What would it take for you to stop listening to and/or supporting the SGU?

[Skepmic]

Of course you then get the problem that people paying have an outsize influence on how or what is being talked about.

That's how it works by design now, since you get chat access and voting privileges depending on how much you pay.

Oh my, I didn't know that. Time to read the Patreon page I guess.

[John Albert]

Of course you then get the problem that people paying have an outsize influence on how or what is being talked about.

That's how it works by design now, since you get chat access and voting privileges depending on how much you pay.

Oh my, I didn't know that. Time to read the Patreon page I guess.

Maybe if they got enough Patreon subscribers they could dump the cast-recited ads.

[2397]

Maybe if they got enough Patreon subscribers they could dump the cast-recited ads.

Steve said this about the old membership:

All,

Regarding the ads - We carefully vet every advertiser. We reject most offers. We actually drive our ad agency nuts with our high standards and have almost lost them a couple of times because we are so high maintenance.
Jay really does use Dollar Shave Club. We really do listen to Great Courses, hell, I produced two courses myself. Jay and Cara have used Squarespace.  You will never hear a Lumocity ad on the SGU.

We also have a standing offer to our listeners, if we ever reach 4% premium membership (this is averaged, so higher memberships count for more) we will drop the ads. We are at about 2% now.4% seems reasonable to us.
Premium members get access to an ad-free version of the show.

None of us are getting rich off the SGU. The income is a resource for our skeptical work. (and thank goodness with the lawsuit or we would have been dead)

https://sguforums.com/index.php?topic=47838.75

[Harry Black]

^ this was my impression of all the ads.
They seem awkward but in fairness, the rogues have mentioned some of them independantly.
Thats how i found audible

[stretcher]

If there was a knock at my door, and upon answering I am greeted by Steven in boxers stance, dukes up. He screams "Doctor N in this piece!" and hits me with a two-piece combo that sends me sprawling to the mat, where I remain unconscious for a moment. Once I awoke I would no longer listen to or support the SGU.

[DevoutCatalyst]

If there was a knock at my door, and upon answering I am greeted by Steven in boxers stance, dukes up. He screams "Doctor N in this piece!" and hits me with a two-piece combo that sends me sprawling to the mat, where I remain unconscious for a moment. Once I awoke I would no longer listen to or support the SGU.

You're the joker who flooded his house, I don't blame him one bit.

[haudace]

I would unsubscribe If their podcast is no longer pushing skepticism and critical thinking... At the slightest hint of pseudo science - bye bye, sayonara, so long!! That's fair.

[Quetzalcoatl]

I don't think the commercialization necessarily undermines the credibility of the SGU.

Does the fact that (at least some of) the writers make a living of working for the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, producing the Skeptical Inquirer magazine, undermine the credibility of that magazine? Does the fact that Scientific American is a commercial enterprise undermine the credibility of that magazine? I think that in both cases, the answer is no.

Granted, I think that it is potentially problematic that the SGU rogues themselves speak in the message of the ads could be problematic, but not to the extent that it undermines the entire podcast.

If the SGU, or at least Steve, wanted to make a lot of money, he could leave academia and go into industry. The podcast probably has a lousy return of investment from a monetary perspective. The SGU originally was really just a replacement of the snail mail newsletter of the NESS.

[DevoutCatalyst]

Granted, I think that it is potentially problematic that the SGU rogues themselves speak in the message of the ads could be problematic, but not to the extent that it undermines the entire podcast.

Wish they had the clout to require the advertisers to read their own copy. As mentioned previously the ads were to be dropped once a certain level of support was attained. Maybe the income is too important to drop them now. The ad free edition is available for those that can't bear hearing ads and for not much money.

[mindme]

Granted, I think that it is potentially problematic that the SGU rogues themselves speak in the message of the ads could be problematic, but not to the extent that it undermines the entire podcast.

Wish they had the clout to require the advertisers to read their own copy. As mentioned previously the ads were to be dropped once a certain level of support was attained. Maybe the income is too important to drop them now. The ad free edition is available for those that can't bear hearing ads and for not much money.

I seem to recall they were hoping to get 5,000 patrons. At a low end, assume each pledges a $1 an ep. That's $20K a month. That's $240K a year. I can see why maybe Jay was quitting his job and working full time on SGU.

Anyway, more power to the cast if they can get paid for something I've enjoyed for years. I suppose I'm not a full freeloader as I've given money several times to their legal defense fund.

[daniel1948]

I logged on to the Discord server once or twice, trying to figure out what it is. Apparently it's a chat room. Not a chat board. You interact in real time. That doesn't work well for me. I like the in-depth discussion that can happen on a chat board, where you can post a word or several paragraphs, or even pages, and read other's posts at your leisure and respond after pondering. And a discussion can continue over time. And if I get tired of it I can drop out. A chat room is too much like a bus stop where people come and go and the conversation just rambles. Though Steve did say he'd answer questions if he happens to be at the computer.

I don't get the ads. But I've heard them because once or twice there was a glitch and the ad version was posted before the ad-free episode. I agree that ads are annoying and undermine their credibility, but it is the accepted way to pay for content. If only 2% of listeners pay, then ads are the way to pay the bills. I think it's a fair choice: Pay for the content, or you have to use the skip-forward button or listen to the ads.

I get other podcasts that give you ads even if you donate. They are usually annoying as hell. With one glowing exception. Ross & Carrie manage to do ads that are actually fun to listen to. Maybe that's because of Carrie's personality. But another of my favorite podcasts, Sawbones, makes their ads so annoying I have to jump for the skip-forward button every time they come on. Even if they're advertising the same stuff. If you could bottle Carrie Poppy you could make a million dollars. I wish I could invent a religion and get enough acolytes that she and Ross would come investigate, so I could meet them.

[Quetzalcoatl]

Granted, I think that it is potentially problematic that the SGU rogues themselves speak in the message of the ads could be problematic, but not to the extent that it undermines the entire podcast.

Wish they had the clout to require the advertisers to read their own copy. As mentioned previously the ads were to be dropped once a certain level of support was attained. Maybe the income is too important to drop them now. The ad free edition is available for those that can't bear hearing ads and for not much money.

I seem to recall they were hoping to get 5,000 patrons. At a low end, assume each pledges a $1 an ep. That's $20K a month. That's $240K a year. I can see why maybe Jay was quitting his job and working full time on SGU.

Anyway, more power to the cast if they can get paid for something I've enjoyed for years. I suppose I'm not a full freeloader as I've given money several times to their legal defense fund.

I wonder if they take into account that right now we are living through an economic boom. When things go less well, people will need to cut costs, and I imagine being an SGU patron is uie up there among non-necessary expenses. So when that happens they might lose a significant number of patrons.

[xenu]

I sent an email to ask about what the difference was between being a member through their web site and being a patrion. I'll let you know what they say. It's $5 a show on patrion.

Update: From the Patrion site

What if I am already an SGU Member?

    If you have joined our previous SGU Membership that is found on our website you can still maintain that membership with us. However, Patreon allows us to offer more rewards and content, so if you want in on the action you can move your membership here. Feel free to email us at membership@TheSkepticsGuide.org if you have any questions. 

I should have read this but never went on the Patreon web site

[daniel1948]

I switched over to Patreon. I was giving them $12/month under the old system because the level below that was "Dirty Rotten Ape" and I didn't want to be called a Dirty Rotten Ape. The $12 level was some sci-fi thing that I didn't know the meaning of. But there's no $12 level on Patreon. So now I'm giving them $8/month. Maybe they figured that if they eliminated the $12 level more people would move up than down. But that sort of manipulation rubs me the wrong way. If I knew more about the allegations against Evan and whether he's made any amends or whether the rest of the rogues have taken any action about it, I could make a decision regarding my future support. At this point I lack sufficient information.

[arthwollipot]

I've largely stopped accessing the Discord because there was rarely anyone there at the times I was able to log on. I enjoy real-time chat, but only when there's someone available to chat with.