m a professional musician and play with random locals in pubs and friends all the time. I would say there is quite a healthy culture for that in Ireland.

              I was mainly interested in software (that isn’t Spotify) that would allow me to explore more musics.

              • The Quuuuuill@slrpnk.netEnglish
                0·
                3 months ago

                I’m always on the hunt too. Its frustrating. Spotify consistently doesn’t let me know about new releases I’d be interested in, and just boils everything to the most business friendly songs. Bandcamp has served me the best at being like “here’s the weird shit”