International ‘Review Your Favorite Podcast and Support the Makers of Things That Bring You Joy’ day
Please celebrate this impromptu February 6 holiday with us
Dear readers,
At the Bello Collective, we write a lot about the things we like — the podcasts that make our lives better, the stories that taught us something valuable.
Over on the Bello Slack channel, we started thinking… that’s great, but what are we doing?
Here’s my confession: I’ve never actually donated to public radio before. I’ve never earned a tote bag from NPR, or committed a few dollars a month to a Patreon account, or typed in my credit card number for a network pledge drive. Despite all the pleas from radio producers, I’ve never even reviewed a podcast in iTunes — I don’t even know how to.
I figured — I write about it, right? That’s probably good enough, yeah?
Answer to self: no. No, it is not.
If there’s anything I’ve learned from the past year, it’s the importance of backing up your words with actions.
So, we’re declaring today, February 6, an impromptu holiday:
‘Review Your Favorite Podcast and Support the Makers of Things That Bring You Joy’ day!*
(Okay, it’s a working title.)
It’s an easy idea: I took a few minutes to think about a few things that I wanted to support and help sustain the creation of, such as:
- The hourly news update from WAMU, which keeps me connected to D.C. from the other side of the world
- Networks like Radiotopia that bring together independent creators
- Newsletters like The Ann Friedman Weekly, which provides inspiration, insight, and nice words of encouragement every week
- Podcasts like Another Round, The Memory Palace, Outside/In, and Switched on Pop, which are my after-work de-stress listens lately
And then I did a thing to support them: a recurring donation, a one-time donation, an iTunes review (here’s how, if you need a tutorial — it’s a bit odd). It took less than half an hour, and it was fun.
There’s a question in the back of my mind about whether this ‘holiday’ is worthwhile — should we, as one reader put it, be worrying “less about podcasts and more about democracy?”
It’s a valid point, and I think we landed somewhere in the middle: do both. (Note: I also gave some $$$ to a few causes I care about, like the ACLU. Do that first, and then do this.)
But I think that, ultimately, there’s power in the freedom of creative expression, and in creating media, art, and stories which make your life better, and enriches the lives of those around you.
“Joy itself is a rebellion… living unapologetically is an act of defiance” (Jade Chang, writer)
For inspiration, we’re sharing a few things that the Bello team supported below. We hope it inspires you to do the same! If you do, tell us about it?
xo,
From the Bello team —
Dana:
Even though I ADORE this new holiday of ours, I only half celebrated this year: I still didn’t add any reviews to iTunes, but I have been more vocal about asking Android developers to add more review possibilities. (We’ll get there!) The way I have been celebrating though is I’ve been regularly donating to radio and podcasts for a few years — not just through my father’s yearly gift of a KQED membership (radio raised what what), but also monthly $5 membership to WNYC and support on Patreon. Last year, my husband and I did our budget to include small monthly donations to 10 organizations we supported. I think I’ll be adding a monthly membership to Wisconsin Public Radio, to support local journalism in this time of need.
Erik:
Just like a guy who avoids eye contact with the talented street musicians he walks past each day, I’ve shamefully skipped past the thousands of requests for iTunes reviews I’ve heard over the years. Not anymore though! I’m now going to be the guy who looks those street musicians right in the eye and tells them how much I appreciate them. Just this week, I left my first iTunes reviews (Random Article & Twenty Thousand Hertz) and plan to make a habit of it. I am also now a patron for “You Are Not So Smart” and “The Bright Sessions”. It feels good to finally support some fantastic creators.
Galen:
In honor of this holiday, I supported KALY, a Somali-American radio station in Minneapolis, MN. While KALY is neither a podcast nor a radio station I regularly listen to, I think it’s important to support community radio stations and the creators who make them happen. One way to advocate for diversity in audio production is by sharing resources with a diverse group of producers. I’m excited to see what this group of audio makers does next!
Calen:
“I also support When Diplomacy Fails and A History of the United States, both made by men who I see a lot of my younger self in. Both excellent historical minds.”
The Bello Collective is a publication + newsletter about podcasts and the audio industry. Our goal is to bring together writers, journalists, and other voices who share a passion for the world of audio storytelling. Subscribe to the Bello Collective weekly newsletter for more stories, podcast recommendations, audio industry news, and more.
