Call for Pitches: The Threat Issue
Every issue of Good Tape is anchored by a central idea that speaks to the current moment in podcasting. In our last issue, we dismantled the podcast industry’s celebrity complex: investigating the decade since unexpected fame befell Woodstock, Alabama after the debut of “S-Town”; exploring hip-hop podcasters’ influence on the music they cover; and unraveling toxic masculinity’s seductive pull over the bros.
In 2025, as we survey the state of things one word keeps rising to the surface: Threat.
The threats are coming from all sides. Real-world dangers from systems collapse to fascistic overreach are being stitched into every day decisions and the work we’re creating. Beyond that, there are threats to the podcast medium itself: the rise (and hype) of A.I., shaky funding models, the decimation of deeply reported journalism, YouTube’s tightening domination, and the industry-wide scramble to video. What’s at stake differs wildly depending on who you are, what you’re working on, and the stories you tell.
Of course, podcasting’s not unique. Film, publishing, music, and other creative industries are all grappling with similar issues. But the shape of our threat? That’s what we’re exploring this year.
What’s on the verge of extinction? What could be born from collapse? What’s worth defending, and what status quo deserves a challenge?
Who are the threats? Who are the defenders? Are you a threat to the powers that be, through the stories you’re pursuing and the art you’re making?
In our next issue, we’re digging into the threats surrounding podcasting, as well as the innovations, weird experiments, and creative resistances that will shape what comes next.
We’re looking for unexpected takes on the idea of threat in podcasting: sharp angles, surprising stories, solutions that go beyond the usual hand-wringing. Artists, writers, audio makers, and sponsors thinking about the future of this medium — we want to hear from you. Please send any writing or art pitches (or sponsor inquiries) for The Threat Issue below by June 30, 2025.
With our new theme comes another announcement from the leadership team at Good Tape: founding editor Alana Hope Levinson’s tenure as editor-in-chief has come to an end. Alana was integral in making Good Tape the destination for sharp, unexpected, carefully curated yet ballsy podcast commentary, and turning a scrappy magazine into a publishing outfit that rivals any mainstream publication.
During the transition, we’re excited to announce that Phoebe Lett will be joining the Good Tape team as writer and editor, helping shape our next issue and digital outputs. Phoebe comes to us from the New York Times, where she spent a decade curating podcast coverage, nurturing listening communities, and creating many long-running podcasts. She’s thrilled to help bring the underreported trends and special corners of podcasting and its fandom to Good Tape audiences, and would love to hear pitches for any kind of critique, reporting, or commentary at phoebe[@]goodtape.com.
