A message from Earwolf's CEO about yesterday's episode de-publishing

[Cameron H. 23786]

I'm just glad we're all arguing from well informed positions and not just yelling out our gut reactions...

[fogartjo 8]

Long time earwolf listener, just felt the need to make an account to voice an opinion.

 

I think these podcasts have given me countless hours of enjoyment, to put only the old ones behind a paywall is kinda fair. I think a lot of people are overreacting to the concept of having to pay for stuff.

 

I am also a long time video game player and I noticed a trend of certain developers making terrible games and when people criticized the games, they would be called "entitled". I think if you pay for something crappy, it's not being entitled to complain about how crappy the thing you paid for is. However, it is the dictionary definition of entitled to be ranting and raving about having to pay for something.

[mduncan55 12]

It's entitled to expect that content that was made to be free, by people that wanted it to be free, and who were not paid for their work, with the expectation of it being free, not be taken over by greedy people that now want to make money off of other people's work?

[fogartjo 8]

It's entitled to expect that content that was made to be free, by people that wanted it to be free, and who were not paid for their work, with the expectation of it being free, not be taken over by greedy people that now want to make money off of other people's work?

Yes it is entitled.

 

The "people that wanted it to be free" had their expectations met, every episode was released for free. Now a very large archive is going behind a paywall. Do you think Jerry Seinfield would feel betrayed that his show was no longer free if it went up on netflix? I imagine for each and every podcast there was some sort of agreement that earwolf owns the rights to the show.

 

You act like Earwolf is some evil corporation trying to destroy your podcasts but I don't think anybody is getting rich of howl or anything, but there is a desire to make podcasting a more financially viable medium. If you don't want to pay for howl, don't buy howl but don't think you're justified in pirating the paywalled content.

[mduncan55 12]

Yes it is entitled.

 

The "people that wanted it to be free" had their expectations met, every episode was released for free. Now a very large archive is going behind a paywall. Do you think Jerry Seinfield would feel betrayed that his show was no longer free if it went up on netflix? I imagine for each and every podcast there was some sort of agreement that earwolf owns the rights to the show.

 

You act like Earwolf is some evil corporation trying to destroy your podcasts but I don't think anybody is getting rich of howl or anything, but there is a desire to make podcasting a more financially viable medium. If you don't want to pay for howl, don't buy howl but don't think you're justified in pirating the paywalled content.

 

Seinfeld was an entirely for profit venture. Everyone involved, from the actors to the producers to the corporate executives, did it to make money. It is an entirely different process that has nothing to do with what we're talking about. It is more akin to artists being asked to produce pro bono work for a gallery that will be free to the public in perpetuity. And then after all of his work was submitted and displayed for a little while, someone else took over the gallery and started charging anyone that wanted to come in, but don't worry, we'll still put a couple of them in the windows. You really don't think there would be public outcry?

[Lukas Holmes 2287]

Download them how? The site only gives you the option to play them.

 

I just go the episode list on the app and click download.

[Kickpuncher 5012]

 

Seinfeld was an entirely for profit venture. Everyone involved, from the actors to the producers to the corporate executives, did it to make money. It is an entirely different process that has nothing to do with what we're talking about. It is more akin to artists being asked to produce pro bono work for a gallery that will be free to the public in perpetuity. And then after all of his work was submitted and displayed for a little while, someone else took over the gallery and started charging anyone that wanted to come in, but don't worry, we'll still put a couple of them in the windows. You really don't think there would be public outcry?

 

I'd like to know why you think the following:

1) Earwolf isn't (or at least wasn't originally) a for-profit venture

2) The hosts don't get paid

3) Anyone said that every Earwolf podcast would be available for free to the public in perpetuity

 

I don't really like the Howl model (or, especially, how it's been rolled out) either, but I think you can criticize it based on the facts rather than illusions about what Earwolf/Midroll is and their rights to do what they want with their product.

[mduncan55 12]

 

I just go the episode list on the app and click download.

That only downloads onto your phone if you have the app. Doesn't help for an MP3 player.

[Lukas Holmes 2287]

That only downloads onto your phone if you have the app. Doesn't help for an MP3 player.

 

So you don't want to pay for it and you don't have the technology to use it either way? You're asking for a lot here man.

[jac 9]

Guess this isn't a huge problem for me as I've been on howl premium for a while, but I just want to point out all the archiving work and server space necessary for the increasingly vast amount of earwolf material now. The manpower and server costs for keeping all of these shows up has to be getting impressive. Regardless I would personally love it if the people who have given me tons of free content, and continue to put free content out weekly, could monetize their hard work and talent.

 

Also will second that The Teacher's Lounge was incredible and well worth the price of a month of howl.

 

As a subscriber the all-time most important issue forever is that the Hollywood Handbook ads are never taken off the episodes.

[mduncan55 12]

 

So you don't want to pay for it and you don't have the technology to use it either way? You're asking for a lot here man.

 

I'm asking for things to be done the way they've always been done here. It is pretty much asking for nothing.

[Lukas Holmes 2287]

 

I'm asking for things to be done the way they've always been done here. It is pretty much asking for nothing.

 

Do you really believe that's what you're asking for? "Don't change anything. Keep giving me free content that costs you thousands and thousands of dollars. Also, don't advance your technology at all because I only want to have it on my mp3 player." At some point you have to shit or get off the toilet dude.

[Auden 1809]

As a subscriber the all-time most important issue forever is that the Hollywood Handbook ads are never taken off the episodes.

LOL, yes.

[Kickpuncher 5012]

Also, don't advance your technology at all because I only want to have it on my mp3 player.

 

I get why they don't want to just offer universally portable audio files, but this isn't just an issue of advancing technology. I normally listen to podcasts on my phone, but I only use an mp3 player when I run because a phone is obtrusively large/heavy and I don't want to get it all sweaty or risk dropping it.

[mremu 13]

It's entitled to expect that content that was made to be free, by people that wanted it to be free, and who were not paid for their work, with the expectation of it being free, not be taken over by greedy people that now want to make money off of other people's work?

 

It was free for years, and from my understanding, the hosts do get a share of the profit. To me, to act like people are greedy for charging $4.99 a month for hours and hours and hours of work is ridiculous. I honestly think they could charge a lot more and I'm grateful that the cost is so low. I believe the old tour bundles were like $20 or $25, or you could buy one episode for $2.99.

 

If anyone is greedy, it's you for wanting it all to be free and to keep the hosts and staff from being paid for their hard work. I haven't read anything from old/current hosts complaining about their show no longer being free, so stop acting like you are pissed 'for' them. You are mad because you don't get it for free.

[Splatoon 4]

Finally, we know some of you are frustrated with the Howl app experience, particularly on Android. We hear you. We’ve now made all Howl premium content available within (the recently soft-launched) Stitcher Premium service as well. If you prefer the Stitcher app experience, our customer service team can help you move over.

 

Just to clarify, when you say 'within' does that mean it's included with a Stitcher Premium subscription, or are we paying for both services? Considering this seems like a tacit admission that the Howl Android App is essentially dead in the water, I actually wouldn't mind switching over to a better supported third party service, but double dipping would be a bit much since I've already got a totally solid podcast app in Pocket Casts. Also, if Howl.fm is just going to be a content thing, I'd be happy with paying for a Howl Subscription and dling them on Pocket Casts since that's a one time paid unlock.

[notcory 9]

I personally dont have a problem with the sub to howl. I have a problem with how bare-bones and featureless the site is. Doesn't help that its rarely up to date on any of the ad-free versions of shows.

[LMS 0]

There's really not much Earwolf can do to stop people from ripping the files with a web browser add-on, or torrenting them en masse. I'm sure no one on this forum would do such a thing, however, because everyone here is an upstanding individual. I surely wouldn't.

[MeowingForVengeance 16]

 

So you don't want to pay for it and you don't have the technology to use it either way? You're asking for a lot here man.

 

Not everyone can afford a smartphone, jackass. Who's entitled here again? Putting archives behind a paywall and giving a portion of your audience no way to even pay to download them is stupid.

 

 

I haven't read anything from old/current hosts complaining about their show no longer being free, so stop acting like you are pissed 'for' them. You are mad because you don't get it for free.

 

Listen to the opening of the latest HDTGM. Paul, Jason, and June didn't agree with the decision to paywall the old eps, and were never told when it was going to happen. They were as surprised about it as we were when the switch got flipped last week.

 

Accuse people of being cheap all you want, it doesn't change the fact that Howl has handled this shit very poorly. The tragedy is that this wasn't necessary. They didn't need to take the archives away to make Howl worth paying for--the premium shows are so good they're more than worth the price of admission. I think the paywall hurts more than it helps.

[Lukas Holmes 2287]

 

Not everyone can afford a smartphone, jackass. Who's entitled here again? Putting archives behind a paywall and giving a portion of your audience no way to even pay to download them is stupid.

 

 

 

Listen to the opening of the latest HDTGM. Paul, Jason, and June didn't agree with the decision to paywall the old eps, and were never told when it was going to happen. They were as surprised about it as we were when the switch got flipped last week.

 

Accuse people of being cheap all you want, it doesn't change the fact that Howl has handled this shit very poorly. The tragedy is that this wasn't necessary. They didn't need to take the archives away to make Howl worth paying for--the premium shows are so good they're more than worth the price of admission. I think the paywall hurts more than it helps.

 

Is it really necessary to call me a jackass? And actually, I bought a smartphone for $20 that I don't use for phone service. I just use it to connect to my wi-fi at home and download stuff on the Howl app or my iTunes. I'm just saying, telling a company over and over again that they have to change what they are doing in terms of pay, technology and everything else to suit your needs is a little entitled.

 

In terms of Paul's comments, isn't Paul part owner of this? I was under the impression that he actually bought into Earwolf/Howl last year?

[MeowingForVengeance 16]

 

Is it really necessary to call me a jackass? And actually, I bought a smartphone for $20 that I don't use for phone service. I just use it to connect to my wi-fi at home and download stuff on the Howl app or my iTunes. I'm just saying, telling a company over and over again that they have to change what they are doing in terms of pay, technology and everything else to suit your needs is a little entitled.

 

In terms of Paul's comments, isn't Paul part owner of this? I was under the impression that he actually bought into Earwolf/Howl last year?

 

I never said they had to change anything to suit my needs. That's you putting words in my mouth, which is a thing a jackass does. But that's nice you spent even more money to listen to shows that solicited donations to keep shows free.

 

No idea what Paul owns. I just listen to podcasts.

[Lukas Holmes 2287]

 

I never said they had to change anything to suit my needs. That's you putting words in my mouth, which is a thing a jackass does. But that's nice you spent even more money to listen to shows that solicited donations to keep shows free.

 

No idea what Paul owns. I just listen to podcasts.

 

I was talking about the original poster, not you. But again man, why so fucking aggressive for no reason? Yeah, they solicited donations to keep shows free...they didn't get enough donations to keep shows free. That was the entire implication of all that. 'Help us keep the shows free by donating...' if we they didn't get enough donations, then the shows wouldn't be free anymore. They didn't get enough but the new shows, and 6 months of shows ARE STILL FREE. And the original shows were free for YEARS.

[MeowingForVengeance 16]

 

I was talking about the original poster, not you. But again man, why so fucking aggressive for no reason? Yeah, they solicited donations to keep shows free...they didn't get enough donations to keep shows free. That was the entire implication of all that. 'Help us keep the shows free by donating...' if we they didn't get enough donations, then the shows wouldn't be free anymore. They didn't get enough but the new shows, and 6 months of shows ARE STILL FREE. And the original shows were free for YEARS.

 

Those caps are awfully aggressive, dogg. Like, chill out, broheim. I don't like that shows I donated money to with the idea that they'd stay free and accessible to all are now behind a paywall. No issues with them making money, no issues with them charging money for their product. But there are better ways than making your archives inaccessible.

[elizamuffins 4228]

Real talk though, why did OP post in black text?

[Lukas Holmes 2287]

 

Those caps are awfully aggressive, dogg. Like, chill out, broheim. I don't like that shows I donated money to with the idea that they'd stay free and accessible to all are now behind a paywall. No issues with them making money, no issues with them charging money for their product. But there are better ways than making your archives inaccessible.

 

Well how about the things that were behind paywalls that they brought out for free, like getting Jimmy Pardo and Never Not Funny to bring their stuff out from behind the paywall for us? It's not a one way street here. CAPS