Plex is one of the best media servers out there and in recent years, the company branched out into internet shows and podcasts. The company has just told Good e-Reader that they are shutting down their podcast system on Friday. Additionally, they are also closing down Web Shows too, the company said in a post on the Plex forum, although most of the content the section hosted will still be available to users elsewhere on the platform.
Plex launched their podcast system in 2018 and did not see wide adoption. Users complained that the player was buggy and did not have many of the other features that standalone networks do on their flagship apps. Plex never really invested much energy or developer power to solve technical issues or improve quality of life. It is like the entire podcast initiative just stood still.
“As part of our ongoing effort to make sure we’re spending our time and energy in ways that best serve our awesome user community, we’ve made the decision to end support for Podcasts and Web Shows within Plex. We recognize this decision will impact several of you greatly, and we apologize for the inconvenience it will cause. You can continue to access these features within Plex until Friday, April 15th, 2022, at which point they will no longer be available.”
The company did not disclose why they are shutting off podcasts and Web Shows. It is very likely that people simply were not using them. If you listen to podcasts, there are certain ecosystems that have the vast majority of listeners. This includes Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Audible and standalone apps such as Podcast Addict or Radio Public.
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.