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[Blader]

Yeah, didn't expect this to be the end. Especially after Sarah said "Hey, were going bi-weekly because were doing more this season than we expected"

The move to the bi-weekly schedule was to accommodate new interview opportunities coming in as the show was airing, not necessarily to produce more episodes than expected.

 

[Wowfunhappy]

The move to the bi-weekly schedule was to accommodate new interview opportunities coming in as the show was airing, not necessarily to produce more episodes than expected.

Well, that's not what they said when they announced the move. Also, that's a pretty crappy trade-off considering how much momentum the new schedule killed.

 

[Blader]

Well, that's not what they said when they announced the move. Also, that's a pretty crappy trade-off considering how much momentum the new schedule killed.

Yes it was:

“There are more paths we need to go down,” Ms. Snyder said. “Since we started broadcasting the show, we have gotten more people willing to talk, and because of that, it has opened up more avenues of reporting.”

She declined to comment on whom those interviews were with, or what additional reporting the show needed to pursue.

“We have narrative developments,” she said. “I hesitate on calling them news developments.”

Also, it's journalism. Spending more time on more reporting isn't a trade off, it's part of the job.

 

[ahoyhoy]

I stopped listening a couple of episodes back. My problem with Season 2 isn't that the subject matter isn't as compelling as Season 1, it's that she's focusing on the worst aspects of the story. There are many times while I'm listening that it seems like she's on the verge of getting deeper into discussing the systemic issues I've heard of from people in the military, only for that to fizzle out and we go back to Bowe.

I agree with all this. I grew tired of Bowe's story quite early. I enjoyed the bits she nibbled around the edges of the huge, hulking, complex beast that is the US military. Would have loved it if she used Bowen as more of a backdrop to that story rather than what we got.

 

[Wowfunhappy]

Yes it was: Also, it's journalism. Spending more time on more reporting isn't a trade off, it's part of the job.

Getting content out in a timely matter is ALSO a part of a journalist's job It's about balancing the two.

This is the official announcement of the scheduling change. An audio version of this was also distributed to all subscribers in the podcast feed.

https://serialpodcast.org/posts/2016/01/season-2-announcement

I have news: We are changing the schedule, so that now, new episodes of Season Two will come out every other week, instead of once a week. I know! I know...it’s maybe not what you wanted to hear. But, there’s a good and exciting reason, which is that we’re adding more material. This story goes in so many directions, and as we’re reporting it we’re getting access to more of the key people close to Bergdahl’s case, and to more information than we initially thought we would. Which is great. And which means we’re going to be adding at least one extra episode to the series. To do that—or at least to do it right—will take some time. Hence the change.

 

[Blader]

^ok, but that just says they're adding at least one extra episode, which maybe they did if they only originally planned on doing 10. And the reason why was...because they had more interview opps come up.

 

[Wowfunhappy]

^ok, but that just says they're adding at least one extra episode, which maybe they did if they only originally planned on doing 10. And the reason why was...because they had more interview opps come up.

It's strange though, because in S1, a LOT more interview opportunities opened up towards the end of the season, as people began contacting Sarah due to the podcast's explosion in popularity. It never got delayed.

 

[Brakke]

Podcast interview with Sarah Koenig. Most Serial-adjacent talk, a bit on podcasts in general. I... didn't think it was very interesting, but maybe some of you will.

https://overcast.fm/+Fu8yesYAs

One thing is that Sarah claims there wasn't a big listenership drop off between Season 1 and 2. But she didn't really explain what metric she's using to back up that claim, so it's hard to judge.

 

[Wowfunhappy]

One thing is that Sarah claims there wasn't a big listenership drop off between Season 1 and 2. But she didn't really explain what metric she's using to back up that claim, so it's hard to judge.

Didn't listen the interview, but presumably this would be an easy thing for them to measure, wouldn't it?

Number of downloads (or perhaps unique IP's) + Number of streams

 

[firehawk12]

I... totally forgot this existed after a few episodes. I guess this just wasn't an interesting story to follow.

 

[MisterR]

I... totally forgot this existed after a few episodes. I guess this just wasn't an interesting story to follow.

I've got 3 unplayed episodes left. Don't think I'm going to fool with them
Hope season 3 is a return to form.

 

[Esiquio]

S2 was much better than S1 for me. It was more interesting, bigger, and I learned more about things I was interested in. Not to diminish S1, but I just liked S2 quite a lot.

 

[Brakke]

Didn't listen the interview, but presumably this would be an easy thing for them to measure, wouldn't it?

Number of downloads (or perhaps unique IP's) + Number of streams

Downloads isn't the same as listens. I don't even think it's clear that downloads is a useful proxy for listens in this case. If we imagine that a huge swath of Serial Season 1 listeners were first time podcast listeners (likely), then it's totally possible they just left their Serial subscription active in iTunes or Podcasts.app or whatever; in which case episodes might've downloaded automatically and then never been played.

 

[Wowfunhappy]

Downloads isn't the same as listens. I don't even think it's clear that downloads is a useful proxy for listens in this case. If we imagine that a huge swath of Serial Season 1 listeners were first time podcast listeners (likely), then it's totally possible they just left their Serial subscription active in iTunes or Podcasts.app or whatever; in which case episodes might've downloaded automatically and then never been played.

iirc iTunes stops autodownloading after a certain number of episodes go unplayed.

 

[Brakke]

Maybe? I don't use iTunes. I'm not saying she's wrong, I'm saying I can't evaluate her claim without knowing what she's basing it off.

 

[Septimus Prime]

So this bump isn't really related to Serial, but if you liked season 1, Reply All is doing a series right now called "On the Inside" that's like a mini-Serial s1. Part 3 just dropped today.

 

[The Dutch Slayer]

Sorry for the bump you guys think this is thread worthy?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjSCQ-1jMl4

 

[Heretic]

Sorry for the bump you guys think this is thread worthy?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjSCQ-1jMl4

Blocked in the US