Pitching Radiotopia

Everyday, we hear from podcasters all over the world. It is so gratifying to us that they believe Radiotopia is the place where they can take their work to the next level.

The rubric by which we evaluate pitches:

Can you clearly articulate who this show is for and why they want or need this show in their life?
Will this appeal to a large enough audience to sustain this show (without being generic or watered-down)?
Even though we are a non-profit, advertising is one of our main sources of income. As such, we only work with shows that we believe have the potential to be monetized. It is essential for creators we work with to have a solid understanding of the economics of podcasting, and develop their show’s business model accordingly. In our experience, 100,000 downloads/month is about the point where ad buyers start to become interested (not a hard rule). It can take a long time to build an audience of that size. Will the creator be able to keep the show going when it’s in start-up mode?
Other considerations:
Do we already have shows in this genre, for this audience, etc? Can we sell this show well?
Is it an idea we can’t stop thinking about?
Does it do something new in the genre?
Do we think listeners will want to run and tell their friends about it?
(“Special” is 100% subjective. If we don’t move forward with your show, it does not mean it’s bad, or that we don’t believe you can have a successful career in audio.)
To be an independent creator is to be a businessperson. Are they knowledgeable about the industry?
Can they manage a budget?
Are they curious about all the ins and outs of bringing a show to market, that have nothing to do with content production?
Radiotopia is a producer community. Are they enthusiastic about participating in network activities, including collective fundraising and cross-promotion?
Will they be good colleagues to the tens of PRX staff who will work on their show?
We stand for artist ownership of their work, creative independence, and counter-balancing the influence of corporate interests in audio.
You can read more about our values and our IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility) statement HERE.

The reality is, we are a small team, working with the limited resources that come with being based at a non-profit. Right off the bat, this means most shows will not be a good fit for us, because they need more support than we can provide, whether it is financial, marketing, editorial, or all of the above. Even when there is a financial and editorial match, we can commit to working with only a few new shows a year, and our slate fills up quickly.

If you’d still like to pitch us, you can do so here.

There are many paths and definitions of success in the podcasting space. No matter which path you take, it’s important to keep learning, improve your skills, and stay on top of what’s happening in the industry. Here are some resources to help you get there:

Transom - “channels new work, voices, and ideas into public media through the internet and workshops”. You don’t want to miss Sound School, a biweekly podcast from PRX and Transom that touches on all aspects of radio storytelling, or Starting Out, their column/newsletter for early-career producers.

Podcaster Toolbox - a comprehensive, crowd-sourced guide for indie podcasters (especially helpful for how to find your podcasting community)

AIR - Association of Independents in Radio. Membership gets you access to workshops, job postings, community, and valuable resources such as a freelancer rate guide.