New Climbing Podcast - The Bad Beta

caughtinside wrote:

I know, right? Sport vs. trad... it's like you guys are trolling!  

Got me good style.

Lol... It's entertainment, caughtinside, not an honest 'debate'. We're trying to make a funny podcast about climbing, for people to enjoy. I would definitely leave real intellectual debates to people a lot more qualified. But thanks for your comment! I hope you give us a listen if you enjoy podcasts, and if not, that's cool too.

I just listened to the second episode. Thought you might appreciate this thread: https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/113089309/anyone-in-new-hampshirevermont-franconia-notch-climbing-left-some-gear-up-there

DRusso wrote:

I just listened to the second episode. Thought you might appreciate this thread: https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/113089309/anyone-in-new-hampshirevermont-franconia-notch-climbing-left-some-gear-up-there

Holy crap!! That's one hell of a story! On the one hand.... Getting that in over your head means clearly they have a lot to learn about climbing... So this is booty... But... It was an epic, and these were emergency pieces.. so not booty... But no injuries, and kind of funny.. so booty... But knowing batch numbers of your cams?!? Not booty lol... This is quite the paradox. 

I been enjoying it, and the feedback I want to give is that I got value out of hearing the trick on getting out stuck cams. It might have been a lot of years before I ever learned that and it will save my own cams in the future and possibly getting more booty! If you can think with the mind set of providing your listeners with VALUE, then you guys are on the right track. I mostly listen to podcast for knowledge with entertainment as a added bonus though! Keep it up guys

Peter M wrote:

I been enjoying it, and the feedback I want to give is that I got value out of hearing the trick on getting out stuck cams. It might have been a lot of years before I ever learned that and it will save my own cams in the future and possibly getting more booty! If you can think with the mind set of providing your listeners with VALUE, then you guys are on the right track. I mostly listen to podcast for knowledge with entertainment as a added bonus though! Keep it up guys

Thanks Peter, we'll keep trying. As with most new podcasts, I suspect we won't hit a comfortable stride until well into the first year. We'll keep polishing as we go, thanks again!

I tried again but alas couldn't make it through the first 15 minutes. i concur with Peter M, relisten and ask yourself how much of this is Value and how much of this is Filler. Also keep in mind that anything we say to you on this forum is pretty much going to be pointless for a general interest climbing podcast such as yours. Most of the consistent posters on MP or ST or whathaveyou are either going to be wise-eyed noobs (who fade away over time) or disaffected long time climbers who ave "seen it all" and are not a large enough demo to really cater to. So yeah, ignore what I have to say about actual content because I'm not your demo. As an examples, the dude speaking in defense of trad (or rather speaking in offense of gym climbers) isn't saying anything we haven't read and gotten bored of a million times on the forums. But as I said, not your demo, so there will be other climbers who might feel like "this is a new way of looking at it" which will be your bread and butter. 

But seriously, "I went to see valley uprising and everyone there was a gym climber with no intention of ever climbing outdoors and so why would they even want to watch this movie?" The irony is palpable considering most of your listeners will not be arrogant climbing elitists so why would they want to listen to that guy speak on your podcast? Entertainment is a weird thing. 

kevin deweese wrote:

I tried again but alas couldn't make it through the first 15 minutes. i concur with Peter M, relisten and ask yourself how much of this is Value and how much of this is Filler. Also keep in mind that anything we say to you on this forum is pretty much going to be pointless for a general interest climbing podcast such as yours. Most of the consistent posters on MP or ST or whathaveyou are either going to be wise-eyed noobs (who fade away over time) or disaffected long time climbers who ave "seen it all" and are not a large enough demo to really cater to. So yeah, ignore what I have to say about actual content because I'm not your demo. As an examples, the dude speaking in defense of trad (or rather speaking in offense of gym climbers) isn't saying anything we haven't read and gotten bored of a million times on the forums. But as I said, not your demo, so there will be other climbers who might feel like "this is a new way of looking at it" which will be your bread and butter. 

But seriously, "I went to see valley uprising and everyone there was a gym climber with no intention of ever climbing outdoors and so why would they even want to watch this movie?" The irony is palpable considering most of your listeners will not be arrogant climbing elitists so why would they want to listen to that guy speak on your podcast? Entertainment is a weird thing. 

Thanks for your comment Kevin.  I agree with everything you said. We knew from the get go that out of the entire pool of climbers, we were only going to get a small chunk who'll listen. Firstly, only a small percentage of people listen to podcasts, smaller still are those who regularly listen to "conversational" style of podcasts. We figured focusing on a conversation style (the kind I enjoy listening to, podcast-wise) would alienate much of the potential audience, but figured no more than if we had focused the podcast primarily on: trad climbing, bouldering, gym climbing, alpine, training, interviews, diet, etc... Any 'category' we focused on would appeal to some, but not to most. Thus, we decided to just do what we know best, and just talk about 'general' climbing, and have conversations, quizes, segments, jokes, etc. I know that a lot of the topics we discuss, or are planning on discussing, are some that have been beaten to death, akin to someone making an MP account and asking "what do I need to start climbing?" on their first post... but hopefully we can just provide a laugh or two for some people for an hour, twice a month, on the way to the crag, and maybe that's enough. I hope if it isn't your thing, you'll maybe check in from time to time and see if there's a show about a topic that interests you, a cool guest, or something like that. Otherwise, thanks a million for giving it a shot! Climb on.

I can guarantee that I'll be checking in every now and then because conversational freeflowing podcasts are what I listen to the most. These sorts of podcasts are almost subject-negative in that the long term draw is in the audience's engagement and connection to the voices on the show and the relationships between those voices. The problem is that even if the subject matter is moot in the long run, it's the subject matter that keeps the audience tuning in long enough to grow that personal connection to your voices. I'm a dick so it's no big thing that i don't connect with what I've heard thus far, and come to think of it, a lot of grungy old timer climbers are dicks so they're a lost cause as well. Threading the needle between subject mater and relationship-building with the audience is always hard and falls directly upon what the individual podcaster is comfortable with (because that comfort is what projects the feeling of authenticity that draws everyone back in. Because it's so personal, the advice other may give isn't really helpful unless it meshes with what you already now about what feels right and what feels wrong. 

I will say one thing that I've learned, the better the focus of the group is upon REALLY listening to each other the better the experience is for the listener. And in radio, listening isn't about hearing, it's more about timing, each person in the group knowing not to try to start a tangent or an alternate thread until the current thought is expressed, each person in the group knowing that even though interrupting is  a normal part of conversation, on the radio, you can only interrupt at the end of a phrase to ensure the listener isn't forced to hold multiple topics in the air until it finally becomes apparent that the interrupted thought will not be returned to. In my own podcasting, this is the main thing I've worked on in relistening to my own test runs. It's not really about listening to each other (sadly) but about listening with the ears of the audience so that they don't have to do more work than needed to stay abreast of the conversation.

Also, people are drawn to drama (duh) but they're not drawn to aggression. the better you guys (once you do have an on air "fight") are able to stay authentic to your own voice without making one of your members (and the audience that identifies with him/her) feel singled out or devalued, the more drawn your audience will be. (I'm speaking in hypotheticals for this last section, I haven't heard anything that would give me pause in your group's interactions, just placing the seed out there) 

Thank you so much, Kevin. That helps more than you know. We'll keep working at it.

I think it's bizarre that Steve (Steve?) doesn't understand why listeners would want a little background on the show's hosts. It's not about vetting your climbing skills, it's building a rapport with your audience.  

Ha! I agree. It's just a gag really. We will be more open in the next one .

Heyyyyy, so, I'll probably stop spamming on here after this episode (maybe not) but Episode # 4 is up now on all the podcast apps, or you can listen on our site: Episode # 4 - Dating and Climbing and other things.

Thanks to those who listen!

I gave your podcast a listen on a long 15 hour drive from California to Washington. I actually rather enjoyed it, its funny, made me laugh, certainly made that endless drive more tolerable.

 I like the its not a interview show, which distinguishes it from the Enormocast and the Firn Line.  Keep it up!

C Brooks wrote:

I gave your podcast a listen on a long 15 hour drive from California to Washington. I actually rather enjoyed it, its funny, made me laugh, certainly made that endless drive more tolerable.

 I like the its not a interview show, which distinguishes it from the Enormocast and the Firn Line.  Keep it up!

Thanks so much!! I hope one day we have 15 hours of content. *fingers crossed

Still pretty enjoyable. I am not totally sold on the trivia segment. Overall it keeps getting better though. 

Hey everyone, for whoever is interested, I just uploaded Episode # 5. I think it'll take an hour or so for it to show up.... or you can listen on our website, here.

thanks to everyone who listens!

Hey all, just wanted to let people know Episode # 6 is out now!

sapiecha wrote:

Hey all, just wanted to let people know Episode # 6 is out now!

About time!!

BrokenChairs wrote:

About time!!

To be fair, we're away climbing a lot