QUESTIONS FOR SCOTT RE: HOWL

[Foam Corner 94]

Currently on the HOWL app it says "Finished episodes will be automatically deleted." Will there be a way to change this? Does this basically mean we are only renting these episodes? I'm going to subscribe because I love Earwolf and I want to help Scott pay his rent in 2 weeks, but it makes me sad to not "own" all the old episodes that I've loved forever. I regret not saving everything from day one.

 

Also, I've noticed that episodes show up on earwolf.com and the apple podcast app before they show up on the HOWL app. Will this change?

[Haze 112]

I can't even go on a fuckin comedy podcast network messageboard without hearing about the Irish Water shite.

 

Scott: How will the premium content on Howl be affected by the Irish water charge?

 

I brought it up in jest! Lets all calm down, here is a picture of Daniel o'Donnell

 

[Joe McGurl 8358]

I'm sure it's been a stressful day but a non-snarky response would've been nice when I was trying to be respectful to both you and your business but I don't own a major media company, so what would I know.

[Asadasa 71]

Is the subscription money being divvied up between shows with higher listeners solely for the archives or for listens in the Howl app in general? I am a big impatient baby who likes to listen to his podcasts as soon as they are released at 3:00 AM EST and more often than not I'm listening to new episodes off of soundcloud. How can I best juke the stats in Hollywood Handbooks favor while still being a big baby who stays up past his bedtime?

[MarcusIrving 286]

This is probably the weirdest and dumbest question of all, but will there be some way to still hear the old shows with the ads? I like the ads. The people from Earwolf really make them funny. They are just as much a part of the show to me. Even if I hear the exact same copy used for Who Charted, Comedy Bang Bang, and Sklarbro I never skip them. Some bit of comedy always comes from them. The whole journey from ad to full episode that Sean & Hayes (of Hollywood Handbook fame) take is one of my favorite things to ever happen on CBB. I understand I'm probably alone here, but I'll miss hearing the old Squarespace and Stamps.com ads in episodes I haven't already downloaded to my phone. It's also the whole reason I'm not listening to new episodes in the app.

[Scott Aukerman 381]

I'm sure it's been a stressful day but a non-snarky response would've been nice when I was trying to be respectful to both you and your business but I don't own a major media company, so what would I know.

haha, sorry to come off snarky - just trying to take the analogy to its logical conclusion.

 

so here's what i'm trying to say about a comic store - if you walked in, you would have ONE issue of X-Men (the current one), to browse through in the store. Then they would have back issues for sale in boxes somewhere, wrapped in plastic. You would have to pay for any of them (which is where the analogy breaks down - we're letting you walk out of the store with the "issues" from the last six months for free). But it would be insane to walk into the store, and on a table in front of you, there were hundreds of issues for you to sift through. And you would have to decide which to read first.

[Hansa 0]

Hey Scott, Long time, first time. I've gotten a half dozen friends into CBB by reccomending they listen to specific classic episodes. Guess I can't do that anymore. Who needs word of mouth when it comes to reccomending podcasts... I mean... there's only like 6 or 7 choices, overall. Things should be fine. I'll take my answer off the air.

[HotSaucerman 2051]

Did anybody else enter the code CBB on checkout at Howl.fm? Maybe its just me, but for me, it did NOT expand the week trial to a month trial.

[Scott Aukerman 381]

This is probably the weirdest and dumbest question of all, but will there be some way to still hear the old shows with the ads? I like the ads. The people from Earwolf really make them funny. They are just as much a part of the show to me. Even if I hear the exact same copy used for Who Charted, Comedy Bang Bang, and Sklarbro I never skip them. Some bit of comedy always comes from them. The whole journey from ad to full episode that Sean & Hayes (of Hollywood Handbook fame) take is one of my favorite things to ever happen on CBB. I understand I'm probably alone here, but I'll miss hearing the old Squarespace and Stamps.com ads in episodes I haven't already downloaded to my phone. It's also the whole reason I'm not listening to new episodes in the app.

This is probably the weirdest and dumbest question of all, but will there be some way to still hear the old shows with the ads? I like the ads. The people from Earwolf really make them funny. They are just as much a part of the show to me. Even if I hear the exact same copy used for Who Charted, Comedy Bang Bang, and Sklarbro I never skip them. Some bit of comedy always comes from them. The whole journey from ad to full episode that Sean & Hayes (of Hollywood Handbook fame) take is one of my favorite things to ever happen on CBB. I understand I'm probably alone here, but I'll miss hearing the old Squarespace and Stamps.com ads in episodes I haven't already downloaded to my phone. It's also the whole reason I'm not listening to new episodes in the app.

 

this was brought up earlier in the thread - i think this is interesting, and not something we had considered. so thanks for putting it in our ear! There's something to do here, I'm sure.

[Scott Aukerman 381]

I've gotten a half dozen friends into CBB by reccomending they listen to specific classic episodes. Guess I can't do that anymore. Best of luck with your new marketing venture!

haha, if you meant that, i would say thank you!

[Scott Aukerman 381]

Did anybody else enter the code CBB on checkout at Howl.fm? Maybe its just me, but for me, it did NOT expand the week trial to a month trial.

i think shannon has a fix for this... it's something they're working out.

[Shannon 2953]

Did anybody else enter the code CBB on checkout at Howl.fm? Maybe its just me, but for me, it did NOT expand the week trial to a month trial.

 

That's a weird thing that we are trying to get to display correctly. If you entered a promo code, your 30 day trial will begin as soon as your default 7 day trial is over. So you'll get 37 days before you have to pay.

[angryrose 494]

Did anybody else enter the code CBB on checkout at Howl.fm? Maybe its just me, but for me, it did NOT expand the week trial to a month trial.

 

It is supposed to expand after the week trial ends, somebody mentions this somewhere. I think in the CBB show thread today. I, however, did not get an option to even put in the code, so a week free will have to do I guess.

 

Edit: just mentioned above my post!

[Mr.Wompler 1]

I'm just glad we get all of WTF with the ads and Marc's opening rant edited out!

 

This is so great!

[Hansa 0]

haha, if you meant that, i would say thank you!

 

I had a classic case of poster's lament and edited my original post. HOW EMBARASSING.

 

Honestly, I do wish you guys well and I'll subscribe once all the kinks are worked out... but I'll never be able to take a buddy's phone and download an old Cake Boss episode for them to listen to. That just sucks. OH MARON.

[kbeef2 60]

I understand it kind of sucks that all this content that was free yesterday will be behind a paywall in a few days, but I'm onboard and glad to give a little money to a service that's been cranking out free entertainment for years.

[wonderswan 13]

I'm creating a forum account just to add my opinions to the discussion. Not that anything I've got to add hasn't been said already, I just want to stress that these issues are important to many of your listeners.

 

First off, I have absolutely no problem paying $5/month to support the Earwolf network. I already do the same for Maximum Fun. But I have to say that putting old episodes behind a paywall will undoubtedly make certain podcasts less accessible to new listeners. Just because it works for Maron doesn't mean it will work for the format of every podcast. Nerd Poker, Hollywood Handbook, and CBB in particular will be far less accessible than they were before.

 

Additionally, rolling out this service without an Android app available at launch is a pretty hard pill to swallow. Just the whole concept of having a separate podcast app forced on users is pretty hard, for me, to accept. I don't want to use two podcast apps. Nobody does. RSS links to allow users to listen in the app of their choice is absolutely needed.

 

Downloading the files to your device is the single biggest issue here. I understand wanting Howl to be a Netflix-like streaming service, but downloading files for offline listening is an essential feature of podcasts for many many listeners. Myself included.

 

I've read other people saying that episodes can be downloaded temporarily in the app(I'm unable to use it, on iOS7 and android), but not from the howl.fm site. I personally put a huge chunk of episodes on a USB drive and plug that straight in to the car's stereo for road trips. Sometimes I burn a CD full of my favorite episodes for a friend, to introduce them to a show I love that I think they will enjoy too. That's going to be impossible now, unless I only want to use new unarchived episodes.

 

Those are my complaints. I'm really hoping some or even all of them can be addressed, considering Howl has only just launched. That said, I'm genuinely happy for Earwolf and all the podcasters being able to make a little more money.

[honlads 8798]

Any chance of a feature where I get the episodes on cd in the mail?

[Haze 112]

Any chance of a feature where I get the episodes on cd in the mail?

 

Like Ubuntu used to do?

[Haze 112]

In all seriousness all of these teething problems will work themselves out. I have little doubt the app will be a success. I just really hope its the only podcasting app I'll ever have to pay for!

[ErinO'Neal-Robinson 1]

HI SCOTT!

 

I wanted to say thank you to you and everyone in your podcast cartel for making Earwolf and all shows that my wife and I love to listen to every week. I'm grateful that I have a chance to pay for all these great shows in addition to our small monthly donations.

[MarcusIrving 286]

Lots of people in this thread are kind of being dicks.

 

I agree, but I don't really think everybody is intending it. I reread my own comment after posting and it sounded pretty whiny, but while writing it I was just genuinely asking a question with no malice intentions. Text is just a hard medium to not sound like a jerk in.

[S4082211 346]

First up, I'm excited to finally give back and pay for my Earwolf content, and I'm super excited for the miniseries and comedy albums.

 

That being said, I started listening to Comedy Bang Bang from an episode that was over a year old, because it had guests I knew. When I started on HDTGM, I started with the first episode (that was also older than 6 months). The same can be said for I4H, Who Charted, and even the Apple Sisters. I'm worried this paywall is really going to discourage new listeners for Earwolf shows, I never would have heard any of the shows had it been up and I know everyone I've recommend the shows too has done similar things.

 

I'm just curious why you opted for a paywall rather than, say, when you added Pepsi next ads to the beginning of older episodes in the archive?

[tartan 352]

i have a question about the app - what is this, an allen ginsberg poem?

[tartan 352]

a lot of people are weirdly trying to critique an app designed to correct issues with the current monetization system by saying 'the old system was, anecdotally, good for getting people into new episodes!'

 

like maybe this won't work and maybe it will be harder to get your friends into it without THE ABSOLUTE BEST EPISODES EVER, but saying 'it works fine for me now!' is pretty clearly missing the point