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Making More Equity In Podcasting By Stepping Back

Equality in podcasting is a nice-sounding idea that fails in practice. But if enough of us strive for equity in podcasting, that work-in-progress practice that can lead to positive change.

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Today is Martin Luther King Day in the United States. It’s a day off work for some people, and it's a time of reflection for many. Including me. As an openly white dude, it seems disingenuous to say I “celebrate” the holiday. Instead, I use the day to examine my position—a position of privilege—in the grand scheme of things, podcasting and beyond.

At least on the surface, and certainly outward-facing, podcasting looks really, really white. It’s hard to look at the people at big production houses, strong independents who’ve accumulated huge audiences, or to the pundits who don’t mind navel-gazing ad nauseam about the podcasting industry and be proud of our overall diversity.

Because we have yet to achieve it.

Examining My Own White Privilege In Podcasting Card

I enjoy a lot of time in the spotlight in the podcasting world. I mean, you’re reading my words right now. Others are listening to my voice. Some are watching my face speak those words on a video. My platform reaches a lot of the podcasting world.

Additionally, I’m frequently asked to be on a guest on other podcasts, something I genuinely enjoy doing. And not all of those podcasts are about podcasting. Because, believe it or not, I do have interests outside of podcasting and have racked up a few stories others like to hear.

It’s those stories—and my ability to tell them well—that gets me on a lot of stages where I can present my thoughts and ideas to others. From Ignite presentations to keynotes, I’ve had the privilege to speak to people all over the world. A good number of my speaking opportunities have been at podcasting conferences, where I’m a known entity. In fact, I can’t think of a single time when my application to speak at a podcasting conference wasn’t selected. 

You can argue that it’s my credentials in the space, the platform I’ve built, or the fact that I’ve been pushing the edges of what podcasting can be for more than 16 years that earned me those spots. 

But let’s be honest: the way I look certainly isn’t hindering my chances of being selected.

Stepping Back So Others Can Step Up

Every time a podcasting conference organizer chooses me to give a solo talk on stage, the conference organizer had to not choose an underrepresented voice for that same time slot. In the real world, there’s a finite number of people who can speak at a podcasting event. Conference organizers know this, and I think most have the best of intentions at making their stages more equitable and diverse.

Still, it’s a tough call. And I’m glad I don’t have to make it. But I can do more than that. I can take action to make it easier on the conference organizers so that they don’t have to make a tough choice.

I can choose not to submit to speak at podcast conferences.

Don’t worry: As soon as it’s safe to travel and gather, you’ll see me at the podcasting conferences. I still love immersing myself in “the tribe” of podcasters. There’s a charge I get from going to podcasting conferences that I’ve not found a way to replicate. And you know I’m jonesing to get back out there.

But I still want to be—and plan to be—involved in podcasting conferences. You may see me on stage as part of a panel, or perhaps co-presenting with someone else. And if asked to speak, my default answer will likely be “yes”. However, I’m going to ask some pointed questions about others participating. I’m ill-equipped to be the equity cop, but I do have agency for myself and can do my part to ensure I’m helping lift underrepresented voices instead of taking more of the spotlight for myself.

It’s my personal belief that podcasting conferences and events are made better when it’s not just the same almost-reflexive lineup of shoe-ins on the stage. 

Implied within the Black lives matter message is the reality that Black voices matter. And if I can make the world a richer and more inclusive space by stepping back so that underrepresented voices can step forward, it’s almost literally the least I can do.

For me, it's not enough to say that everybody has an equal chance in podcasting. It's not enough to assume that everybody has equal access to the same tools, services, and experiences that give a purported equal shot at podcasting fame. Because even I can see from my position of privilege that that’s not true.

Sparking Ideas From Other Privileged Podcasters 

My decision is something meaningful I can do to help forward the application of equity in podcasting. But it may not be something you can do. However, I’d wager each of us who podcast from a place of privilege can do something meaningful.

You can help spark that insight within another working podcaster by sharing this episode of Podcast Pontifications with them. I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t appreciate the message-spreading just for message-spreading sake. But it’s not like I’m getting paid by the listener, so it’s not the driving cause for my ask.

Over time, and certainly over the last several months, I’ve heard from other privileged podcasters who are struggling with how they can make a meaningful impact. I don’t have a single answer that works for all, but perhaps hearing this episode or reading this article will get them thinking creatively about their own solution. As I hope it is getting you thinking creatively about what you can do if you too podcast from a position of privilege.

Reflect on that through the day today. And hopefully tomorrow.

I shall be back tomorrow with yet another Podcast Pontifications. 

Cheers!

Published On:
January 18, 2021
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Equality in podcasting is a nice-sounding idea that fails in practice. But if enough of us strive for equity in podcasting, that work in progress practice can lead to positive change.
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Hello, and welcome to another Podcast Pontifications with me, Evo, Terra.
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It is Martin Luther King Day in the United States. That's a holiday for some people. It's a time of reflection for many, including me. MLK day is a day I always like to think about me and how I fit into the grand scheme of things.
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You might think that's weird for a white dude, but allow me to continue. You see, podcasting is still quite white on the surface. Outward facing, you will see, when you see pictures, you will see lots of white folk all over the place. I mean, look at me, once again.
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Now, because of, well, a lot of factors, the reality is I get a lot of time in the spotlight in the podcasting world.
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I have this platform that you are watching, if you're watching the video, or listening to, if you're listening to the audio, or reading, if you're reading the text that goes out there, it reaches a lot of podcasters. I am frequently asked to be a guest of lots of other podcasts, not just a podcasting podcast, but all over the world.
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They're all over the map of what podcasts can actually be. And when I apply to speak at conferences, I'm usually chosen, not always, but usually chosen. Now, clearly my credentials in this space, the 16 years I've been doing this, clearly, those are a factor in me being selected by the conferences that I apply to, but let's face it, I, the way that I look, certainly isn't hindering my chances of being selected.
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To the reflection part. Here it is. Every time a conference organizer chooses me to give a presentation on stage at a podcasting conference, that's one more underrepresented voice that won't be heard because I'm up there. It's the reality of things, right?
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The real time factor. There's a limited number of space. We cannot occupy two spaces at the exact same time. So if I'm up there, giving my spiel it means somebody else with an underrepresented voice can't have that same spot.
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And I'm conscious of this. I understand this. And I want to make it a little easier on conference organizers who are forced to make that tough choice - known entity, this guy knows what he's talking about, he's got the right information at the right, and they're all going to want to hear that stuff. But at the same time...
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Well, again, I'm conscious of this. And I want to make that decision a whole lot easier for conference organizers, which is why I no longer submit to speak at podcasting conferences.
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Now I'll still participate in podcasting conferences. I'll still go to the podcasting conferences, and I still want to be a part of the scene. And I suppose it's possible that a conference organizer would ask me to speak, maybe co-present, or sit on a panel. I get that's them reaching out to me specifically.
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But when that happens and I very well might do those things, I'm going to ask some questions about the other attendees that will be a part of that. Because again, I'm conscious of the fact that how I look isn't hurting my chances of getting onstage.
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And I want to make sure that me taking a spot isn't going to negatively impact someone with a voice that needs to be raised up because we need to raise up voices that aren't just automatic shoe-ins for things like speaker spots at podcasting conferences.
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We need to do that because yes, believe it or not, black lives matter. Black voices matter. And this is one very simple thing for me that I can do to help ensure that more black voices are given a chance to be heard.
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It's not enough to say that everybody has an equal chance in podcasting. It's not enough.
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We need to work, specifically I need to work, and something I can control is that I need to work on striving towards equity in podcasting. So that's what I'm doing.
So, I'll see you at those conferences. You probably won't see me on stage. And if you do, I didn't ask for it specifically, and I also did ask some tough questions to make sure that I was comfortable, that enough was being done to help the underrepresented voices speak at those places as well.
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Again, I say, I'll see you at those conferences when we can travel to those conferences. Hopefully this year.
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Now I need you to do me a favor. I want you to forward this episode to somebody who needs to hear it.
Listen, I don't get paid by the listener. That's not why I'm asking you to spread this particular message. But I have heard from other privileged podcasters struggling with the whole, "what can I do about this problem" question? Well, maybe this episode will spark an idea of some actions they might be able to take in their own life as a working podcaster. Who knows?
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So if you would please forward this episode along and say, here's what one white dude is doing, maybe you could do something similar. I don't know. See what kind of sparking ideas it gives to them.
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But that's it. Short episode. I want you to think about the day. Reflect on yourself.
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And I shall be back tomorrow with yet another Podcast Pontifications.
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Cheers!

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Podcast Pontifications is produced by Evo Terra. Follow him on Twitter for more podcasting insight as it happens.
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