I first got invited to do a podcast back in 2020. It was thrilling! I could not wait to share my knowledge. Over the next several years, I appeared again and again on several YouTube channels, never asking for a dime—never even thinking I could make money this way. After all, I was an academic, paid by a university. My mission was to share knowledge.

But after a while it dawned on me: I don’t make a pension. So even if I keep my university job, I’ll retire some day and I’ll be totally dependent on savings. Academic books don’t make much, so I’ll have virtually no passive income. Why am I working so hard for free? Lawyers ask big fees. I recently saw 500USD for a half-hour consult. Is their knowledge so much more valuable than mine? I worked twelve years to get my PhD—that’s a lot longer than most lawyers work to get their degree. So why am I giving up on passive income?

Listen folks, if you have a tenured position and a fail-safe retirement plan, you don’t have to read any further. But you should at least know that podcasters are making some serious cash by sharing your content with the world. And your online content does not disappear. Podcasters continue to make money off of your work for as long as YouTube and other platforms last. And they also get the copyright—so your name and face are forever linked to their channel.

So here’s my advice. If you’re an academic and you get asked to appear on podcasts, ask for an interview fee. It does not have to be much. Thirty dollars, fifty dollars—whatever. Just ask for something so that they earn the copyright. Or—even better—ask for the copyright yourself so that you can share the video on your platforms. Two years ago, I heard from a podcaster that Bart Ehrman charges 1000USD/hour when he’s invited to do a podcast. I don’t know if this number is (still) accurate or not. But if Ehrman is asking anything near that number, we are fools for not asking for something.

Now, I know what the podcasters say: “we promote your book, so you get paid that way!” Really? If you’re books are like most academic books, they’re over 75USD, and not many “normal” people are going to shell out more than 50USD even for an amazing book. And what is your royalty percentage? 3%? 5%? Even if you make 10%, you’re making a pittance that will dwindle out. My friends, giving all your knowledge away for free does not pay off. Remember, podcasters will make money off your content for the rest of their lives. Shouldn’t you be getting a slice of that pie?  

So if you get asked to speak on a podcast, ask for an interview fee. Heck, if you’re a famous academic from a big-name university, ask for a large fee. If anything, it will separate out the serious podcasters from the dilettantes. Trust me, big podcasters with a good audience can pay what you ask. Even small-scale podcasters just getting started can open up a GoFundMe for interview fees. And in the end, so what if the podcasters won’t pay the fee? You’re already busy anyway! Go back to teaching and grading. But trust me on this one, if you are valuable to them, they will pay. And believe this: your knowledge is valuable. There’s nothing wrong with you asking someone to compensate you for the value you create in the marketplace. And if you get famous, retire. And when you’re retired, keep asking for compensation. You’ve spent a career building your reputation. You’ve earned it.