Poodcast Friendships

I want to write about something I've discovered over time as continue to kill time at work listening to various podcasts. Over time a sort of relationship between the listener and the podcaste talent develops. After listening to hours each week of the Giant bombcast, former ListenUP, Rebel FM, Sports Anamoly, Retronauts, The Hotspot, WSJ Carcast, The Daily Madden, and the former 1UP podcasts (pre UGO); I have a feeling as if I actually know all the people on the podcasts. Each week it is as if I'm sitting in the same podcast room with them as they talk about games, cars, or sports. I would like to look further into this because it is a wierd artificial connection that is developed with the listeners.

First off I'm a well adjusted and realize I don't actually know any of the Podcasters and they don't know me. However, overtime the listeners develop a sense that they do know the podcasters and it is almost as if you do become friends because the podcasters talk to you over the course of days, weeks, months, and for me 2 years now. It becomes like having a friend who talks about interesting things but never lets you get a word in sort of like my first podcast impression of Shane. Podcasts develop into a huge fan base for the personalities and actually leads many fans seek out other content of there "favorite" podcasters.

Some of the podcast do a better job at acknoledging the development of the fan base such as the 1UP ComicCon meet-up with Garnett and Tina, which is really a great way to show appreciation for the listeners that provide an audience for thier content. I also would understand some of the podcasters being leiry of hanging out with the "fans" or listeners because lets face it there are a lot of crazy people out there with no sense of boundaries. I think reaching out to the fan base in a meaningful way is a difficult and challenging area for podcasters because you have a way of strengthening your fan base, but you also don't want to be to accessible to the unstable.  

I think the relationship between the listener and podcaster has some major value added business benefits as well. The podcasters can develop a market for there other paid content such as articles and grow click threws by listeners interested in there voice. Also as the podcasters for various reasons leave the companies or podcasts they previously were on they have a built in fan base that will follow and sometimes even pay for content (i.e. Rebel FM, Geekbox, Co-Op, & Giant Bomb). I personally became a 1UP user and EGM subscriber after hearing the podcasts. I discovered that I prefered the indepth analysis and discussions on the podcasts and I wanted more. I also followed all the podcasters that left on their new podcasts.

In conclusion podcast enable the building of a onesided friend like relationship with major potential benefits for the podcasters with a few risks. After listening to the former Bombcast I always wanted to go to the bar with you guys and have a drink and talk about whatever current big game.

I want to write about something I've discovered over time as continue to kill time at work listening to various podcasts. Over time a sort of relationship between the listener and the podcaste talent develops. After listening to hours each week of the Giant bombcast, former ListenUP, Rebel FM, Sports Anamoly, Retronauts, The Hotspot, WSJ Carcast, The Daily Madden, and the former 1UP podcasts (pre UGO); I have a feeling as if I actually know all the people on the podcasts. Each week it is as if I'm sitting in the same podcast room with them as they talk about games, cars, or sports. I would like to look further into this because it is a wierd artificial connection that is developed with the listeners.

First off I'm a well adjusted and realize I don't actually know any of the Podcasters and they don't know me. However, overtime the listeners develop a sense that they do know the podcasters and it is almost as if you do become friends because the podcasters talk to you over the course of days, weeks, months, and for me 2 years now. It becomes like having a friend who talks about interesting things but never lets you get a word in sort of like my first podcast impression of Shane. Podcasts develop into a huge fan base for the personalities and actually leads many fans seek out other content of there "favorite" podcasters.

Some of the podcast do a better job at acknoledging the development of the fan base such as the 1UP ComicCon meet-up with Garnett and Tina, which is really a great way to show appreciation for the listeners that provide an audience for thier content. I also would understand some of the podcasters being leiry of hanging out with the "fans" or listeners because lets face it there are a lot of crazy people out there with no sense of boundaries. I think reaching out to the fan base in a meaningful way is a difficult and challenging area for podcasters because you have a way of strengthening your fan base, but you also don't want to be to accessible to the unstable.  

I think the relationship between the listener and podcaster has some major value added business benefits as well. The podcasters can develop a market for there other paid content such as articles and grow click threws by listeners interested in there voice. Also as the podcasters for various reasons leave the companies or podcasts they previously were on they have a built in fan base that will follow and sometimes even pay for content (i.e. Rebel FM, Geekbox, Co-Op, & Giant Bomb). I personally became a 1UP user and EGM subscriber after hearing the podcasts. I discovered that I prefered the indepth analysis and discussions on the podcasts and I wanted more. I also followed all the podcasters that left on their new podcasts.

In conclusion podcast enable the building of a onesided friend like relationship with major potential benefits for the podcasters with a few risks. After listening to the former Bombcast I always wanted to go to the bar with you guys and have a drink and talk about whatever current big game.

I bet if you kidnapped them and kept them tied up in your basement for a while they would realize how much they have in common with you and you would all become the best of friends.

i know what you mean, and I've noticed the same thing before. I think thats a big part of why there was such an uproar over jeff leaving gamespot - for people who watched the shows and listened to the podcast every week it felt a bit like losing a friend. I also think it's why the quick looks and endurance run on giantbomb are so good and so popular, because it feels like your sitting around with some mates talking rubbish and playing games. What that says about all us nerdish types sitting alone and feeling like the podcasters are our friends is something I'd rather not think about, but it seems like the mark of a good site that it creates that feeling in the community.

yeah i feel the same.

Well, this is depressing and well put.

I hope they keep protection at Giantbomb incase someone went totally mental.

When that thing happened with Jeff I saw some weird, truly fanatical people come out of the woodwork, fuckin scary internet dudes, it's all down to loneliness innit.