SiriusXM To Shut Down Stitcher Podcast App (hollywoodreporter.com) 15
SiriusXM will shut down its podcast app Stitcher at the end of August. The Hollywood Reporter reports: In a memo sent to employees, executives from the satellite radio and audio company said SiriusXM will not be backing away from podcasting, but rather will be trying to move more listeners over to its SXM app in order to grow subscriber numbers ahead of new "streaming experience" launching this fall. The SiriusXM Podcast Network, which includes content production hubs Stitcher Studios and Earwolf, remains unchanged as part of this decision and there will not be layoffs as part of this.
"The scale and reach of our widely distributed podcasts has been and remains a crucial accelerant for our advertising sales business, while incorporating podcasts more holistically into our flagship SiriusXM subscription service will help to drive further growth. As a result, we have made the decision to sunset our stand-alone podcast listening app as we increase our focus on these priorities," reads an internal memo Tuesday from chief product and tech officer Joe Inzerillo, chief ad revenue officer John Trimble and chief content officer Scott Greenstein.
"The scale and reach of our widely distributed podcasts has been and remains a crucial accelerant for our advertising sales business, while incorporating podcasts more holistically into our flagship SiriusXM subscription service will help to drive further growth. As a result, we have made the decision to sunset our stand-alone podcast listening app as we increase our focus on these priorities," reads an internal memo Tuesday from chief product and tech officer Joe Inzerillo, chief ad revenue officer John Trimble and chief content officer Scott Greenstein.
OK (Score:5, Funny)
...and nothing of value was lost.
Re:OK (Score:4, Informative)
Stitcher = Free.
SXM App = Paid.
Re:OK (Score:5, Interesting)
Just because you don't use something doesn't mean it has no value.
Stitcher was free and easy to use. Their premium was cheap. This is just more consolidation of podcasts behind the major corporations that get yet more information about you.
I can already see the response. "Just don't listen to podcasts!"
Apply that to everything. Just don't browse the internet! Just don't ever use a mobile app!
Re: (Score:2)
Easy to use. Not in the slightest. Way too many ads and non-podcast horseshit clogged the app to the point of worthlessness.
It is. It sucks. This will do nothing but bring the quality down and I have no recourse.
Re: (Score:1)
Why can't they just divest it? (Score:2)
Why can't they just sell it to a new owner?
Re: (Score:2)
Seems like they're just merging it with their main app
Re: (Score:2)
Who's buying these days? Even CBS got out of radio.
As Taylor sang it: (Score:1)
darling, because you break them,
try to make them make you a bunch of cash...
[...]
Because Capitalism is a nice thing too
Ha ha I can't even say that with a straight face!
Okay, not so much a quote as a paraphrase.
Audio quality (Score:2, Interesting)
So if they force people to use the SiriusXM app and subscription does that mean the podcasts will have the same horrible audio quality as the rest of the channels? I don't know how anyone can listen to SiriusXM. The audio quality is atrocious, especially for the talk channels. Totally un-listenable.
Re:Audio quality (Score:4, Informative)
Totally un-listenable.
The satellite audio quality isn't that bad, but that has nothing AT ALL to do with Stitcher. Stitcher is a podcast app delivered by internet, not satellite.
Re: (Score:2)
Sure but sticher is going away. That's what this article was all about. Instead they'll roll in the podcast stuff into their normal Sirius XM offering. I assume that means the Sirius XM app (and a subscription) will be required. Hopefully the audio quality in the app is much better than over satellite. It's horrible via satellite. Totaly unlisten-able. Tinny, mechanical voices. yuck.
Re: (Score:2)
Yes, by necessity the satellite channels are horribly compressed. I usually listen to Sirius XM over the internet and the channels sound fine there.
Re: (Score:1)
Yep. Years ago we had XM subscriptions. I really wanted to listen to the BBC and news when on the road. Pre phone live streaming.
The "talk" audio quality was unacceptable to me. Canceled.
Which raises the question: (Score:2)
What's everyone's favorite podcatcher these days?