Just now seeing this thread. My $0.02 ....
For Adam to suggest this (cutting basic content out of basic podcast episodes unless people pay) would cause a huge uproar among the Troll populations on the various sites that it would probably do more damage than good. And that's too bad, because I agree they deserve it.
However, a "value added" concept is something that everyone accepts. As well as a "Subscribers Content" only option. You just have to work it (and word it) the right way. Some websites allow free browsing, choc full of banner ads, and "offer" (not force) an "ad-free" browsing experience for those who donate to the website on a monthly basis. This gives the user the ability to decide if they both want the additional value, and if they want to support the website.
So I suppose the first question would be: Is it mandatory, or optional?
Even under a mandatory setup, I think it would be okay if Adam played the numbers a little bit. I don't know how many people actually listen to his podcasts, but numbers add up. If the numbers are high enough, asking 20 cents from everyone on a monthly basis, would be fine with a lot of people, and end up being a decent chunk of change for LTB. If the numbers aren't high enough, he'd have to ask for more, and risk annoying / offending people. So there's that too...
An additional LTB podcast called "The Roundtable" for Subscribers only, would be a fun idea. Everyone seems to love the "trio" expounding on the latest major events in bitcoin (Adam, Stephanie, Andreas). I would have no problem kicking out tips / micropayments / $0.20 or (way) more to both have access to that content, and simultaneously know im supporting the podcast. Might be kind of weird though. Could be called the VIP podcast or Subscribers Only, or something like that. Coinbase has a recurring payments feature which could be used for this also.
In the end i think its a fine line / slippery slope / risky move, but if done right, could work without much issue from the listeners. I think it would be important to make sure everyone is aware that participating is a way for the listener to show their support. Enabling people to feel good about themselves is important in situations like this.
-B-
