No Show Like A Joe Show

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Ad for AIB-sponsored The Capital B podcast with Nick Webb, with Niall McGarry, left, and Róisín Hogan, a former star of BBC’s The Apprentice, right

The numbers are in.

They’re a bit sketchy.

Further to the circulation of a video in mid-November alleging that the number of listeners of a 2017 episode of an AIB-sponsored “Capital B” podcast was inflated by the use of a “click-farm”…

And Ireland’s largest media agency Core subsequently suspending its contracts with Joe.ie and Her.ie publisher Maximum Media after the claims…

And Niall McGarry, the founder of Maximum Media, stepping down from all executive responsibilities in the Irish operation

Yesterday, in the Business Post.

Aaron Rogan reported:

Listenership figures on a number of Maximum Media podcast episodes were falsely inflated, the Business Post has learned.

The Joe.ie publisher and media reports have previously referred to a single incident of a click farm being used on an episode of the 2017 AIB-sponsored “Capital B” podcast.

However, it has emerged this weekend that up to 13 podcast episodes were boosted following payments to a click farm in the week after each one was released.

Maximum Media executive chairman Justin Cullen did not reveal the figure when contacted, but confirmed yesterday that “several episodes across the series were affected”.

Mr Rogan also reported:

Cullen and Maximum‘s chief commercial officer Gillian Fitzpatrick met with the IAB last week to face questions about the incident. The company assured the industry body of its commitment to a commercial charter around falsifying figures, according to the IAB.

More Maximum Media podcast hits were inflated (Business Post)

Previously: Any Other Business?

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33 thoughts on “No Show Like A Joe Show

  1. Amy

    This is rife in the podcast world. That awful experiment, BS on the Telly, was at least honest on its figures.

      1. John Ryan

        Sorry you felt that way Amy and Millie, We are not ashamed of it. And it may return soon. FIGHT!

        1. millie vanilly strikes again

          I will have you know I was one of the show’s original fans, John! I always enjoyed watching. And I’d love to see a return of BS on the Telly. Yis had some great ones in your time.

        2. Amy

          Although in fairness, it did manage to achieve the unachievable: having more presenters per episode than viewers. I love BS, but the Telly idea was daft. The production values were rubbish and the guests weren’t always great (see below). I watched a good few of them and really wanted the idea to work. Alas, a missed opportunity. Perhaps: better selecting of guests, make it shorter, drastically improve the production values.

        3. Brother Barnabas

          I would dearly love it to return but – and this isn’t a criticism – I thought the time was a bit of a killer. i know you can watch the next day or whenever, but it isn’t the same. I watched the ad hoc (“g o’d”) ones more for that reason.

          another thing I’d say is that they occasionally slipped into a few different people shouting over one another. that’s really unpleasant to listen to. the JR one-on-one interviews were maybe more satisfying for the viewer for that reason.

          1. Brother Barnabas

            you’re welcome, bodger

            i agree saturday would be better (or sunday 8pm’ish?)

            other suggestions:

            * chatpit? nah – turned into something negative

            * comments are a big part of BS, so maybe BSOTT could reflect that. often get some excellent comments during the week – thinking of listrade, newsjustin and, dare i say it, charger – and many others. always thought it would have been interesting to explore some of the discussions that arose on the site during the week etc.

            * more 1-on-1 JR interviews with external contributors, guests etc – his interviews with lucky, kevin higgins etc were great, but (for me anyway) worked better as 1-on-1s rather than group discussions. you could often see where JR was bringing it but it just as often didn’t get there because others interrupted and took the discussion in other (less interesting?) directions. it was maybe too democratic.

            [hope that last bit doesn’t sound arsie – not intended that way]

    1. V

      It was hardly an experiment as it went for over 80 shows,

      And whatever you have to say about them
      Or whatever logins that floated by had to say about me
      Or what was posted into the Chat Pit

      There is not ONE that I wouldn’t do all over again

      I’m very proud of what we did
      And we held discussions there that were years ahead of Main Stream
      And we NEVER worried about viewing numbers or made the show about them
      We made it about the topics in front of us
      We did stuff our way

      I would remind everyone again to go to the Late Eight Debate Night; three hours lads. You’ll be hard pushed to find telly like that again.

      If it was awful for you Amy, why would you even bother to ponder on it. Its been well over a year since our last Broadcast, yet you remember it; Funny that.

      1. I Never Comment Anymore

        You were one of the ones doing a lot of the shouting – spoiled it for many of us

          1. Verbatim

            Thought Broadsheet on the tele was a good as any TV that’s on these day, better even. I loved the beginnings of the show, where anything was possible… enjoyed hearing about the movies that were coming out and recommendations…I’d watch it again. Don’t understand why people are so nasty about V, she was a good vocal member of the team.

        1. V

          Well I’m sure the new crew will be so much better

          Like I said, I’m very proud of all of the ones I was part of

          And Amy, thanks for the PostCode Upgrade

  2. dhod

    I was aware of Niall McGarry and joe.ie etc but I knew nothing about him. I did always feel he had a head on him that I wouldn’t trust or like the look of. That sounds really stupid but turns out I was right so fair play to me

  3. Bud Flanagan

    Broadsheet just inflates its popularity by having the mods invent people like me to trigger the usual suspects.
    That’s why they bring me back every so often in a different guise.
    To massage things when clicks are in the toilet,
    I’m the online equivalent of a bit of nudity on late night telly.

    1. Brother Barnabas

      you’re the heavy girl in the too-short skirt who we cant help glancing over at – even though we know we shouldn’t

      1. Bud Flanagan

        Less of the heavy if you don’t mind.
        I’m no heavier than Preposterous.
        I have a better mullet too.

      1. Bud Flanagan

        I believe EVERYTHING I type.
        I just don’t happen to take the internet as seriously as some other people do.

  4. Nick

    So what if they inflate their audience.If you like it ,you like ,if you don’t,no number of likes will change your mind.As far as I can see the only people who are disadvantaged are people using the platform for advertising.

  5. Ringsend Incinerator

    Love to see Joe.ie and all to do with it go down in flames.

    Great hair for a podcast by the way.

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