Porc Therapy 120: Advertising – Internet Only

You guys make anything and everything that you talk about fun and quirky to listen to, so I think that ads would be ok as long as you guys repeated the ads yourselves as opposed to listening to an ad-recording done by the sponsor.

I FULLY support you guys running ads, and here’s why.

You guys make listener questions and feedback a part of your show. You have call-in lines so people can leave voice feedback, e-mail for written feedback, Facebook and Twitter feeds. You guys have had some people on the show because they happened to be IN THE SAME ROOM with you, without knowing the content of their exact input or question. Geographic proximity is (kind of) a silly reason to allow someone on the show.

Advertisements, and more specifically the UNSOLICITED request for ad space is communication. The request is part of establishing a relationship with you and a request to (hopefully) do the same with your listeners.

Now granted, I think some specific ads will suck on the show. The specific ads and the relevancy to the show is up to you, as ANY feedback and communication would be through other means. But the idea that you shoot it down because the method of communication or medium is one you dislike seems kind of contrary to the idea that “communication is key”. If the ad is for a product you would endorse, but the ads itself is tacky shoot it down because the message being conveyed is conveyed badly. Or shoot it down because you disagree with the point (VOTE FOR ME… OR JUST VOTE AT ALL!) even when it’s conveyed effectively. But to simply shoot down a listener’s feedback and intent to contribute to the show BECAUSE it’s an ad seems like the tactic of a bad listener to me if you view the request for ads as communication rather than the stigmatized “adverts”.

Now, as to how it could fit into the show practically, that’s a tougher question. I think the show’s conversational tone WOULD be be affected by repeated plugs for products or services UNLESS you REALLY loved the product or service. But something at the beginning of the show or the end of the show (and a link on the episode posts) “This episode sponsored by…” wouldn’t break the tone any more or less than the theme at the beginning and end. Likewise, the introductions you do every show are at the beginning where the conversation hasn’t yet started. Those spots are ripe for plugs without causing the break in the format.