Author Topic: iTunes podcast only current this year?  (Read 2346 times)

mdelvecchio

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on: September 19, 2019, 05:41:28 AM
Hey, folks. Why does the iTunes/Apple directory of the podcast only contain episodes from the past year? Found the podcast and like the content but there don’t seem to be many episodes in the directory. The 10-year archive is obviously here on the web but that is less ideal than using a proper podcast app.

I see in the FAQ this explanation:

“Podcatchers (like iTunes) only go backwards so far, due to their own space limitations. It’s usually around 40 episodes.”

...but this is factually not so. iTunes/Apple podcasts is merely a directory of a content provider’s material, fed it to via a syndicated RSS feed. iTunes does not store your podcast media files, or the RSS episodes listing; it merely parses your org’s published RSS feed which provides it with the list of episodes and a URL to each one, hosted on your own server somewhere in the ether.

I subscribe to weekly podcasts that go back over five years, I’m sure you can find plenty of examples too. Some primers:

https://www.podcastinsights.com/upload-a-podcast/
https://transistor.fm/upload-podcast-itunes-apple/

It’s a shame the complete or majority of the Pseudopod archive is not published in the iTunes/Apple directory via RSS feed, as this is the defacto master directory of podcasts, used by Overcast, iTunes, Apple Podcasts, and practically every proper podcast app and discovery service on multiple platforms. Would really make so much more of the Pseudopod archive available and discoverable to more people, which means more listeners, donors, etc.

Hope you consider updating the RSS feed with the archive. This could even be a good Paypal/Patreon fundraising promo goal?!
« Last Edit: October 03, 2019, 04:19:40 PM by mdelvecchio »