Mercury and Orbit are turning 4 July into a new annual celebration for independent podcast creators.
The two companies have declared the date Independent Podcasters Day, a global event to recognise the podcasts and people building audiences outside major networks.
A new website, IndependentPodcastersDay.com, will feature creator stories and case studies highlighting the role independent podcasters continue to play across the industry.
Starting today, Mercury is inviting creators, agencies, executives and podcast networks to publicly support the initiative by signing a pledge on the website. The company says a roll call of supporters will be published soon.
Liam Heffernan, Chief Executive Officer of Mercury and Orbit, said the campaign reflects the companies’ focus on supporting independent creators.
“Independent Podcasters Day represents everything Mercury and Orbit stands for,” he said. “We exist to support, represent, and empower independent creators, so it makes sense for us to launch Indie Pod Day.”
He added: “To all the hard-working, game-changing creators out there, we have your back.”
The organisers say the day is intended to grow organically each year through user-generated content from the podcast community.
Rather than focusing on awards or rankings, the campaign is designed to encourage podcasters to share the realities of working independently, including the successes and the challenges.
Independent podcasting remains a significant part of the wider audio industry, with many creators producing shows without the backing of large media organisations while building loyal audiences and sustainable businesses.
Mercury and Orbit say the new annual event is intended to celebrate that contribution and give independent podcasters a dedicated day of recognition.
