The city of Chicago, Illinois has recently seen a major development in the world of podcasting. Pocket Casts, a popular podcast platform owned by Automattic Inc., the company behind WordPress, has announced a significant change to its service.
Previously, access to Pocket Casts’ web player was only available to users who paid a monthly subscription fee. However, the company has now decided to make its web player free for all users. This move allows listeners to stream nearly any public-facing podcast feed, along with various playback controls like speed adjustments and playlist management. Users can create an account to sync their progress, bookmark favorite moments in episodes, and save their subscriptions and preferences. The free access also extends to Pocket Casts’ clients for Windows and Mac operating systems.
In a blog post, Pocket Casts emphasized the importance of keeping podcasting open and accessible, stating that “podcasts belong to the people, not corporations.” This statement seems to be directed towards streaming services like Spotify, which have been criticized for trying to monopolize podcast content and format within their platforms. Pocket Casts also highlighted the significance of organic discovery over algorithm-driven recommendations, emphasizing the role of users in determining what content is promoted.
The podcasting landscape has seen significant shifts in recent years, with platforms like Spotify investing heavily in exclusive podcast content and advertising tools. As Spotify moves towards video podcasts to compete with platforms like YouTube, concerns about the original open nature of podcasting being compromised have arisen. Pocket Casts and its parent company, Automattic, are actively engaged in discussions about the openness of their products, reflecting a larger debate within the industry about who should have control over podcast content.
Overall, the decision by Pocket Casts to make its web player free to all users reflects a commitment to preserving the accessibility and openness of the podcasting world. By providing users with more control over their listening experience, Pocket Casts is taking a stand against the trend of locking podcast content behind paywalls and proprietary formats. As the podcasting industry continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how other platforms respond to this push for transparency and user empowerment.