I’ve been fascinated by how much control iTunes has over podcast distribution and discovery, especially since podcasts are so sharable and so easy to embed and distro in countless places. It’s like Amazon and ebooks. Going to be very challenging to break apart that marketshare.
The current audible strategy regarding podcasts just feels like value add for their membership model for audio books, which are a high margin digital product business with a loyal, growing, high income audience.
I like the idea of podcasts going the accelerated route of what’s happening with tv programming. Short term: Pockets of exclusivity for top shows / networks is going to be a growing trend. Windowing of release dates — members getting early, also will be a rising trend.
One thing is for sure: it’s fun to be playing in a space where so much is up in the air.
