Topic: Podshow

A host recounts traveling to the United Kingdom for a PodShow UK Christmas dinner involving 25 to 30 staff members. He describes receiving a last-minute invitation to a one-off Led Zeppelin reunion concert and party scheduled for the same night as the staff event. The segment includes a archival clip of a "pod-safe" Christmas song recording featuring Cece Chapman and Jawbone.

Adam Curry and John C. Dvorak open episode 1786 of the No Agenda show from Texas and Silicon Valley. They discuss the origins of their "exit strategy" running gag, tracing it back to their early days at Mevio and Podshow. The concept stems from Silicon Valley lingo regarding IPOs and acquisitions, which they adapted to the realization that podcasts have no traditional exit.

The history of PodShow and the failed video platform Joost is recalled, including a meeting with Kleiner Perkins where investors pushed for "short-form" content. Joost was founded by the creators of Skype but failed to gain traction due to technical issues and poor content strategy. The segment reflects on the cyclical nature of tech trends and the early attempts to monetize online video.

The hosts reminisce about the early days of Podshow and its transition to Meveo, which was influenced by venture capital pressure from Kleiner Perkins. They discuss the interpersonal nature of Silicon Valley hiring and the "bullcrap dictionary" of tech industry terminology.

The hosts discuss the current state of the podcasting industry, noting Spotify's struggles and CEO Daniel Ek's decision to delegate responsibilities after spending a billion dollars on content. They reflect on their own history with Mevio and Podshow, arguing that the "corporate" model of podcasting is failing. Listeners are encouraged to use Podcasting 2.0 apps to support the "value-for-value" model and avoid centralized platforms.

A host recounts a 2010-2011 era anecdote involving a $100 million offer to Howard Stern to join a podcasting platform. Following that event, Dee Snider allegedly contacted the host seeking a similar lucrative podcasting deal, claiming he could outperform Stern. The host characterizes Snider as a "money whore" who frequently attempts to attach himself to popular trends.

The hosts reflect on their experiences in the magazine and early podcasting industries, noting that traditional publishing was built on identifying "brand specifiers" for advertisers. They contrast this with the independent nature of podcasting, where the lack of a middleman allows for more direct communication but also leads to constant complaints about monetization.

A blogger known as Jacek, or the Comic Strip Blogger, gained notoriety after being fired from Nokia for criticizing the company's internal culture. He became a brash journalist and a proponent of Windows Mobile, often asking confrontational questions at tech events. He eventually pitched a consultant role to Podshow, ending his presentation with a humorous insult directed at the founder.

A personal anecdote about a former IT employee at Podshow illustrates the internal chaos and inefficiency of Silicon Valley startups. The discussion transitions to the history of web slideshows, which were originally created to boost page views. While advertisers initially disliked them for jacking up numbers, they have since become a standard tool for traffic manipulation.

The hosts recount the 2007 origins of the podcast, beginning when one host lived in Guilford, England, and traveled frequently to San Francisco. They reflect on their first meeting in the early 1990s during a CNET roundtable pilot and the registration of the CNET.com domain. The segment establishes the purpose of this special "Show X" as a definitive introductory episode for new listeners.

Reflecting on the very first episode from August 2007, the hosts recall their initial plan to keep the show under 40 minutes with only a few topics. The original format was envisioned as a simple conversation between friends, similar to a phone call, before it evolved into the current clip-heavy analysis style. They note the significant increase in bandwidth and processing speed since the show's inception.

The hosts analyze the 10th Annual Podcast Awards and the involvement of Podcast One, led by Westwood One founder Norm Pattis. Curry argues that the podcast network model is fundamentally flawed, citing his own experience with Podshow as evidence that centralized networks struggle with measurement and creator relations. They discuss the lack of a central authority like Nielsen or Arbitron in the podcasting space and the difficulties of scaling advertising across diverse shows.

The hosts reflect on the failure of the "Podshow" model from 2005 and compare it to modern podcast networks like Radiotopia. They argue that the overhead of network executives and venture capital requirements makes the traditional network model unsustainable for independent creators.

Adam Curry recounts his disappointment with the Podshow 10-year reunion held at the Dogpatch Saloon in San Francisco. While he enjoyed seeing former colleagues like Michael Butler and Chris Beshears, he notes that many people did not attend due to a lack of Facebook presence. The hosts reflect on their inability to have a normal dinner conversation without saving "content" for the podcast.

Adam Curry announces an upcoming 10-year Podshow reunion in San Francisco organized by Chris Beshears. Dvorak reflects on his entry into professional podcasting, which began with him seeking a position at Podshow to learn the business. They discuss the evolution of the medium from early "netcasting" to its current state.

Westwood One founder Norm Pattis is criticized for launching PodcastOne, which the hosts describe as a clone of the failed 2004 PodShow model. They argue that Pattis's attempt to aggregate content for national advertisers is outdated and incompatible with the independent nature of podcasting.

Correspondence from 2005 between the hosts and Murgesh Navar of Audio Feast is revealed, suggesting Navar did not fully understand podcasting at the time. The hosts discuss the history of the technology and Navar's attempts to partner with Podshow before pivoting to a patent-assertion strategy.

Podshow has officially rebranded as Mevio, a move that faced public scrutiny regarding the new name's origin. The hosts explain the difficulty of acquiring short domain names like "Mojo" or "The Show," which were priced between $200,000 and $300,000. Tech blogger Callie Lewis is mentioned for her commentary on the transition.

Ziff Davis filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection following years of financial instability. The filing serves to freeze company debts and allow for refinancing under an oversight group while operations continue. Despite the legal status, the company remains in business and continues to settle outstanding payments with contractors.

Akamai Technologies won a $45.5 million patent infringement suit against Limelight Networks in a Massachusetts court. The verdict caused a 40% drop in Limelight's stock and triggered a panic on Twitter among content producers at Podshow, who feared a network shutdown. The situation is cited as an example of "shoddy journalism" and mob mentality in the blogosphere.