Advocating for Ourselves as Independent Creators

AIR is dedicated to supporting independent audio creators in building sustainable careers through training, mentorship, advocacy, and community building. Our goal is to make independent work a viable, stable source of income – and make sure we don't have to navigate this shifting industry alone.

Whether you're just now finding your bearings as an independent creator or chasing down a client for a long-forgotten paycheck, we hope that the resources below can come in handy. Together, and with each other in mind, we can build our negotiating power and show employers how to treat us as independents. This is a first step in that direction. 

Freelancing 101

• Quick start guide for freelancers, courtesy of Katherine Reynolds Lewis from the Institute for Independent Journalists
• Freelance Solidarity Project guide in support of new freelancers
• Guilded Freelancer's Cooperative resources for 1099 workers to access health care, contract support, guaranteed payment systems, tax prep, and more
• Transom Sound School podcast archive + tips for the gearheads

Our Rights as Freelancers

• AIR Guide to Fair Practice
• Freelance Solidarity Project best practices for audio freelancers + best practices for employers working with freelancers (also known as Unilateral Announcements)
• Freelancers Union breakdown of federal and state laws for freelancers + the Freelance Isn't Free Act
• Department of Labor misclassification of employees as independent contractors
• National Employment Law Project resources for understanding independent contractor misclassification

Community Building & Networking

• AIR list of audio communities + groups to join
• AIR marketing resources
• AIR membership benefits and discounts
• AIR job board
• All Hear Everything List for Audio Opportunities
• Podcasts and radio shows currently accepting pitches
• PMJA public media job board
• Intake form for individuals recently impacted by layoffs at news organizations, posted by Larry Graham at the Diversity Pledge Initiative
• Crowdsourced grant opportunities
• Running list of audio industry conferences

Rates

• AIR 2025 guide on rates, roles, and responsibilities + a panel with more insight on the guide
• AIR 2025 guide to tape sync rates + a recorded info session
• Roundup of older AIR rate guides
• AIR Getting Paid 101
• AIR submission form to collect insights and ideas on NPR contributor rates, access, and equity
• Freelance Solidarity Project rate-sharing database
• Video Consortium + Brown Girls Doc Mafia Pay Transparency Project
• Crowdsourced freelance writer rates
• For Greater Public, our very own Casper wrote about why pay transparency matters 

Contract Negotiation

• AIR Contract Negotiation 101
• AIR Sample Contracts
• Webinar IIJ Presents: Negotiate Like a Rockstar
• SAG-AFTRA Negotiated Contracts
• Writers Guild of America Minimum Basic Contract

Legal Resources

• AIR legal resources, including nonprofit legal centers and attorneys to reach out to
• Freelancers Union free legal clinics
• Lawyer Kiffanie Stahle's DIY legal resources for creative entrepreneurs
• Webinars:
  • The Role of an LLC for Independent Podcasters
  • Legal and Business Issues Facing Podcasters
  • AI in Audio: Legal Insights to Know Your Rights and Protect Your Work
  • Trademarking 101 for Independent Audio Makers
  • Figuring Out Fair Use, Public Domain and Copyright

Tax Prep

• Freelancers Union webinar on tax prep, available online until April 15, 2026 + other helpful resources for filing your taxes as an independent contractor
• IRS resources for self-employed individuals + the distinction between an independent contractor and employee
• Brass Taxes expense tracker + common income and expenses questions, answered. If you end up using them as your tax preparers, tell them we sent you and you'll qualify for a small discount!

Healthcare

• NerdWallet resources for finding health insurance quotes + understanding copays, coinsurance, and deductibles
• Keeper how-to on freelancer health insurance
• Marketplace plans
• COBRA for continuing health insurance
• The many insurance options offered by the Freelancers Union
• CrowdHealth

*Please note that inclusion on this list does not mean AIR advocates for any one option over another. This should function as a guide to better inform you of your options and enable you to make your own decisions from there.

Worker Co-ops

• Resource guides for starting a worker cooperative:
  • United Federation of Worker Co-ops
  • Democracy at Work Institute
  • Start.coop
• Community and Worker Ownership Project (CWOP) at CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies is centered on teaching and promoting worker-owned cooperatives, economic democracy, and community engagement to broaden action and study for deepening a Solidarity Economy
• Webinar Building and Running a Production Co-op, with Mumble Media
• Webinar Writers Guild of America East presents Worker-Led Media: A virtual panel on building a better media economy

Navigating Layoffs & Unemployment

• Department of Labor steps to file for unemployment insurance (UI)
• State-by-state unemployment benefits finder
• Community Aid Network mutual aid for laid off journalists
• University of Miami resources for negotiating severance
• News Revenue Hub Toolkit for Laid Off Journalists
• Public Media Journalists Association Career Transition Support Toolkit
• Writers Guild of America East Unemployment Guide
• What's Your Plan B? Facebook group for planning your next steps
• Webinar IIJ Presents: Build Stable Revenue with Journalism Adjacent Gigs
• Webinar SoundPath & IIJ Presents: The Impact of Layoffs and How to Weather Them
• Webinar AIR & PMJA Present: Life After Layoffs - Resources, Tips, and Real Stories
• The Layoff Trilogy, Proxy with Yowei Shaw

Staying Safe in the Field

• Transom article on values & practices to keep in mind when reporting on ICE
• University of Minnesota resources for physical, legal, mental health, and digital safety while covering ICE
• Committee to Protect Journalists extensive safety kit
• Freedom For Immigrants guide to reporting at the intersection of immigration, policing, and incarceration
• National Association of Hispanic Journalists safety tips for covering protests (in Spanish and English) and guidelines for reporting on immigration raids
• Online News Association webinar on staying safe on assignment and navigating law enforcement
• The Coalition for Women in Journalism safety and reporting protocols for journalists covering ICE actions

This is a living, breathing document, so if you would like to add any resources, we're all ears. Please email your suggestions to AIR's Advocacy Associate, Giulia Hjort, at [email protected]. You can also schedule time to connect with her about any and all things advocacy. 

Last updated: April 2026