No, Netflix’s New Audio-Only Mode Doesn’t Threaten Podcasting
Over on Podnews today they have a section about how Netflix is rolling out an audio-only mode on Android. They believe it could threaten podcasting because Netflix hopes you’ll stay in that app instead of listening to a podcast. I’m here to tell you this won’t even remotely threaten podcasting. Here’s why.
From Podnews:
The app also has variable-speed playback, and a feature called audio-description, which, on selected shows, tells you what’s happening on screen. The company will hope you don’t listen to a podcast, when you can listen to a movie or TV show instead.
Podnews
This is a crazy take that completely misunderstands the existence of the feature. It’s like an ice cream shop opening next to your high end steak joint and fearing people will only want to eat ice cream now.
Podcasts and Movies / TV Shows Are Fundamentally Different
I don’t know a single person who’s ever said, “No I’ve never seen that movie, I’ve only listened to it. It was amazing.” And if you’ve ever only listened to a TV show or movie, you know you’re missing a lot – visual cues, actors reacting to things, unspoken on-screen events. This medium relies on visuals to help tell the story. The Mandalorian, Ted Lasso, and Avengers: End Game would all make terrible podcasts.
Podcasts don’t rely on visuals…most assume there are no visuals. That’s why most people (if my stats are to be believed) don’t listen to podcasts on YouTube when they can do it in a podcasting app…even if it’s a video interview. The visuals in most podcasts just aren’t that important.
Why Netflix is Rolling Out Audio Only
So why is Netflix rolling out an audio-only (seemingly beta) feature, if not for a vast conspiracy to kill podcasting? Well, as The Verge points out in its article, audio is having a moment. Yes the podcast industry is growing, and more apps are focusing on audio. But there’s also a lot of people who probably like to “watch” TV shows and movies in the background. I like to fall asleep watching TV, which means I’m pretty much only listening. It would be great if I didn’t need to worry about the brightness on my iPad.
The same goes with people doing chores or working – they want something on in the background that don’t really need to pay attention to, because they’ve seen it. And it would be nice if that activity didn’t kill your bandwidth or eat all your data.
Netflix knows this too. And they also benefit by offering a less bandwidth-heavy mode for those who prefer to use it.
Those aren’t the same people who listen to podcasts while doing chores. Where listening to TV shows and movies are a mindless activity used to supplement a task you need to focus on, podcasts are for mindless activities where you can focus on something else while doing it.