Policy update: Audio only podcasts can now be listed on IMDb!

Hey all!

We're happy to announce that as of today we'll begin accepting submissions of audio only podcasts (as you know, video ones are already eligible) to expand our data catalog. These are a hugely popular medium and something IMDb users have been asking to include for some time.

For the timebeing these can be submitted using the existing contribution interface - to do so:

Head on over to the new title submission form
Choose the type per the choices below:
- If it's episodic then select the type "Made for TV" and sub-type "TV-Series"
- If it's a one-off with no episodes then select the type "Made for Video"
Include the keyword "category-podcast" on the main parent series page (if there are episodes, you don't need to add the keyword to each one)
If the podcast is audio only then please also add the keyword "audio-only"
A link to somewhere the podcast can be watched or listened to should be submitted in the Miscellaneous Link section, with the description "WebsiteName - Full audio", or "WebsiteName - Full video", as appropriate.

We're aware that the “TV series” and “Video” labels aren’t a great fit and that podcasts won't be clearly labeled as “Podcast” (other than the keyword which is buried in the Plot Keywords section).

However, accepting these types of title now enables us to learn a few important things before deciding whether or how to change our data structure in the future.

There's also an unknown number of video podcasts on IMDb already as the absence of a proper label has made it difficult to spot when a podcast has been approved. This change will let us start building up a catalog of podcasts now, while also tidying up our existing catalog!

You can find the title formatting for Podcasts on our help site here:

https://help.imdb.com/article/contribution/titles/title-formatting/G56U5ERK7YY47CQB

Let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks,
Joel

Responses

Peter_pbn

Champion

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14.5K Messages

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331.2K Points

5 years ago

If I were to add a podcast from a long-running radio show, I assume the listing should start when the podcast started and not when the radio show started? And the contents should be based only on the podcast, not the radio broadcast?

Joel

Employee

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1.2K Messages

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36.3K Points

5 years ago

Great question as always.

As the radio show came first and we try to list a series by it's original release - we'll accept the earliest date for the radio broadcast too and you can add these as "episodes" too.

dan_dassow

Champion

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19.5K Messages

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478.1K Points

Joel,

I'm assuming that the same applies for long-running television shows and YouTube videos.

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5 years ago

Joel

Employee

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1.2K Messages

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36.3K Points

5 years ago

Hey all,

Thanks for this feedback.

We appreciate the definition isn't super clear cut right now and it's something we're trying to iterate on to find the best fit.

There's ongoing discussions within the team about how to really define what we consider a 'Podcast' and our current thinking is that if the creators specifically made a piece of content to be streamed or downloaded outside of a live broadcast then these will be eligible.

There is also the position that a Podcast often features one or more recurring hosts or actors engaged in a discussion about some topic or narrative.

For example, a breakfast radio show broadcasting live on it's own is ineligible unless re-packaged and made available for streaming or downloading at a later time, this can then be added.

Of course we're interested to hear your thoughts and will expand on the idea of other audio productions soon.

In regards to the tv-special and tv-mini-series keywords having an affect on display, you're completely right and this avenue is something we're keeping in mind.

Looking forward to your feedback.

Cheers,
Joel

afshin_gyyvuhtf9ze57

11 Messages

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262 Points

Best Long T.V Series for me OZ-1998-2003
HighlanderT.V Series for 1996-1999
New York Park West for 1995-1997

5 years ago

max_flight

3 Messages

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240 Points

The podcast community already has a definition of "podcast" and I'd suggest IMDB embrace that. A podcast is an on-demand audio or video program that has a public RSS feed. It's that simple.

What's not simple is the convoluted, confusing, incredibly outdated submission process. I hate to be negative, but it's a real mess and clearly designed for other media. I know other podcasters (professionals) who really struggled with it. I got maybe halfway through and became so agitated with the interface that I bailed out. I wasn't stumped and I wasn't unable to continue, but it was so bad that I couldn't bring myself to endure the pain of poor design. And certainly not for my two other podcasts after that! Please, pay for a re-write of that whole interface.

5 years ago

devlin_wilder

2 Messages

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172 Points

You have it right on the money on both accounts. Col and the IMDb staff have made numerous changes and updates to the database over the years now including a fully-functioning original content streaming service BUT they REFUSE to update the antiquated submission process and actual information offering which is the original and utmost purpose of the database (being a DATABASE) to begin with. Audio offerings were never meant to be a part of the database and now that they are, they won't even give them a proper title designation so the users of the database can actually tell them apart from all the other titles and title types already listed which already make the site a cesspool of meandering information much of the time as it is. Web series never received a title designation either with thousands of them listed on the database as TV series or made-for-video when they are an entirely different part of the industry. It's honestly MADDENING.

5 years ago

MykolaYeriomin

Champion

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4K Messages

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244.1K Points

Devlin Wilder, just wondering — what aspects of submission process you consider antiquated and why?

As for web-series: it's been said quite a lot: why even try imposing the difference between web-series and TV series if difference is becoming more and more vague? A more logical step that might occur is transition to just series, dropping both web- and TV-.

5 years ago

max_flight

3 Messages

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240 Points

I'll answer that from my standpoint. It starts with this...

Choose the type per the choices below:

If it's episodic then select the type "Made for TV" and sub-type "TV-Series"
If it's a one-off with no episodes then select the type "Made for Video"

Say what??? I'm supposed to call my podcasts "Made for TV"??? Then add another TV sub-type? Sorry, I don't play with people who insult my intelligence. Do it properly or don't do it at all.

Beyond that, the user interface looks like it was written in what, 2005? And IMDB wants generally tech-savvy podcasters to embrace this? I don't think it's going to work out so well. It didn't for me. I walked away. I know others who did the same. And one (just one) who put up with the nonsense and submitted his podcast. But he's a lawyer and you know lawyers, they love the challenge of weird and convoluted processes. The rest of us aren't so driven.

5 years ago

uberhamster

59 Messages

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1.8K Points

@Joel @Rachel But I tried to remove a 1938 radio show because if I understand correctly, it does NOT (yet) belong here: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14763882/

And your colleague said:

Our aim is to be the most complete and reliable source of movie information on the web. Therefore, in order to keep offering our users an accurate and trustworthy service, it is our policy not to alter or delete any kind of correct/factual information or credit from our records.

In line with this policy, we cannot delete this title because it exists and was available to the public in some form.

I can't see the logic here. Are all radio shows allowed now? Making exceptions does NOT make a database any more reliable, rather the opposite I should say.

3 years ago

tiny_bluedragon0077

48 Messages

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1.5K Points

5 years ago

Hello I need help my account shows error message Help us protect your account

We have detected unusual activity on your account and have locked it temporarily. Please contact customer service for further assistance. Can you please fix my account I contacted them and then no one didn't answer?

MykolaYeriomin

Champion

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4K Messages

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244.1K Points

Separate and unrelated subject.

Please reference the new conversation here: Error message

5 years ago

afshin_gyyvuhtf9ze57

11 Messages

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262 Points

I don't you Know.

5 years ago

Peter_pbn

Champion

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14.5K Messages

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331.2K Points

5 years ago

Just in case anyone is interested (maybe some British IMDb staff are fans?) there is this listing for the BBC radio show/podcast

Kermode and Mayo's Film Review
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5825482/...

It was listed with very little data and a 2010 start date, which doesn't really make sense since the show started long before. My guess is that the attached director/producer added the title to build his resume. I made a few edits to let the listing cover the show more fully.

Based on Joel's reply above I wanted to add the start date of the radio show, but this is hard to determine as the show grew out of another show. Instead I added a 2005 episode, which seems to be the first podcast episode. I guess this is an example of the data problems that can arise.

Rachel

Employee

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161 Messages

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5.9K Points

http://witterpedia.net/wiki/index.php/Podcast

Is a good source (recommended in the podcast) which details when it started. The team are collating other feedback.

Oh, and hello to Jason Issacs.

5 years ago

Peter_pbn

Champion

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14.5K Messages

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331.2K Points

While the site says the podcast was first released on 20 May, and this is confirmed in the opening of the podcast from that date, their source also includes episodes going back to 11 March. I used a similar source and added the 11 March episode.

5 years ago

simon_poole_5898822

2 Messages

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144 Points

Hi Peter, Producer Simon here. Rachel emailed us this morning to let us know that podcasts can now be added to IMDb. Were very excited about this. We're going to try and track down the very first time Mark K contributed reviews to Simon's 5 Live show back in 2001 and go for this as the start date.

5 years ago

Peter_pbn

Champion

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14.5K Messages

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331.2K Points

Hello Simon! And thanks. LTL, etc.

5 years ago

Rachel

Employee

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161 Messages

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5.9K Points

Thanks Producer Simon,

Tinkety Tonk

5 years ago

jay_spirit

1K Messages

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30.2K Points

5 years ago

I love it!

This move was probably inevitable, given that many podcasts begin as audio-only, and then graduate to video.

Others are audio-only, but appear on YouTube as ersatz videos, with one static image used throughout.

By the way, many old-time radio shows from the 1930s-1960s have been resurrected as podcasts. Eventually you'll have to decide whether you want to start listing these as well. Note that many radio serials (The Lone Ranger, Dragnet, The Guiding Light, etc.) appeared simultaneously with their television versions. By the time old radio shows appear in the database, you'll need to have a clear way of distinguishing them from TV productions.

reallesgrossman

4 Messages

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262 Points

5 years ago

Hi Joel, if the podcast started as a regular "radio show" that was also released through omni-channel on SoundCloud/Youtube/iTunes podcasts/Goolge podcasts etc, should the start date of the podcast be the 1st radio broadcast?

jay_spirit

1K Messages

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30.2K Points

I very much hope IMDb wants us to add the beginning of the radio broadcast.

(1) Most radio broadcasts don't change when they become podcasts. The podcast is simply the radio show available in a new medium.

(2) The exact date a radio broadcast became a podcast is often unknown and unknowable.

(3) Old episodes of a radio broadcast are often retroactively added to a podcast.

5 years ago

MyCatDuffyTookMyLaptop

4.4K Messages

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124K Points

5 years ago

Yippee! Just submitted my favorite...

jeorj_euler

10.7K Messages

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225.5K Points

"This is so wizard."

— Jeorj Euler, an IMDb regular registrant

4 years ago

devlin_wilder

2 Messages

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172 Points

5 years ago

I am a longtime data contributor to the database and highly confused as to why, if you are opening submissions for audio-only podcasts, that you do not also add a title designation for them. This goes for web series as well. Podcasts and web series are decidedly their own entity and certainly not "made-for-TV," a "TV series," or "made for video." This is honestly quite ridiculous. There is no reason for them not to have a specific designation instead of adding the keyword. That doesn't make any sense at all. The database has been around for over twenty years now. It's 2020. Your tech team has more than enough programming knowledge to make these changes, as well as to fix the bug disallowing an update on a series to made at the series level after the title has gone live which has persisted since the inception of the site.

max_flight

3 Messages

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240 Points

Exactly. I punched out of the process to add my three podcasts because of this ridiculous situation. And it didn't help my perception of the professionalism of IMDB.

5 years ago

malayali

51 Messages

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1.5K Points

Can't agree more.

@Joel Is there an ETA on when can we add podcast as podcast itself rather than Made for TV and TV Series?

Labelling a podcast as Made for TV and TV Series is quite misleading and confusing for IMDb users. Please fix it ASAP.

4 years ago

uberhamster

59 Messages

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1.8K Points

3 years ago

So this 1938 (!) radio show should not be acceptable then? https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14763882/

I've nominated it for deletion.

Horst

429 Messages

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14.5K Points

3 years ago

I don't really understand why. The name of the site is internet MOVIE database, which means motion pictures. Podcasts are usually audio only, so they should not be a part of this site, even if some famous actors are part of podcast narration here and there. No need to further stuff up things. Video games and commercials and music videos are really enough.

Joel

Policy update: Audio only podcasts can now be listed on IMDb!

Peter_pbn

Joel

dan_dassow

Joel

afshin_gyyvuhtf9ze57

max_flight

devlin_wilder

MykolaYeriomin

max_flight

uberhamster

tiny_bluedragon0077

MykolaYeriomin

afshin_gyyvuhtf9ze57

Peter_pbn

Rachel

Peter_pbn

simon_poole_5898822

Peter_pbn

Rachel

jay_spirit

reallesgrossman

jay_spirit

MyCatDuffyTookMyLaptop

jeorj_euler

devlin_wilder

max_flight

malayali

uberhamster

Horst

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