Big changes for Sounds Like Impact in 2026!

TL;DR - Curations pitches are moving to EarBuds, and we are going [Substack] live!

Happy New Year!

And hello to all of the new subscribers who have joined since the last newsletter. You are joining at an exciting time, but also a time of change for this newsletter.

This past year, I took a brief hiatus and have spent the last few months reflecting on how best to serve the social impact audio community. Many of you are podcast creators or social impact strategists and communications professionals who recognize that our field is at a crossroads.

Funding cuts <> distrust in [media] [government] institutions;

geopolitical tensions <> human rights abuses;

AI “takeover” <> environmental crises…the list could go on.

So, where does that leave us, the storytellers who want to make a difference with our reporting or gain support for the issue areas our organizations are working hard to solve?

After learning that one of AIR’s most popular panels last year was the one I pitched and moderated, “The State of Social Impact Podcasting,” I knew there was a real appetite for guidance on how to create content that matters as we navigate our present moment in audio and the polycrisis.

My primary reason for starting Sounds Like Impact was to help podcasters scale the impact of their content by providing an outlet for their work tied to social change. In the years I have run this newsletter and interacted with podcasters through interviews, guest curation, and surveys, I understand how under-resourced this type of podcasting is.

So, to double down on my initial mission, I will need to let go to make room for resources I believe can help.

Effective immediately, Sounds Like Impact will no longer curate podcast lists. However, we have partnered with EarBuds Podcast Collective founder Arielle Nissenblatt to promote social impact-themed curations published on the EarBuds platform in this newsletter.

If you aren’t already familiar with EarBuds Podcast Collective or Arielle, get familiar! EarBuds is a weekly podcast recommendation newsletter that was founded in 2017 by Arielle. Each issue contains five episodes on a theme, and each week is curated by a different person. There are over 450 lists to scroll through for podcast recs on topics ranging from game theory and science for kids to rural life and cultural identity.

• Here is the form to submit your curation to EarBuds Sounds Like Impact.

• Please note: EarBuds also has other topical lists, including Kids, True Crime, History, and Sports. If you feel that the other lists are more aligned, feel free to submit to those via the dropdown menu.

• When there is an upcoming issue of Sounds Like Impact, we will include a mention of all the relevant curations from EarBuds in this newsletter.

• Pitched to EarBuds before this change? You can also submit your curation for promotion here. Email the link to soundslikeimpact@unofficialsocialchair.com.

Next update: Beginning in February, Sounds Like Impact will launch the #AudioForAction series on Substack Live. These will be conversations with podcasters (case studies/panel discussions) covering topics such as developing social impact shows, securing funding, building mission-driven audio businesses, creating an impact strategy, using podcasts as educational tools, and more!

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT TO SUGGEST TOPICS.

You will receive notifications when a Live is scheduled, and recordings will be available on the newsletter if you can’t attend. However, the benefit of attending live is that you can engage!

And while these are big changes, one thing remains the same: Sounds Like Impact will remain free / donation-based (subscriptions or BuyMeACoffee).

So that’s the news, and I hope you will stick around! From time to time, I will also share what I’m listening to, ads for new shows, and news from community members. You’ll still have an opportunity learn about incredible shows and audiomakers, but now, with more impact :-)

Sincerely,

Ayo | Editor-in-Chief, Sounds Like Impact

P.S. If you are still wondering about the Best of Impactful Podcasts 2025 list, it’s still coming! Though it may be more scaled down this year. An unexpected illness late last year through the beginning of this year reduced my bandwidth, but it will happen.