There’s been a lot of negativity on this post.
For my part, I’ve been with Cpod almost since it’s beginning, on and of. Cpod has had so many changes and trial ideas, it’s almost comparable to an Operating System company. That being said, the core hasn’t changed. That being the lessons. Some changes have been good, most a waste of time and, to be honest, annoying. As long as lessons are regular, content is good, presenters are likeable and the app can remain stable, nothing needs changing or adding.
But if you are really thinking of change, my advice would be multiple presenters again. Fiona and Gwilym were great, and I think the teaching was actually better under them than it I had ever been. Yet people do often speak of the “old days” on Cpod as being the golden time, and for a reason. Figure out why and nothing ever needs changing ever again.
As for stretches of time with little or no new content, I think at 4,000 lessons, this is to be expected. Still, communication has been a problem ever since Ken left, and more communication is what many have asked for for a long time now. I’m sure you have a team behind the scenes working away, why not get them involved. Cpod used to be a physical place one could visit, meet the team and get a free cpod coffee mug. We all knew the faces, the names, the team and who worked on what.
Times change, I know that. The format Cpod is the best anywhere online and is in no danger of being bettered anytime soon. It is probably one of the most advised Chinese courses, and the sheer volume of lessons makes it highly desirable. Yet, maybe a little less corporate-ness and more of that, “Cpod is our hobby,” kind of thing. That would go a long way I think.