TWiT.tv
 | This article may rely excessively on sources too closely associated with the subject, potentially preventing the article from being verifiable and neutral. (July 2019) |
38°16′35″N 122°40′03″W / 38.2764301°N 122.6676119°W
| Type | television network |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Headquarters | Petaluma, California |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | English |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Leo Laporte (TWiT LLC) |
| History | |
| Founder | Leo Laporte |
TWiT.tv, which is the operating trade name of TWiT LLC, is a podcast network founded by technology broadcaster and author Leo Laporte and run by his wife and company CEO Lisa Laporte. The network began operation in April 2005 with the launch of This Week in Tech. Security Now was the second podcast on the network, debuting in August of that year. Currently, the network hosts 17 podcasts and live streaming shows. Podcasts including The Tech Guy, This Week in Tech, Security Now, FLOSS Weekly, MacBreak Weekly, and other podcasts covering various topics including technology companies, amateur radio and current technology news.[1]
TWiT founder and owner Leo Laporte, in an October 2009 speech, stated that it grossed revenues of $1.5 million per year, while costs were around $350,000.[2] In November 2014, during an interview with American Public Media's Marketplace Leo Laporte stated that TWiT makes $6 million in ad revenue a year from 5 million TWiT podcasts downloaded each month, mostly in the form of audio, and that 3,000 to 4,000 people watch its live-streamed shows.[3] On March 18, 2015, prior to the filming of This Week in Google, Leo Laporte stated that TWiT expects to make $7 million in revenue in fiscal year 2015, and made "almost" $10 million in revenue in 2016.[4]
TWiT gets its name from its first and flagship podcast, This Week in Tech. The logo design originated from a traditional logic gate symbol of an "AND gate" turned on its side. Voiceovers are provided by Jim Cutler.[5]
Programming
TWiT's podcasts are centered around technology and technology news. Hosts of the shows are usually experts in certain fields, either by working in the field itself or by being a journalist covering the field.
As of August 2019, there are 17 podcasts produced by TWiT.[6]
All the shows are available free to watch or download from the TWiT.tv website and are funded by cost per mille embedded sponsorship.[7] Most of the shows are livestreamed from the TWiT studio in Petaluma, California. TWiT's servers host the network's chat rooms using the Internet Relay Chat.[8]
Shows
The TWiT Network is host to the following shows[9]
Retired Shows
The following are the shows that have been retired from the network[10]:
Litigation
In May 2017, Twitter announced that it would deliver original video content on its platform. Lawyers from TWiT believed this violated a spoken agreement between Leo Laporte and Twitter co-founder Evan Williams made in 2009, and infringed on TWiT's trademark. TWiT tried to informally resolve the trademark issue, and in January 2018 filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against Twitter.[11]
In March 2018 Twitter filed a motion to dismiss.[12] On May 30, 2018, US Magistrate Judge Jaqueline Scott Corley granted Twitters' motion to dismiss the case. The judge found that TWIT's discussions with Twitter "do not support a plausible inference that Twitter agreed to never offer audio or video content under the Twitter brand." [13]
Awards
- This Week in Tech was the recipient of the 2005, 2008, and 2010 People's Choice Podcast Awards in the Technology category and Best Video Podcast in 2009 and 2011.[14]
- Tech News Today was the recipient of the 2012 International Academy of Web Television award for Best News Web Series.[15] It also won the People's Choice Podcast Awards in the Technology category in 2011 and 2013.[14]
- Security Now was the recipient of the 2007 People's Choice Podcast Awards in the Technology category.[14]
- This Week in Computer Hardware, Home Theater Geeks, NSFW, This Week in Tech, MacBreak Weekly, TWiT Live Specials, iPad Today, Tech News Today, The Tech Guy, This Week in Google, and Windows Weekly were named "Best of 2010 in Podcasts" by iTunes Rewind.[16]
- In 2011, This Week in Tech was named "Best Technology Podcast", and TWiT Photo was named "Best New Technology Podcast" by iTunes Rewind.[17]
See also
References
- ^ "TWiT Shows". TWiT.tv. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ "Leo Laporte Makes $1.5 Million Per Year from Podcasting [Video]". Mashable. October 3, 2009. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
- ^ "Podcasting's audience (and its profits) are growing". American Public Media. November 6, 2014.
- ^ "This Week in Google episode 414". TWiT.tv. July 19, 2017. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
- ^ "This Week in Tech episode 483". TWiT.tv. November 6, 2014. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
- ^ "TWiT Shows". TWiT.tv. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ Andrew Keen interviewed on the TV show Triangulation on the TWiT.tv network
- ^ Kalish, Jon (October 3, 2016). "Geek Squad? Nah, Try TWIT's Chat Rooms". PCMag. Retrieved March 31, 2018.
- ^ https://twit.tv/shows?shows_active=1
- ^ "TWiT Shows Retired". TWiT.tv. TWiT. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
- ^ England, Rachel (January 17, 2018). "Twitter faces trademark infringement lawsuit from podcast network". Engadget. Retrieved January 21, 2018.
- ^ "Motion to Dismiss: TWiT LLC vs. Twitter Inc. Case: 3:18-cv-00341-JSC" (PDF). Retrieved March 20, 2018.
- ^ "Case Dismissal: TWiT LLC vs. Twitter Inc. Case: 3:18-cv-00341-JSC". Retrieved May 30, 2018.
- ^ a b c "Podcast Awards - Past Winners". Retrieved April 18, 2018.
- ^ "Winners From The 2012 IAWTV Awards Held At CES In Las Vegas Jan. 12, 2012". International Academy of Web Television. Retrieved August 21, 2014.
- ^ "Geeks Among iTunes Best Podcasts of 2010". Sound & Vision. December 10, 2010. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
- ^ "The Year in Podcasts – best of 2011 from iTunes Rewind". 1x57.com. December 23, 2011. Retrieved April 18, 2018.