Anyone who has ever started a podcast quickly realizes that podcasting takes a lot of time, organizing, planning, scheduling, and effort. The majority of podcasts are being created and offered for free. This is admirable, yet unsustainable, especially if the creation of the podcast is costing the creator money. Such is the case with The Honest Actors’ Podcast.
The Honest Actors’ Podcast was founded by Jonathan Harden. According to the show’s About page it became the UK’s number 1 Acting Podcast. The show launched in September of 2015 with a free fortnightly podcast that featured interviews with working actors. Topics included things like what work they had done in the past, what they’ve done to pay bills, and how they stayed sane through it all.
As of February 29, 2016, The Honest Actors’ Podcast has gone off the air, indefinitely. Jonathan Harden intended to keep the show free for everyone. He provides some explanation as to why he has decided to stop the podcast:
But I’ve been working on the project solidly for twelve months, happily dedicating several days a week to getting it out here and making it a success; as its popularity has grown, it has started to take over my life. One year on, I can no longer do it alone. Honest Actors’ needs a sponsor willing to support a project that supports actors. Thousands of us.
Few people can afford to take on what amounts to a full-time job that doesn’t come with any pay. It is completely understandable that Jonathan Harden has come to the decision that The Honest Actors’ Podcast cannot continue unless it has a sponsor. He has a plan that could, potentially, demonstrate to sponsors that the show is worth funding.
He has a short list of things that listeners, who love his podcast, can do to raise awareness of it. They can post a rating on iTunes, join the mailing list, and mention the show on their social media accounts. Full details can be found on The Honest Actors’ website, where you can also read about Jonathan Harden’s plan to take the show to the next level – if the show gets a sponsor.