New Audio only Podcasts?

@Leo you are too beautiful not to be on camera! Xoxo

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You can poll all you want but audio costs 3% of what it takes for video production. We get to 30K subscribers then video is an option. All future shows outside of Hands-On Photography will be launched audio only or we can’t afford to launch new shows.

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I can’t wait til TWiT does the CES coverage next year. Not just for the coverage itself, but it would be cool to see the lean mobile video setup going (as Leo’s mentioned before) that would likely also serve well as a backup in case of future, prolonged emergency (I’m sure being down for more than 3 days would cost a lot of money).

It won’t match production level of the studio, but if you can get ~90% of the quality for less than 10% of the cost, I think the viewers would overlook any difference in production (especially for live events).

Leo, a smartphone on a DJI Osmo 3 or DSLR with external mic, and a camera person/editor with an LTE laptop would be all you need to send out, I think. Stuff Leo’s SCOTTeVEST full of power banks, cables, and lume cubes just in case. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

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I used to watch the TWiT videos exclusively, but the last year or so found myself doing audio during my commute to work and have not watched video at all. Honestly, most of the shows work fine with audio only, it is only the ones that regularly what to hold something up to the camera were it makes a difference.

Makes sense. But, I would agree that a show like Hands-On Photography really does need the video component.
I hope that this will be true for other new shows, that if video is a necessity that it will be done.

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Yeah that’s kind of what we’re planning @AaronK.

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Sounds perfect Leo. I definitely appreciate the amount of work/time/money it takes to put out the quality product that TWIT produces. The fact that you guys do podcasts on multiple different topics and continue to produce them with great quality, speaks greatly of your staff.

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Understood. Audio only shows are better than no shows. I’ll be listening/watching either way.

My preference is audio only because that is best for how I consume content. The audio podcast allows me to listen why I do other things like drive, work around the house, workout, etc. Certainly there is content that must delivered with video. Largely that is not necessary and as Leo often jokes why provide video for his Tech Guy radio show? Great if he can but he does a fantastic job (as do the other hosts) discussing complex material that audio more that satisfactory for me. Thanks for all the great content - listener for over 10 years and loving it.

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I subscribe to the video versions of all the shows that I watch (MacBreak Weekly, Security Now, and Windows Weekly, and TWiT). It’s nice to have video for Security Now because I can see Steve’s ā€œPicture of the Weekā€ without having to try to imagine it via Steve’s oral description of it. In a similar vein, it is nice to have video versions of the shows when Leo is showing something on screen that I am curious about. Most of the time, I end up multitasking while running the video so I am not necessarily just sitting and watching the entire show, but it is nice to be able to view what is being shown on Leo’s screen when it is something of interest to me.

With all of that said, not having video is not a deal breaker for me. It is nice to have the option for both audio and video versions, but audio-only would probably be fine for most of the shows.

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you need video or i well not be there so make subscribe to 30 or is it 4,00000000000 now i not wich

I don’t think the audio only podcasts will affect me too much. I watch a lot live. Then listen when I’m out.

I listen to a lot of audio only podcasts. I watch most of the twit shows on video, but I do feel that some don’t require it. iOS today is great with video but I could easily just listen to security now. It should be based on the type of show and I think a mix of audio only and audio and video shows would be ideal. I don’t believe it has to be one or the other for all new shows.

only 3%? I was thinking like 25%, if it’s that much cheaper I can see why Audio only is the future.

I wish it weren’t so but video production is super expensive.

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Spoken like a true bean counter…from a fellow bean counter. :money_mouth_face:

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What? The inmates aren’t running the asylum?

I prefer both. I usually will listen to the audio of the downloaded video. I often listen as I drive to and from work. But when discussing things I’ve not seen or new hardware I’ll open up the video and watch to see what I’m missing. That’s why I subscribe to video pay my mobile carrier to download it and consume the audio of it every chance I get.

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I’m fine with audio only. I can listen while driving or walking the dogs. A friend just produced a video for HamNation and I criticized him for not producing a proper audio track. I said, ā€œIt’s ham radio, right?ā€

Video feeds are part of what makes TWIT better than the competitors. I think you need to reconsider or you will loose this longtime viewer.
Thanks.

Me either! If there is no video, I will not subscribe. Sorry!