Not too long ago, I was funnelled through a pitching process I never asked for.

I reached out to a Canadian podcasting network to connect with some fellow producers and chat about industry stuff, only to be told they weren’t interested in my podcast.

When I followed up to clarify that pitching my show wasn’t the intent of my outreach, I received no reply.

This isn’t the first time that I, a freelance podcast producer, have been effectively dismissed by a large Canadian network. For independent producers in Canada, the gate has been firmly shut for a long time. It suggests that networks don’t consider freelance podcast producers worthy of their time until they’re hired into the network system.

I’m proud of having worked so hard to establish myself as a professional on my own terms. So it’s a crummy feeling to know that some of my peers aren't taking the time to foster valuable relationships across all areas of the industry.

I can’t help but feel like this is stunting the Canadian podcast space from earning the global recognition it deserves — and I know I’m not the only one that feels this way.

It is my belief that networks have a duty to uplift the Canadian podcasting ecosystem as a whole, celebrate all Canadian podcasts, and remember where they came from.

A quick look at the evolution of Canada’s podcasting ecosystem

Around 2004, podcasting in Canada started as a DIY space that was held down for 11 years by podcasting pioneers like Bob Goyeteche and Anthony Marco.

During that time, the major networks in Canadian podcasting that we know today, like CBC, Rogers and Corus Entertainment, weren’t even thinking about podcasts.

In fact, at the end of my six-week internship in 2014, one CBC radio host told me that podcasts would never be popular enough to put the time into releasing her radio program as one.

A year later, CBC Podcasts launched. It released its first original podcast, Campus.

Three years after that, Rogers launched Frequency Network with its first original daily news podcast, The Big Story. That same year, Corus Entertainment launched Curiouscast by syndicating the popular radio program, The Ongoing History of New Music.

Contrary to what I was told by that CBC Radio host, podcasts have exploded into mainstream culture, and Canadian podcasts are a big slice of the pie.

Now, Canadian podcasts are facing a massive problem: discoverability.

Recent estimates show that there are over two million podcasts worldwide — some even say the numbers are upwards of 4 million.

In July 2021, CBC Podcast’s senior director Leslie Merklinger said, “Getting in front of audiences continues to become more challenging as the space gets more crowded, as consolidation happens and as bigger players with more money get in the game.”

It's daunting to think that even CBC is worried about even bigger players disrupting the ecosystem. Where does my work fit into this increasingly competitive landscape?

Are my own podcasts destined to sink as the tides turn?

“This isn’t the first time that I, a freelance podcast producer, have been effectively dismissed by a large Canadian network.”

According to the TPX’s Canadian Podcast Listener 2021 Report, cross-promotion is still the number one way that Canadians are discovering podcasts. In fact, 21 percent of Canadian listeners found out about a new podcast through another podcast.

Networks have an incredible advantage. They can do cross-promotion amongst their own content. This leaves Canadian independent podcasts in the dust, competing in an unjust playing field.

And yet, independent podcasts still support and recommend network podcasts on their shows. In fact, I do it all the time on my own podcast because we value sharing important content in conjunction with our own — conversations that are aligned with ours that we know our loyal listeners will value. It’s one of the ways we maintain a relationship with them.

While it is admittedly heartening to see CBC’s Podcast Playlist, the independent podcast community is doing the same work too, with shows like Feedback with EarBuds and Feed the Queue. (Full disclosure: eventually I was successful in getting one of my podcasts featured on Podcast Playlist as of February 2022. This came after three years of emailing into auto-replies).

There are countless podcast newsletters filling up my inbox on a weekly basis. Sadly, producing a discovery podcast only makes a small dent in an industry-wide problem — especially when it mostly highlights already-popular podcasts from major networks.

Surely, there’s room for Canadian networks to do more and truly explore the vast and wonderful library of podcasts out there, especially given the wealth of resources they have access to. Independent producers are exhausted. It can’t be on them to do all the leg work in supporting the Canadian podcast ecosystem. This is a shared responsibility.

How do independent podcasts get a seat at the table?

A number of popular CBC podcasts were indie first, like Secret Life of Canada, Chosen Family and Inappropriate Questions. Some of the most popular Canadian podcasts today are independently produced, including Stop Podcasting Yourself, Thunder Bay, and Lemon Water.

Why aren’t Canadian podcast networks tapping into the opportunity to easily add more ready-made Canadian podcasts to their networks?

After all, network and freelance producers share a lot of similarities: a love of the craft, training in audio storytelling, and an understanding of audiences and listening trends.

By expanding their support to include independent podcasts, Canadian networks could:

Attract niche listeners.
Spend less on the production of brand new shows.
Uplift Canadian talent (in particular, underrepresented talent).
Spend less time sifting through pitches they aren’t interested in.

The Canadian podcasting space outside of networks is extremely collaborative. Freelance podcasters are constantly in communication, sharing resources, clients, and experiences. Independent podcast producers are meeting up at events and festival after-parties. They’re growing their network simply because they love podcasts and want to make them better.

It’s been my experience that this collaboration often stops short once producers enter the doors of Canadian podcast networks.

It’s often at network-sponsored events that you can spot the barrier. In my experience, there's a literal, physical gap between the shoulder-to-shoulder circle of network folks, and the independent podcasters mingling throughout the venue. These events are billed as opportunities to create connections. Network execs have to be there, and freelance producers show up, hoping for a chance to speak with them. Yet, these events come off as disingenuous because they don't tend to result in any new opportunities or collaboration between independent producers and networks.

There isn’t just a problem with ignored emails and unanswered job applications. Canadian networks are socially distancing themselves from independent podcasters, and in turn, they are missing out on some incredible opportunities. How can anyone feel okay about that?

Canadian networks, take note. Here’s what you can do to support Canadian podcasts:

Become part of the ecosystem again: Open up your inboxes and DMs. Mingle at after-parties, invite independent podcasters onstage. Question whether or not you actually know everything there is to know about podcasts. Given how quickly podcasting has changed over the last two years, there’s always more to learn from each other. Podcasts started underground, so remember where you came from. Think about the podcasters whose shoes you were once in and do your duty to lift them up.
Understand the power dynamics at play: The reality is, new podcast listeners seek out the most popular podcasts first — and in the current landscape these are, more often than not, network shows. From there, they look for podcasts created under the same network. Independently produced podcasts cannot compete without brand awareness or network backing. It’s time for Canadian networks to use their power for good and consider being a little more generous with their time and funding.
Stop making the same podcasts! We have enough true crime, we don't need another daily news show and we definitely don't need more insightful conversations between entrepreneurs. Instead, create an open pitching process. Make it accessible for independent producers to come to you with their ideas and then pay them to make their show. Hire podcast curators to seek out and acquire innovative podcasts that tell unique stories. Nobody needs to hear more celebrities talking about celebrity stuff.
Care about Canadian content: These suggestions all assume a level of care. Canadian content should be something all Canadian media producers should want to showcase and put on the map. Seek out independently produced Canadian podcasts: hear for yourself how well-produced they are. Tweet about them. Post about them on Instagram or LinkedIn. Leave them a 5-star review. Subscribe to a Canadian podcast newsletter. Follow Canadian freelance podcast producers on Twitter and LinkedIn. You can start here, or here, or here, or here.