This is something that I have wanted to exist for a long time, but is a pretty massive undertaking because there are so many small niche podcasts.
The podcasts I spot checked all looked fairly accurate, although you do need to be careful with common names. Jordan Morris [1] is the name of a podcaster/comedian, a soccer player, and a singer. All of their profiles are combined into one. In order to separate those out you would need to do some analysis on the genre of the podcasts. The podcasts that talk about sports are probably talking about the soccer player, etc. It is also tough to rely on common lookup tools like Google because the Jordan Morris that is a podcaster is probably the least famous of the three but is clearly the most relevant for your site.
Adding to this, there seems to be something weird going on as Jordan Morris is only listed as being on 1 episode of Jordan, Jesse Go! (which he is the co-host of)[0]. Something seems to be off in how people are attached to episodes/podcasts as well. Definitely more analysis needs to be done - which makes you realize how much more complex of a problem this really is!
I really like the idea, but (to give some feedback) I don't think one can call anything the imdb for x without a best/worst 250. And ratings and explore by category and I want a pony... (Also the site is somewhat unfriendly for NoScript users, apparently one has to allow apple.com to get search working, which is counter intuitive. But of course noscript users should expect some trouble.)
Agreed, though I want this more than I want the imdb for podcasts.
Ratings and recommendations would be nifty I guess, but I've wanted a one stop shop for podcasts with a clean and consistent layout for a long time. I mean, one that doesn't make me install a bloated program that I don't want to use.
This one's checked off, my other podcast wishlist items:
1) autotag my podcasts by parsing their RSS feeds
2) a head unit in my car that would connect to my wifi from my driveway or garage, then automatically download new episodes of subscribed podcasts every night or morning. Ideally I could manage my subscriptions on my PC through a website or through a settings page the car offers to my network, so I'm not forced to use the limited controls of a car to manage podcast subscriptions. (Maybe everyone else solves this problem by just keeping an iPhone with unlimited data in their cup holder.)
Exactly - I run a wifi range extender in the car that connects to my home wireless when it is parked out front of the house, and an iPod that connects to that wireless to do syncing. It's magically dorky, and has spawned friends into getting repeaters for mesh networking and playing Lan games on mobile devices while roadtripping, which is equally amazing.
Staying on topic - this site is great so far and looking forward to seeing more features added. Really agree that a top X by category and 'similar to' rating system would make this pretty killer.
Yes, discovery is very poor. I don't know what to type in the search box, so I give up looking. Ratings would help discovery, but so would tagging, "related" podcasts, "suggested for you", etc.
I myself is a busy guy with frequent business trips, always need a podcast app on my Android phone to save favorite episodes such as particular music, audios that I prefer while I am on my way. CastBox APP is the one I am addicted to recently, highly recommended download it from google play. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.podcast.po...
Great idea and something that's missing with podcasts. I took a look at some names and noticed you have missing data. For example, Christian Finnegan is a regular on Keith and The Girl podcast but he's only listed twice https://www.podcat.com/people/zXNOK2
Off topic, but it's interesting to see that you're active on HN, as I certainly remember you on the forums and on the show. I used to be a big fan of KATG from about 2008 to 2012 but fell off the bandwagon.
As far as podcast communities go, however, it always did seem like you guys had a good handle on using the web for interacting with fans and established a decent setup for monetizing the product which a lot of other podcasts lack. So...good job.
From a technical perspective, I've been working on streaming live shows via YouTube and having that automatically embed on the homepage and throughout the site. It's displaying 4 cameras in a 2x2 layout similar to this NSFW clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLqRSwyqnU1WEECXxN3uN08G2...
I'm also working on a new app that uses Cordova/Ionic Framework that'll make it easier to listen for regular fans and premium VIP members. In the spirit of staying connected with the fans, I've been posting updates on that progress https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C219o_6tzNk
As far as using the web for interacting with fans, it's been a challenge, so it's great to hear your compliment. Initially, we just had our own forums where fans would participate. Now, our community interaction is fragmented along Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Reddit and our forums. Of course, all those platforms allow us to stay in front of more fans but it's a challenge to keep posting across those platforms without just repeating the same exact thing on each site.
All very cool stuff. Let's just say that the reasons why I stopped listening to KATG were not tech related.
There was a point when I was beginning discussions with a former KATG guest to develop an app for his podcast, but that didn't work out. Similar to your work it would've involved going much further beyond simple RSS feeds and I would've needed to write an API, provision servers, and write a front end (I was looking at possibly Meteor/PhoneGap), and we didn't see eye-to-eye on time frame and compensation/profit sharing for such a project.
My point is that it does appear that there's a market for podcasts that can go beyond the simple RSS/iTunes feed, and I wonder if there's any developers doing any serious work on this front. Like a "podcast community as a service", where the fractured elements you noted are all combined in one ecosystem.
The biggest issue I see with podcasting is the complicated subscribe process and monetization of the show. The biggest fish (Marc, Joe, Leo) have a team behind them to help with monetization but subscribing is still problematic.
Without having a custom app for your podcast, you need to explain to people what an RSS feed is. You just lost 80% of your potential listeners.
Alternatively, you can suggest they use a 3rd party app, like Stitcher and search for your show. Now you're promoting someone else's product and it's impossible to create a sales funnel using someone else's app, if the customer even manages to jump through the hurdle of installing Stitcher and then finding your show.
From a developers perspective, there are the problems that you described and there's no white labeled podcast app. That means, most podcasters can't afford to have their own app.
Podcasting is a medium that's dying to be upended. I'm experimenting with some ideas to do just that. First step is getting the KATG app into production, so I can test some of my theories.
Sounds like you're an app developer as well. Working on any fun projects?
SkipCast displays an in-app link to that location with the text 'Donate'. Uptake for this feature has been quite positive.
I'd love to expand support for this to other systems and tags. It's an interesting little feature, and as an avid Podcast listener as well as app developer, hope content creators find success with it. It's quite literally the least we can do as developers.
Finally: Quick shout out to KATG, I've spend hours staring at your cover art as it was one of my favorite test feeds used when developing the app!
No offense to you or your product, and I did read the description, but I still don't see how can you justify $25 for a podcast app. More importantly, I don't see how a regular user would even bother to read the description after seeing that price.
Goodness, no offense taken, it's a completely valid point.
The price point deserves a more thorough write up. For now:
I released SkipCast last July at $2.99. Considering I had video playback, advanced audio effects (including skip silence), and lots more, I thought this was a solid fit for the current marketplace.
The result: In the next 5 months I'd get just 6 sales, 3 of which were from family members (thanks mom!). Total app store revenue: $18.
Of course I did my best to market the little bugger, and even added features as the result of partnerships with the aforementioned RawVoice. Press releases went out, Nada.
And so after 6 months, out of sheer curiosity I went totally free and saw my downloads SKYROCKET to ... 5-6 a day.
--
At this point then I had a choice. I ain't getting sales and I ain't getting free downloads.
And so I did what anyone with a lick of pride would. Charge real money. I literally did it to not get sales, as I wasn't getting them anyway. At least this way I'm not whoring myself out. Honestly, for how many hours I put into this project it felt wonderful to jack that price up!
The kicker: Since the price increase I've finally had enough sales to cover my developer fee, and I've only recently renewed for another year.
The reason? I think it's easy to see why.
For one, it immediately sets you apart in the app store. You're scrolling around and see a $24 app and you're bound to take notice.
Of course most will scoff, but, apparently, enough have not. It at least gets someone on my app store page.
Second, I make specific mention of the price in the very first line of the description, and later, actually mention the fact that I'm trying something different.
Look, the bottom line is in my naiveté I thought that in a potential marketplace of 1 billion users there was room enough for 15 or so Podcast clients. Turns our I was wrong. I can't control that, but what I can do is add my voice to the ranks who should stand up to cheep bastards who expect all software to be free. You want SkipCast, you'll have to pay for it.
Interesting app. How do you think the price point is effecting the revenue? Are you following a model for higher priced apps or developing one as you go?
>Podcasting is a medium that's dying to be upended.
I couldn't agree more, specifically in the realm of comedy podcasts. I don't have the hands on experience you do, but I've followed a lot of podcasts that have grown to the point where they have a rabid fanbase that's dying to pay for more content, but existing means of doing so are clunky or otherwise unappealing (some podcasts that come out of a certain Mexican restaruant/comedy club in LIC come to mind). The closest thing (short of joining a subscription network like KATG's) is probably Patreon, which in my experience has been less than ideal.
Also, many comedians treat podcasts as means to an end (increased album sales, drawing bigger crowds on the road) where as I imagine many comedians could be earning more from their podcasts than any other single thing they do (short of maybe attaining that Louis CK/Kevin Hart/Amy Schumer level of fame). If there was an easy way to set it all up it would take minimal extra effort from the comedians and could turn into a really nice revenue source.
But enough of me blathering about things you're already well aware of, I'm sure. I work for a desktop software provider mainly handling integrations with other companies through our webservice -- mostly backend LAMP stack stuff. No fun side projects as of yet, but the more I think about this podcast stuff the more I think I should try to do something.
You mentioned LIC, are you local to NYC? If so, it'd be great to continue the conversation in person. Feel free to email me. It's michael@my HN username.com
I noticed a similar issue with Comedy Bang Bang. The host (Scott Aukerman) and the main guest (Paul F. Tompkins) are missing from the most recent episode.
Neat idea, I'd love to see this take off. I imagine it's going to take a lot of work to reach Imdb-level comprehensiveness though. Until a certain threshold is met, it's going to be hard to beat Googling (person's name) + podcast.
Here's my anecdata:
Searched for John Oliver and got no relevant results.
Searched for Andy Zaltzman and got his cricket podcast.
Searched for The Bugle and found it, but no links to the aforementioned hosts.
Searched for John Bain and got his picture + a mention from a podcast I didn't recognize.
Searched for TotalBiscuit and found The Co-optional Podcast and other CynicalBrit stuff.
Hmm...I wonder how many bits of my own identifying info I just leaked there... Oh well.
Awesome product. I love that podcasts are getting more attention, with companies creating discovery platforms like http://producthunt.com/podcasts.
One suggestion - would be really nice to have categories for podcasts. Much like movies, it is difficult for niche/indie movies to compete with the super well funded hollywood productions. For example, we produce a software podcast (http://softwareengineeringdaily.com) and it would be a huge benefit to be able to search for Tech specific shows and see what's relevant to you.
This is the main feature that I use on IMDb. Rate stuff myself and explore based on rankings. Thus IMDb would be pretty much the last thing I would compare podcat to personally.
I like how the people behind the podcasts, the hosts and frequent guests are catalogued. It's an interesting way to browse for episodes and podcasts that I haven't seen done anywhere else.
Shameless plug: I've been working on a similar project (https://podcast.party/) that also lets you subscribe to podcasts to keep track of which episodes you have played/unplayed.
Just spent a few minutes playing around with your site. Very nice. I really like how your discovery lists show the last time the podcast was updated, the number of episodes, and the average length. Filtering on those attributes would be an awesome feature.
I would love a way to browse through podcast categories. From the homepage, I was looking for a 'tech' link or something to find some that would interest me. Great start though. Good luck.
I agree. Search results seem to be limited to 6 and even more problematics is that I find myself at a loss for exactly what to search for. Lots of promise here, but as it is, it's pretty hard to discover new content. Keep it up!
I love the concept. There still seems to be some room for improvement, though. When searching for "Tom Merritt", it only shows podcasts that "mention Tom Merritt" as opposed to podcasts he's been in or hosted. I plan on checking back in a couple months to see how it has come along. Love the idea, though!
Seeing this post, I did the same for 'Bill Burr'. For Burr's profile it has him listed as 'Hosts:' for 'Monday Morning Podcast' under his profile picture; As well as the mentions in the center. So, I repeated this for 'Tom Merritt' and you're right, it only has the the mentions; no 'Hosts:' section.
Thanks, I tried to differentiate between hosts and guests early on but there are too many false positives so I switched verbiage. Working on this though!
Overcast[1] has an index. At least for the incredibly small subset of podcasts I looked at, Overcast is a more complete index.
Podcat does not seem to get the names of podcasters correct. For example, searching for Marco Arment links to only some episodes of 'Build and Analyze', which is Arment's old podcast where he appeared in 100% of episodes.
Podcat appears to index names if the given name is name-checked in a podcast's episode text. That's going to be a spam target.
Potentially Podcat could be a great thing. Interesting work.
Since most of my podcasts are technical (as I assume many other HN readers' podcasts are) many of them also have video. Sometimes only specific episodes have a video component (e.g. Lately in JavaScript), and sometimes every episode has a video component (e.g. JavaScript Air).
All of the ones I listen to that have video versions also provide an audio-only version, but the host or guests occasionally still refer to something on the screen.
So, it would be nice to be able to filter on episodes that do or don't have a video version.
This looks great. It would be awesome if you could add a direct link to the XML feed for the podcast since it's a pain to pull it out[0] and super useful for those not using iTunes.
Love the idea, but this seems like it would require a ton of work for it to be remotely comprehensive.
In addition to the missing data, the false positives are an issue. First podcast I checked was Second Captains, which incorrectly lists Rafael Nadal, Donald Trump, Mike Tyson, Cristiano Ronaldo, etc as guests.
This is well executed. I attempted to build something very similar about a year ago. I had a decent prototype, but found it rather difficult to aggregate a complete listing of podcasts scattered around the internet.
The world needs a centralized podcast app other than iTunes. Keep up the good work!
This looks cool, very fast search and I like the idea of referencing names (presumably through name-checking of episode summaries?). I worked on a side project a few months ago[1] as I just wanted my own personal webplayer. It's OK, but has the limitation that it only works with podcasts that have discoverable RSS feeds; many are behind the walled gardens of iTunes or Soundcloud or other proprietary platforms unfortunately. As it's really to scratch an itch for my own needs it doesn't do ratings/comments/recommendations which would be on my todo list for a more complete app. Are you planning on adding these features in the near future?
I tried searching for Patio11, because... well, Patio11. :-) Didn't see a submit button so I pressed enter. Nothing happened. Tried a couple of times, including accessing the page by "Request desktop site". Same result.
Try "Kalzumeus" or "Patrick McKenzie", although I will definitely take a whack at my metadata in response to this comment. (I use "Perhaps better known as patio11" as a self-deprecating joke and forget that it is actually literally true when making consequential decisions like e.g. metadata, registering domain names, etc. Someone got patio11.com and transferred it to me, shocked that I hadn't thought of that. I'm shocked, too.)
Same on desktop, but the problem is that nothing comes up for patio11 and when nothing comes up it doesn't display any results at all. Try a different search and it should display the results below the search bar.
Please keep it up and continuing to find a way to make it more complete. Right now I can find appearances by Daniel Negreanu by searching in iTunes, but not through Podcat. Also it would be awesome if there were a way to include information beyond the RSS feed of a podcast - for example Arcade Outsiders only includes information from the most recent 20 or so episodes, though there have been 89+ episodes overall which are all still available with information on the Arcade Outsiders website.
Another possible feature: strip out the repetitive portions of episode descriptions on the results page when the displayed text is always the same for all the results on the page.
Nice one! I made myself a slightly lighter, curated version, a few months back...bit unfinished, but one massive json object containing hours of goodness.
The criteria for a good podcast in my perspective should support us to Create custom stations of your favorite radio and podcast that update automatically when new episodes become available. At the same time, you can Use the On-The-Go playlist to play just the episodes you want. I’m addicted to CastBox APP downloaded from Google Play cuz I really enjoy the bus time with audio books, breaking news during breakfast and free music for my bedtime. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.podcast.po...
For example, there's at least two Mike/Micheal Duncan's, one does history podcasting (history of rome, revolutions, both awesome) and the other I'm not familiar with but apparently does something biblical.
The history podcaster does not show up as a person but the preacher does.
The history podcasts show up for mike duncan but not micheal duncan.
The history podcaster is "kinda famous ish" in the the field of history podcasting and keeps getting interviewed on other shows, pretty sure he was on "life of caesar" and a couple others, but those either don't show up or haven't been crawled by the search.
wow, this is terrific. It's something often discussed with friends that someone needs to do this - but we never offered ourselves up due the absolutely massive undertaking it would be. Super excited that someone's done this though.
I hope the site keeps growing - It'd be great to have some of the suggestions already made to be part of it.
the "top 250" would be interesting and for me personally, I'm not sure how much faith I'd put into it: I'm quite finicky when it comes to podcasts. I have a couple of podcasts that I listen to religiously, but I also have some podcasts that I subscribe to, but would only download depending on the guest for that episode, and then there's some podcasts that are right up my alley, interest wise, but something as simple as one of the person's voices/accent is so off-putting that I disregard it completely. With movies, it's easy to say "that movie isn't for me, but I can understand the praise it's receiving", but I don't think podcasts really work that way
Wow. Thanks for filling up such an obvious gap in content database. Loving the topic/mention based search, looking forward to great things in this aspect.
Although first requested feature would be ability to sign, make profile for listened podcasts and preferably add notes/review/ discussion about a specific episode.
Thanks for the product. Looking forward to its growth.
I've been enjoying podcasts for many years now, so this seems like a wonderful resource...great work guys/gals!
If anyone is looking looking for something different and educational and entertaining, check out Dan Carlin's Hardcore History. It's amazing, and I've been a fan of his for a decade now and he keeps getting better and better.
Dammit, suckered in by the headline. I need a database with metadata for Plex, but other than the image itself, there's nothing here. No blurb, no genre, nada.
Will say that I thought I had it stumped with one radio program, but I typed in the name and it came up.
Is this thing going to have a rest api or something?
I'm noticing many omissions and errors from my friends' podcasts (which aren't all that popular, so understandable.) Rather than list the issues here, I'm wondering what's the best way they can improve the data for their shows and personas overall.
Is there any tool to search for podcast by length or format?
I really like the Writing Excuses podcast (from suggestions on HN) and would like to find others in the same format on different topics. Short podcasts with well thought out analysis and answers.
Feature request: I know that many podcasts I listen to have comprehensive show notes for each episode, it'd be great if there were an easy way to tie in or link to the information in the show notes on a per episode basis!
I love this so much.... finding certain podcasts have changed my life so much, and I've been wanting something like this for a long time. Thank you! I really look forward to watching this app evolve!
Something strange is going on with scrolling. When I scroll quickly down the page, it jumps back to the top. Looks like a great resource, looking forward to checking it out in detail later!
simple marketing 101 Use an email address at your domain... you can easily have it forward to gmail behind the scenes, and replies will look as if they're coming from your domain. Can you imagine people at IMBD having email addresses on the gmail domain?
This is awesome! I'm sure if you open up the API, many people would want if for their respective players (this would be awesome with Overcast.fm, for example)
I got a bunch of names from network sites and a bunch more I entered manually. If you host a podcast you can use the contact form and I'll add you to the system!
Still building up a user base so we can have better results, but here is the top list of our platform: https://podcastprofile.com/top
(the project is in its early stages, basically the result of a hackathon we had a few weeks back)
The podcasts I spot checked all looked fairly accurate, although you do need to be careful with common names. Jordan Morris [1] is the name of a podcaster/comedian, a soccer player, and a singer. All of their profiles are combined into one. In order to separate those out you would need to do some analysis on the genre of the podcasts. The podcasts that talk about sports are probably talking about the soccer player, etc. It is also tough to rely on common lookup tools like Google because the Jordan Morris that is a podcaster is probably the least famous of the three but is clearly the most relevant for your site.
[1] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan_Morris