Among the reckoning, a call to revolution
Back in 2019 after completing a solo-podcasting project, I wrote about what I learned.
I had spent most of my career working for NPR shows, and needed to find out what it was like to produce a podcast independently. After starting Platform Media LLC as a consulting company, my media experience didn’t always translate to the solo podcaster. What was it like to produce, edit, write, report, host, score, mix, and market a podcast without an entire team to support you? Well, you can read my essay or I’ll just tell you right now. It sucked.
Fast forward a couple of years…. while most of the lessons learned still hold true, the podcasting landscape has completely changed. Gone are the days when distributers were clamoring for good content. Partnerships are now in the shape of mergers and acquisitions. And advertisers and networks are solely focused on podcasts with established audiences.
And while the industry continues to grow like we all knew it would…a reckoning for the misogynistic, the racist, the unkind ass holes who contributed to this system in the first place.
I am calling for an independent podcast revolution. Let’s examine how we got here.
Everyone makes a podcast during COVID
I’ve said this before: The best thing about podcasting is anyone can have a podcast. The worst thing about podcasting is anyone can have a podcast.
COVID left the creative folks shit -out -of -luck. Actors, comedians, musicians….theatres, orchestras, galleries. Venues closed, productions on pause. What better creative outlet than something you can record from the safety of your own home? In fact, I too jumped into the pile by creating three podcasts last Fall. The Loud Women’s Club, The Reluctant Phoenix, and an upcoming narrative podcast for a client. But by the end of 2020, something like 850,000 other people had the same idea.
Introducing Stitcher/Earwolf/Midroll/Sirius/XM
We all dream of success. And I know some pretty awesome people who made it big in the podcasting world with acquisitions. Spotify bought Gimlet, Entercom bough Pineapple, iHeart bought Stuff You Should Know, NYTimes bought Serial, Audible bought Wondery; oh and don’t forget the purchases of Megaphone and Anchor.
These are content powerhouses. Attractive to advertisers because they represent excellent podcasts with large download numbers. What happens when an indie producer is looking for some love?
I’m not a marketer, or public relations specialist, or a salesperson. I make stories. So what is the most effective way to find an audience and monetize a podcast? My first thought (last year) was to find a partner. Here are some of the responses I received from the few people who took the time to write back.
“… we are really taking existing shows that have larger download numbers.”
“…but unfortunately we just couldn’t find a fit for this within our current strategy.”
“… prioritizing bringing in diverse content.” (this was actually a really great and appropriate answer)
“In general we like to be pretty involved in developing a show from the start.”
Clearly, a partnership for my podcasts or my client’s is a hard sell. So what about monetizing? Surely someone is willing to work with an established producer on a new product?
“We don’t work with brand new shows, but we do work with emerging podcasts.”
“Typically the brands and agencies we work with on a national level will start considering podcasts that are 20K downloads per episode and above.”
So what is an independent podcaster to do? I call for a revolution!
Remember the indie rock 90’s
Merge, SubPop, Dischord, Matador, SpinArt….dozens of indie labels emerged in the 80’s and 90s punk and rock scenes, fueled by college radio. The music defined us socially and politically. As college DJs it was our mantra to bring new and interesting artists to the air waves…stuff you wouldn’t be hearing higher up on the dial. Some of these musicians saw huge success, others had to be content with the college circuit. They slept on our couches, ate breakfast at the Waffle House, and toured the country in beat up minivans. It was glorious.
This is what the independent podcasting industry needs. A collective of “labels” or networks that work together to promote the indie producers. Because once the logistics are planned for, beautiful things will happen when creatives are allowed to create.
One such network has emerged already. IPN or the Independent Podcast Network was created by veteran journalist Sunny Gault. A podcaster since 2005, Sunny’s goal isn’t fame and fortune, it’s to help the independent podcasters do their best work. By using a unique partnership with Megaphone, Sunny groups smaller podcasts together in channels. You may only have 100 downloads a week, but what happens when you are paired with other podcasts with a similar demographic of listeners? It’s her hope that ad agencies will soon understand this missed opportunity for reaching a very specific audience, by advertising on a “channel” or network of podcasts.
This is the revolution that needs to happen. I fear if we don’t prioritize the indie podcasters, we will be stifling creativity. Much like the 90s indie music scene, we need to celebrate diverse voices, socio economic and geographic differences. We must demand quality, share resources, and find ways to get excellent podcasts in front of an audience. Podcast players must take a cue from Apple who launched “Spotlight” for independent voices. Advertisers must see the benefit of dynamic ads placed in podcasts that belong to a collective channel (or label/network.)
Larger networks need to STOP giving a platform to the ass hats who bullied their way to success. Guess what? You can be smart, articulate, creative AND a decent human being.
While partnerships are still happening, they seem to be more of a rarity with a much higher bar for admission. There is no money for R&D, there is no selling your podcast to the highest bidder. Just having a good podcast isn’t enough. And for those of us who don’t have the skill set or time or money to market and monetize, we must come together to support each other. Indie podcasters unite.
THIS is the revolution that needs to happen.