Given the state of our current divisions, podcasters don’t have to look too hard to find controversial topics to cover on an episode. And given what podcasters know about presenting topics to their audiences from behind the mic, firing off a hot take on a new controversy seems like obvious content for your next episode.

But maybe you have misgivings about this course of action. It takes a certain amount of self-awareness and restraint to tamp down our anger or desire to set the record straight. But if we’re to be responsible podcasters, we owe it to our audiences to do just that. These three questions can serve as a quick sanity check before you hit record on that hot take, podcaster.

1. Is this the truth? - It’s not enough that sounds truthful. You need to know that it is true. It doesn’t matter how much you want it to be true. It doesn’t matter how well it fits into your worldview. It doesn’t matter how badly you want to spread the message. None of that matters.

What matters is verifiable, objective truth. And the way you make that determination is by verifying the source. Don’t hide behind the “I’m not a journalist” position. You and I carry with us a device connected to nearly every bit of data that ever existed. In two minutes and a few finger taps, you can check the veracity of just about anything. Yes, even breaking news.

2. Is this necessary? - Not every topic is right for every show, and that gets more true the more a podcaster has niched-down their content. There’s an easy test for this question, though it’s in the form ofanother question: Does my silence on this topic make me complicit?

I’m not advocating silence. There are terrible and egregious atrocities that we might have a chance of addressing if there were more awareness. So If I feel that if I don't say something it makes me complicit, then I will absolutely say something. 

But for the vast majority of trending topics, my choosing not to give voice to my hot take doesn’t directly make me complicit. And if it doesn’t, then my hot take isn’t necessary. 

3. Am I the right messenger? - Do all the life experiences, demographics, genetics, and everything else that makes me me make me the right person to express this hot take?

I’m free to have an opinion on anything. And I’m free to express my opinion about anything. But I don’t have to do that.

Empathy is a different matter, and we shouldn’t lose sight of that. I don’t have to occupy the same socio/economic/demographic/genetics to bring forth an opinion that is in support of the plight others face.

But the reverse is not true. Cliche though it may be, I can’t be critical of someone else’s problems until I’ve walked a mile in their shoes. And I really don’t want to come off like a clueless old cis-gendered white dude. So no, I’m oftentimes not the right messenger. Simply because I don’t want to come off like a jerk. 

Not anymore, at least.

Over the weekend I finished up a huge project on PodcastPontifications.com that really improves the listener experience. Now you can browse by topics that you care about, with an easy (and much smaller) list of episodes to read, listen to, or watch. If you want to stay focused on, for example, the challenges of making an accessible podcast, all of those are now presented together. Or if you want to better understand the importance distribution strategies for your podcast’s episodes, they are there