Hello, I’m Stilgherrian, and it’s time to organise more special episodes of my inappropriate podcast The 9pm Edict — otherwise everything will grind to a halt.

Target One $2300 ACHIEVED: Four podcast episodes in July–August 2021

Thanks for getting us there! The core of this project is a batch of four podcasts to take us through to the end of winter. They’ll feature special guests to discuss what’s on their mind, current events, and whatever topics you choose for them — just like these episodes from the Autumn Series that’s just wrapped up.

Want more? Listen to all of the Autumn Series 2021.

Guests will be announced in the next few days.

In the past we’ve had people like author John Birmingham, cartoonists Cathy Wilcox and Jon Kudelka, satirist Mark Humphries, intelligence analyst Elise Thomas, Fiona Patten MLC, anthropologist Dr Genevieve Bell, and the voice of Newcastle, Carol Duncan.

Target Two $3500 ACHIEVED: Two more episodes in July–August 2021

Get us to Target Two and there will be more of these excellent conversations, making it one episode per week through to the end of winter,

Target Three $4600 NO NOT QUITE: Add a Start of Spring panel show

Is this possible in the final eight hours? Sydney will probably still be in COVID-19 lockdown, so we can't do a Public House Forum episode, but we can certainly do a livestreamed panel chat while everyone is drinking. Like this, but not in a pub.

A Note on the Rewards

These are the standard rewards I offer for podcast projects. Further rewards may be added as the campaign progresses. Suggestions are welcome.

Everyone who pledges to support the project will also get access to a secret stash of photographs and audio outtakes — and I really am going to post the first stash before the end of July.

Your contributions will provide me with an income of $1920 while producing those first four podcasts. Pozible’s fees, bank fees, and other administration costs take about 9% of any total funds raised. On top of that there’s 10% GST, which brings the total for Target Two to $2300.

The figures for Target Two are calculated the same way, with my net income being $2880 from the gross target of $3500. 

The Fine Print

All up, each regular episode of The 9pm Edict takes a little over a day to research, prepare, record, edit, and post. Based on the MEAA award rate for casual freelance journalists that's about $960 per episode. As a casual rate, that includes allowances for superannuation, leave, and the like, as well as equipment costs.

I discount it by 30% to $650 per episode because some of the work involves copying and uploading files and other mechanical tasks. I can do other things at the same time. And because I love you all, I discount it another 20% down to $480 per episode.

A Public House Forum episode takes quite a bit more effort overall, roughly two days, so with the same discount applied that's that's $960 per episode.

If you want to see my working, check the updated numbers (PDF).