If I were podcasting (and I soon will be, when Apple get my iBook here) then I wouldn’t be interested in getting to the top of a source such as Podcast Alley so much as building a loyal fan base that are going to stick around if something goes bad. Votes are just entries in a DB, and like all forms of statistics, can be manipulated to say anything you want them to… People are a little bit harder to bend to your will.

Thanks for the thoughful comments. Perhaps I’ve turned “thousands” of listeners off. On the other hand, perhaps thousands more have listened BECAUSE of the controversey. I don’t care if they like me. I just want them to listen.

Also, I highly doubt most podcast listeners are even aware of this controversey, despite the efforts of a few blogs and forum posters.

Coldforged,

No need to talk down to me, homeslice. I completely understand how you misinterpreted what I said. I didn’t ask anyone to vote DND down. I simply *suggested* that those who have listened and didn’t like their show vote them a one.
Not that I expect you to change your mind on this. I’m simply pointing it out for everyone reading this.

Regards,
Ian

This is a tough concept, I understand. Let me rephrase: if you have to ask for people to vote against people higher than you, you’re not succeeding solely on your own merits. If a billion people love you and vote 5 stars until they’re blue in the face, that’s success. Soliciting people to vote down another program is simply artificially bouying your own score relative to theirs. And that’s simply crap.

I’ve never heard your show. To be honest, I don’t listen to any podcasts regularly. This is not about podcasting, this is about integity.

Ian, you have suceeded in making it to the top of the Podcast Alley list, but have also succeeded in alienating your show from THOUSANDS of potential new listeners in the process (the “podcast community”). Oops. Not MY idea of how to market a show.

You guys do a good show. Frankly, you could use more humor, but it is a clear, well produced, well thought out program. The show is an important tool in pushing your political agenda forward, and if this vote-getting effort is all about getting press, I think your political message is more important than your ranking on a web site. The whole vote grubbing thing should really be beneith you…

But, this has been an important wake-up call for the rest of us, Ian, and for that we should thank you. It is a reminder that not everyone “podcasting” is doing it as a hobbiest, sitting on the floor in front of their sofa in their socks, talking about having relations with their own mother (no, I am not a D&D fan either). The hobbiests, and everyone else doing it as a lark or going to be competing for attention and listeners with careerists, corporations and worse…radio. By this time next week, every radio station in the country will be “podcasting.” It’s time we all adjusted.

We HAVE gotten to where we are based on our own merits. I have a dedicated crew of listeners who vote for Free Talk Live again, and again, and again. Some shows just have more listeners than others. Sorry, but that’s how it works.
There was nothing artificial done to get where we are.

Regards,
Ian

Yes, we are targeting Dawn and Drew. If you were number one, we

Yes, we are targeting Dawn and Drew. If you were number one, we’d be targeting you, however we have already surpassed you.

No the last sentiment has not been abandoned. We’re considering abandoning it because a DND listener has threatened to stack votes against us.

Also, the guy who voted ten times did that in as many days, not all on the same day. The way he stated it was a little confusing.

Best Regards,
Ian

As for why everyone wants to be in the top ten? Up until about 6 weeks ago, it was a competition for recognition among the podcasters. Over the last 6 weeks it has turned to a means to get media attention. I’m not one to complain, Reel Reviews has certainly benefited from the recent media attention, but that is not why we were asking for votes. I think some of the people fighting for top ten might be disappointed, the media attention will soon turn towards revenue and business models that are emerging rather than vote rankings.

Podcasting is starting to turn. Exciting things are on the horizon.

I’ve voted for two or three podcasts at the alley, but as I understand it, you can vote every 24 hours? For the same podcast? I barely have enough time in my life to do the stuff I have to do. Its one reason podcasting is so attractive; it lets me make use of time that would otherwise be lost.

You do a good show in a niche genre and filmlovers and the Netflix-challenged will find you. A top ten seens counterintuititve for something with unlimited possibilities anyway.

As others (including Dave Slusher and Michael Geoghegan) have blogged, Chris McIntyre’s Podcast Alley site is [...]