Can you make money from podcasts?

Richard Herring to start charging for videos

Richard Herring is to start charging for video versions of his hit podcasts – in the hope of being able to fund ‘TV-quality’ stand-up shows that he can release independently online.

Episodes of the next series of his Leicester Square Theatre podcast, which includes guests such as Chris Addison and Stephen Fry, will be available to download for £3.50 a time, or £15 for the full series of six.

Writing on Chortle, Herring said: ‘My hope is that we might cover the costs of filming in this way, but even if we don’t it will be an interesting record of the project.

‘If we do make any money on this we will plough it back into making ever more ambitious comedy projects. I am planning to make a monthly series of “TV quality” scripted and edited stand-up shows at the Leicester Square Theatre from October onwards which will be sold in a similar fashion.’

The audio podcasts won the bronze award for radio comedy at the prestigious Sony Awards earlier this week, against tough competition from BBC shows, and have previously scooped the Chortle internet award.

Herring says he never intended the podcasts to be a money-spinner, but it was more important to be able to make the shows he wanted without the need to appease TV commissioners. He added that he intends to keep audio downloads of the podcasts free.

The new videos are to be produced in conjunction with independent comedy label Go Faster Stripe and can be ordered here – along with a sample episode in which Herring spoke to his erstwhile double-act partner, Stewart Lee. Here is an extract:

Click here to read Herring’s article in full.

Published: 16 May 2013

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